If you’ve woken up with itchy bites and reddish-brown marks on your mattress, you’re probably wondering how to get rid of bedbugs – and fast!
These tiny insects live on bedding and furniture and are often brought inside via your clothing or other belongings. Thankfully, these pests are visible to the human eye, and the signs are fairly obvious, so it shouldn’t be too difficult to tell if you have them – unlike other pests, like dust mites, which are too small to see.
To help you banish bedbugs as quickly as possible, we consulted pest control experts for their advice. Below, you’ll find a step-by-step guide for getting rid of these pesky parasites, the signs to watch out for, and whether it’s possible to eliminate them overnight.
How to get rid of bedbugs
1. Check your belongings
Bedbugs are often picked up while traveling, so give your belongings a thorough inspection – including your clothing, suitcase, and everything inside. Vacuum them to get rid of any unwanted hitchhikers that may be lingering.
Tony King, pest control expert at The Pied Piper, warns against taking potentially infested items to other parts of your home, as this could cause the infestation to spread even further.
2 Vacuum
Next, vacuum your mattress, box springs, bed frames, and floors to remove as many bedbugs and eggs as possible. Tony says this won't solve the problem completely, but it's a good starting point and a partial solution.
3. Wash your bedding and clothing
Just like carpet beetles, bedbugs and their eggs can't survive extremely high temperatures, so your next step is to wash your bedding and clothing in hot water and then dry them on the highest heat setting, says Tony.
Wash your garments at a minimum of 60 °C for at least 30 minutes, then tumble dry on the hottest setting for 30 minutes.
4. Consult professional pest control
If you're dealing with a large infestation, it's always best to call in professionals who can completely eliminate the problem from your home.
Darren Backhouse, Partner at MJ Backhouse Pest Control, says, "DIY methods can help control the problem but bed bugs can live in tiny cracks and crevices, so professional pest control treatment is usually needed with larger infestations."
Get rid of bedbugs with these shopping picks
Keep bedbugs at bay with this mattress-specific vacuum cleaner, which features a UV light to kill bacteria, 50°C hot air to dry damp areas, and an LED light that indicates when the area is clean.
This plant-based spray kills bedbugs and their eggs on contact and has a formula that’s safe for pets and children.
Waterproof and machine-washable, this mattress protector will shield your bed from unwanted insects, allergens, and spills.
Tony King is the owner and manager of The Pied Piper, a leading pest control service that has been in operation for more than 25 years.
Darren is the partner of a family-run pest control company based in Yorkshire, which has been operating since 1988. He has vast experience working on both domestic and commercial property and has seen just about every pest control issue there is over the years.
Can you completely get rid of bedbugs overnight?
No, it's not possible to completely get rid of bedbugs overnight. According to Tony King, these insects are "extremely tough" and often hide in tiny cracks and crevices, which makes them difficult to remove instantly.
He explains, "Even with the strongest of chemical treatments and heat methods, one has to go through multiple rounds to ensure that all the different stages of the life cycle are wiped out."
Darren Backhouse agrees and notes that follow-up inspections are part of his routine, as bedbugs and their eggs can be hidden deep in furniture and walls.
He says, "If you spot an issue early and follow preventative measures (regularly check bedding, seal cracks and be cautious when bringing secondhand furniture or luggage inside), you may be able to stop an infestation taking hold."
Signs of bedbugs
If you think you have bedbugs, but aren't 100% certain, here are the common signs to look out for, according to Tony King and Darren Backhouse:
- Small, itchy bites (these may appear red or purple, depending on your skin tone)
- Dark spots on your sheets and mattress (these are bedbug droppings and shed skin)
- A faint musty smell in areas where bedbugs have multiplied heavily
- An unpleasant sweet odor
To treat the bites, the NHS recommends keeping the affected area clean, applying something cool to help with itching, and avoiding scratching.
Alternatively, your local pharmacist may be able to recommend a mild steroid cream or antihistamines if the itching is unbearable. If these measures don’t work, it’s best to consult your GP, who may prescribe antibiotics to treat an infection.
The very idea of bedbugs lurking in your furniture is enough to make your skin crawl, but by following the steps above, you’ll have the best chance of removing them from your home for good.
Some of these tips – like regular cleaning and sealing cracks – will also be helpful in preventing other common household pests, such as silverfish and spiders.
