- Size
- Adults 4–5 mm, apple-seed shaped
- Colour
- Reddish brown, redder after feeding
- Active
- At night
- Peak season
- Late summer, after holiday travel
They're very hard to get rid of completely without professional treatment, but there's plenty you can do to confirm the problem and stop it spreading while you arrange help.
Signs of bed bugs
- Itchy bites, often in lines or clusters on skin exposed while sleeping: arms, neck, shoulders
- Small rusty blood spots on sheets or pillowcases
- Tiny black dots on mattress seams and the bed frame that smear like ink when wiped
- Pale, empty shed skins in seams and joints
- Live bugs in mattress piping, headboard joints, bed-frame screw holes or nearby sockets
- A sweet, musty smell in heavy infestations
How to be sure
Not everyone reacts to bites, so the bugs and their marks are more reliable evidence than skin alone. Flea bites tend to be on ankles and lower legs. Mosquito bites are usually single, raised and appear after evenings outdoors.
Carpet beetles are sometimes mistaken for bed bugs, but they're round, patterned and don't bite.
What you can do yourself
- Check properly: strip the bed, then use a torch and a thin card along mattress seams, under labels, in the bed frame and behind the headboard.
- Wash bedding and clothes from the bedroom at 60°C, then tumble dry on high for at least 30 minutes.
- Vacuum seams, the bed frame and the carpet edges. Bag the vacuum contents and put them straight in an outside bin.
- Fit a zipped, bed-bug-proof encasement to the mattress and leave it on for at least a year.
- Put interceptor cups under the bed legs to catch bugs climbing up, which also shows whether treatment is working.
- Don't start sleeping in another room or on the sofa. Bed bugs follow you and spread the problem.
- Avoid insect foggers or bug bombs. They tend to scatter bed bugs deeper into the room.
Call a professional if
- You've found live bugs, shed skins or ink-like spots
- Bites continue after washing and vacuuming
- You live in a flat, house share or HMO, where they spread between rooms
- Ask whether treatment includes more than one visit or heat treatment. A single spray rarely finishes the job
Safety: If you rent, tell your landlord or letting agent as soon as you suspect bed bugs. Infestations spread between flats and are easier to treat early.
Keeping them out
- On holiday, keep luggage on a rack, not the bed, and check the headboard and mattress seams
- Unpack straight into the washing machine when you get home
- Inspect second-hand furniture and mattresses closely before bringing them in
- Reduce clutter around beds, which gives bugs hiding places
Kit that helps
- Bed-bug-proof mattress encasement
- Interceptor cups for bed legs
- Torch
- Vacuum with a crevice tool
- Large sealable bags
Product types only. We'll only ever point you to things we'd use ourselves.
Questions people ask
Can I get rid of bed bugs myself?
A very early infestation can sometimes be contained with hot washing, vacuuming, an encasement and interceptors, but most cases need professional treatment. Bed bugs hide in tiny cracks and their eggs survive many shop products.
Do bed bugs carry diseases?
They're not known to spread disease to people. The bites can be very itchy and the stress and lost sleep are real, so it's worth acting quickly. A pharmacist can advise on soothing creams.
Should I throw my mattress away?
Usually not. An encasement and treatment work, and dumping an infested mattress can spread bugs to others. If you do dispose of furniture, wrap it in plastic and label it.
How did I get bed bugs?
Most often from travel, second-hand furniture, or neighbouring flats. They're hitchhikers, not a sign of dirt.
How long can bed bugs live without feeding?
Adults can survive for several months without a meal, which is why leaving a room empty doesn't clear them.