Bed bug treatment in Enschede: certainty first
An adult bed bug is flat, reddish brown and about the size of an apple pip. After feeding it becomes rounder and darker. By day it hides; at night it is drawn to the warmth and breath of whoever is asleep. What you usually notice before the insects themselves:
- bites in a line or cluster on arms, neck or legs, which sometimes only start itching a day later
- small blood spots on the fitted sheet or pillowcase
- black dots, their droppings, along the mattress seams and in the corners of the bed frame
- pale brown, empty shed skins between the slats or behind the headboard
Bites alone are not proof: not everyone reacts to them, and mosquitoes or fleas can leave similar marks. That is why we look for hard evidence during the inspection.
How bed bugs find their way in
Bed bugs have nothing to do with a dirty home. They hitch a ride in suitcases and bags after a stay in a hotel, hostel or holiday let, and in second-hand beds, sofas and bedside tables. They can also arrive during a house move or with a guest who stays a few nights.
Once inside, they spread gradually: first the bed, then the sofa, the skirting boards and the sockets in the same room. In flats and student houses they can also reach the neighbours through cracks in walls and along pipework. The sooner you report it, the smaller the area that needs treating.
How our heat treatment works
During the inspection we check the bed right down to the screw holes, the furniture around it, skirting boards, curtain rails and the rooms next door. That tells us how far the infestation has spread. You then receive a clear list of preparations, because successful bed bug treatment depends heavily on what happens beforehand.
In most cases we opt for heat. We bring the room or the items up to a temperature that bed bugs cannot survive at any stage of life, eggs included. Where needed we add a targeted treatment of cracks with professional products that only certified pest controllers may use. As with all our pest control in Enschede, we only use products where they genuinely add something. After a while we come back to check for any remaining activity.
Doing it yourself: what helps and what makes it worse
Things that help, even before treatment:
- wash bedding and clothes at 60 degrees or more, then tumble dry on a hot setting
- put washed items straight into sealed plastic bags so they stay clean
- vacuum the mattress, bed frame and skirting boards thoroughly and take the vacuum bag straight out to the bin
- pull the bed slightly away from the wall and stop duvets from trailing on the floor
What makes it worse: sleeping on the sofa or at a friend's, because the bed bugs will follow you. Moving belongings to other rooms has the same effect. Supermarket sprays mainly drive the insects deeper into cracks. And do not put an infested mattress out for bulky waste collection without wrapping it tightly in plastic first.
Bed bugs, fleas or something else?
Bites around the ankles and lower legs, especially when you spend time on the sofa or rug, point more towards fleas, certainly if there is a dog or cat in the house. That calls for a completely different approach, with the pet treated by the vet and the home treated separately. Find out more on our flea treatment page.
Small round beetles or hairy little larvae in the carpet or wardrobe may be carpet beetles, which do not bite. If you are unsure, keep one of the creatures in a closed jar or on a piece of sticky tape. That lets us identify it quickly.
