How much does bed bug treatment cost?

What affects the price

• How many rooms are affected. Bed bugs stay close to where people sleep, but they spread to sofas, other bedrooms and, in flats, next door.

• How established it is. Early on, adults are hard to find because they hide in cracks close to the bed. An infestation that has been building for months takes more work.

• The number of visits. Eggs can survive a first treatment, so a follow-up is timed to catch the bugs that hatch afterwards.

• The type of property. Rented homes, shared houses and hotel rooms often need several rooms treated together. Tell us how many rooms or units are affected so the quote covers the whole problem.

Preparation matters

Before treatment we give you a preparation list for bedding, clothes and clearing space around beds and skirting boards. Following it closely is the biggest single thing you can do to make the treatment work, and a room that has not been prepared cannot be treated properly.

Signs to look for

Look along headboards, bed frames, slats and skirting boards for the insects themselves (adults are 4 to 5mm long, flat and oval, and reddish brown after feeding), black spots or stains on mattresses and furniture, and blood marks on bedding. Several bites in a row, usually on the upper body, are a good indicator too.

What you can do now

• Wash infested items at 60°C or above.

• Put dry items in a tumble dryer on a hot setting for 30 minutes.

• Freeze delicate items for 72 hours.

• Vacuum in and around the affected areas.

• Do not throw out the mattress before treatment: carrying it through the building can spread bed bugs. A mattress encasement after treatment traps any left inside.

More in our bed bug guide. For the service, see bed bug control.