Obs is a neighbourhood of narrow streets, terraced cottages and a Lower Main Road lined with restaurants and bars. Put two rivers, a hospital precinct and a lot of shared housing together and you get a steady diet of rat, cockroach and bed bug work.
Tell-tale signs
Tick every sign you have noticed. It takes ten seconds.
How the treatment works
Control starts with a thorough inspection of beds, frames, headboards, bedside furniture, skirting, plug points and curtain folds, and where there is doubt we confirm the insect under magnification. Once confirmed, we treat with targeted crack and crevice application of residual insecticides and insecticidal dusts into the hiding spots, and we use monitors under bed legs to track whether activity drops. Bed bugs have developed resistance to some common insecticides, so we rotate product types rather than relying on a single spray. Prevention advice for travel, guests and furniture purchases is part of the job, because reintroduction is the main reason people get them again.
Want the full step-by-step? See how our bed bug control service works.
Prevention that actually works
- Use a light-coloured, zip-up mattress encasement so any bugs are easy to spot and cannot hide inside the mattress.
- Never bring a second-hand mattress, bed base or upholstered chair home without inspecting every seam and joint first.
- Reduce clutter under and around beds, because every box and pile is another hiding place.
- Unpack straight into the washing machine after a trip and tumble-dry clothes on a hot setting before putting them away.
- When travelling, check the mattress seams and headboard before unpacking, and keep luggage on a rack away from the bed.
How much will it cost?
Cost depends on how many rooms and beds are affected, how much furniture and clutter is involved, and whether neighbouring rooms or units need inspecting. Most bed bug jobs need at least one follow-up visit, and monitoring adds to the value of the work. Guest houses and landlords can also arrange regular inspections under a contract, and we always give a free quote first.
Hot washing, tumble drying and a mattress encasement are genuinely useful things you can do yourself. Store-bought foggers are a bad idea with bed bugs, because they drive the insects deeper into walls and into the next room, making a professional job harder. If you have confirmed bed bugs, call someone in early; this is one pest that rarely goes away on its own.
Bed Bug Control questions from Observatory
Can I get bed bugs from a hotel?
Yes, travel is the most common way they spread. Checking the bed before unpacking and keeping luggage off the floor makes a big difference.
Do all rooms in my Obs shared house need treating for bed bugs?
Usually yes. Bed bugs move between rooms with people and bags, so treating all bedrooms together is the only way to clear them.
Do bed bugs mean my house is dirty?
No. Bed bugs feed on blood, not dirt, and they turn up in very clean homes and expensive hotels.
What do I do with clothes in the cupboard?
Wash and tumble-dry them on hot, then keep them sealed in bags until treatment is complete. Items that cannot be washed can often go in a hot tumble dryer for a cycle.
Should I throw away my mattress?
Usually not. Mattresses can be treated and sealed in an encasement, and dragging an infested mattress through the house can spread the bugs further.
How long must we stay out of the room?
Typically a few hours until treated surfaces are dry. You can sleep in the room that night, and we actually want you to.
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