How to Get Rid of Bed Bugs in the UK: Find Them, Treat Them, Keep Them Away

Waking up with itchy bites you can't explain is unsettling. If you've spotted tiny dark marks on your sheets or something small and brown near the seams of your mattress, you might be dealing with bed bugs. The good news: bed bugs are not a sign of a dirty home, and they can be cleared. The key is acting quickly and doing it properly.

This guide covers how to find bed bugs, how to eliminate bed bugs in the UK, what you can do yourself, and what doesn't work.

The short answer

To get rid of bed bugs in the UK, contact your local council or a professional pest control company as soon as you're sure you have them. The NHS and the British Pest Control Association (BPCA) both say bed bugs are very hard to clear on your own. While you wait, wash bedding and clothes at 60°C, tumble dry on a hot setting for at least 30 minutes, freeze small items in sealed bags for 3 to 4 days, and vacuum around the bed.

How to find bed bugs: the signs to look for

Bed bugs are small and good at hiding, so you often notice the signs before the bugs themselves. Look for:

• Bites on skin that's exposed while you sleep, like your face, neck, arms and shoulders. They're often itchy and appear in a line or a small group.
• Small blood spots on sheets or pillowcases.
• Tiny dark spots, about the size of an ink dot. These are droppings, usually found on the mattress or bed frame.
• The bugs themselves. Adults are flat, oval and brown, around 5 to 6mm long (roughly the size of an apple seed). Young ones are much smaller and paler.

Where bed bugs hide

Bed bugs come out at night and hide in tight spaces during the day. Check:

• Mattress seams, piping and the underside of the mattress
• Joints and corners of the bed frame and headboard
• Bedside furniture, especially drawers and joints
• Behind skirting boards, pictures and loose wallpaper
• Around plug sockets near the bed

Tip: use a torch and an old bank card to run along seams and cracks. Do it during the day when the bugs are resting. This works on any bed, from a simple minimalist bed frame to a tall headboard bed.

How to eliminate bed bugs in the UK: step by step

1. Confirm it's bed bugs

Bites alone aren't proof, as other insects can bite too. Look for droppings, blood spots or the bugs themselves. If you can, catch one on clear tape so a pest controller can identify it.

2. Call your council or a professional

This is the step that actually clears an infestation. Many UK councils offer pest control (some charge a fee), or you can use a private company. The BPCA recommends choosing one of its members. Professionals have products and equipment that aren't sold to the public, and they know where bed bugs hide.

3. Hot wash and tumble dry

Wash bedding, pyjamas and any clothes near the bed at 60°C, then tumble dry on a hot setting for at least 30 minutes. Heat kills bed bugs and their eggs.

4. Freeze what you can't wash

Put small items like shoes, soft toys or books in a sealed plastic bag and leave them in the freezer for 3 to 4 days.

5. Vacuum and declutter

Vacuum the mattress, bed frame, carpet edges and skirting boards. If your bed sits on legs, like the Norwood Bed, vacuum the floor underneath too. Empty the vacuum straight away into a sealed bag and put it in an outside bin. Clear clutter from around the bed, as it gives bed bugs more places to hide.

6. Don't spread them

Avoid moving items from the affected room into other rooms until the problem is treated, and don't start sleeping in another room unless your pest controller suggests it.

Does flea spray kill bed bugs?

Not reliably. A flea spray might kill a few bed bugs it hits directly, but it won't clear an infestation. Here's why:

• Eggs survive. Most sprays do little to bed bug eggs, so a new generation hatches soon after.
• Resistance. Many flea sprays use pyrethroid insecticides, and many bed bug populations have built up resistance to them. The BPCA lists pesticide tolerance as one reason bed bugs have become more common.
• They hide. Bed bugs tuck themselves deep into cracks and seams that a spray can't reach. Spraying can even push them into new hiding spots.
• Safety. Never spray a mattress or bedding with a product that isn't made and labelled for that use.

Save your money and put it towards professional treatment instead.

Do I need to throw away my mattress or bed?

Not always. Many mattresses and bed frames can be treated, so ask your pest controller before you throw anything out. If you do decide to replace them, wrap the old mattress fully in plastic before it leaves the room so bugs don't drop off on the way out, and arrange disposal with your council.

Only bring a new bed into the room after the treatment is finished, otherwise it can be affected too.

Choosing a new bed after bed bugs

If you're replacing your bed, a few simple choices make it easier to spot any problem early in future:

• Go for a clean, simple headboard. Fewer folds, buttons and deep tufts mean fewer places to check. Designs like the Elva Bed and Nestivo Bedframe have smooth, clean lines that are quick to look over.
• Love a statement look? You don't have to give it up. A panelled design like the Victoria Luxury Bed is fine too. Just run a torch along the seams every few weeks.
• Want to watch TV in bed? Our TV beds hide the TV in the footboard, which also keeps clutter off the floor around the bed.
• Pick a new mattress with smooth sides. A Pocket Mattress or Orthopaedic Firm Mattress is easy to check along the seams.
• Add a washable mattress protector that you can hot wash at 60°C along with your bedding.

How to treat bed bug bites

Bed bug bites usually clear up on their own within a week or so. The NHS suggests:

• Holding a cool, clean, damp cloth on the bites to ease itching and swelling
• Keeping the area clean and trying not to scratch
• Asking a pharmacist about a mild steroid cream or an antihistamine if the itching stops you sleeping

See a GP if bites are still painful, swollen or itchy after treatment, or if the redness spreads.

How to stop bed bugs coming back

• Check when you travel. Look at the mattress seams and headboard in hotels and holiday rentals. Keep your suitcase on a luggage rack, not the bed or floor.
• Check your luggage at home. Unpack straight into the washing machine and wash at 60°C, or tumble dry on hot.
• Be careful with second-hand furniture. Inspect second-hand beds, mattresses and sofas thoroughly before bringing them home. Buying luxury beds and new mattresses from a retailer avoids this risk.
• Keep clutter down around the bed and vacuum regularly, so you spot any problem early.

Frequently asked questions

Can I get rid of bed bugs myself?

Hot washing, freezing and vacuuming help, but the NHS and the BPCA both say self-treatment is unlikely to clear an infestation completely. A professional treatment is the most reliable option.

How long does it take to get rid of bed bugs?

It depends on how big the infestation is. Professional treatment often needs more than one visit, because eggs can hatch after the first treatment. Your pest controller will tell you what to expect.

Does the council get rid of bed bugs?

Many UK councils offer a pest control service for bed bugs, but not all do and some charge. Check your local council's website.

Are bed bugs a sign of a dirty home?

No. Bed bugs feed on blood, not dirt. They usually arrive by chance on luggage, clothes or second-hand furniture, and can turn up in very clean homes and hotels.

Can bed bugs live in upholstered beds?

Bed bugs can hide in the seams and joints of any bed, whether it's upholstered, wooden or metal. Whatever bed you have, checking seams and joints regularly is the best way to catch them early.