How to get rid of bed bugs
Bed bugs in London are possibly the most difficult pest to deal with. There is very much no way round but using a professional pest control technician. The 2 approaches that are successful are residual insecticides and heat treatment.
About bed bugs
Bed bug appearance
- Light brown to reddish-brown depending on feeding
- About shape and size of an apple seed once they are gorged with blood.
- They can move surprisingly quickly.
Infestation
Bed bugs infestations are normally introduced by the tenants. Bed bugs in London are often linked to people motility that spread them as tenants move to a new address.
Another way to pick them up is during a sleepover, or a stay in a hotel. They have also been seen in the London public transports, in offices, crawling on people's neck during daytime.
Finally, some of our clients reported having bought second hand furniture beforehand.
Once introduced inside the home, the bed bug infestation will build up locally as long as they receive the blood supply, and it will often be passed on from room to rooms.
Some individual do not react at all to their bites, others get sensitised and will develop stronger and stronger reactions as time goes. Others will have allergic reaction at the very first bite.
Regardless, the earlier you spot the infestation, the earlier you can treat for it, the easier it will get.
Behaviour
Bed bugs are quite secretive and difficult to spot. Hiding on the crease of the mattress or divan, between the timbers of the bed frame, the back of the headboards, at the feet of the bed frame.
Beyond that what you can be sure off, is that every single bed bugs will come out for you about once a week to feed. They are guided by the CO2 you breath out while you sleep. And the first "meat" they will find they will bite.
Our bed bugs removal treatment
The traditional method rely on spraying a mix residual insecticides and insect growth regulators. Cimetrol Super is the product of choice but cannot be applied directly on mattresses. For Soft furnishing the product of choice is FICAM W.
The traditional insecticidal treatment is very efficient when the home is tenanted. But if there is no-one sleeping, the bed bugs will often stay hidden and escape contact with the pesticides.
Lastly some tenants may have situations or health conditions that would preclude the use of pesticides.
In such a case the only valid option left would be a Heat Treatment. Think of it as cooking your entire home above a critical temperature that will kill of every stage of Bed bugs life cycle.
Heat treatments in London are getting more popular as a more healthy, more environmental friendly approach.
