Bed bug treatment in The Hague: the warning signs
Bed bugs are flat, reddish-brown insects a few millimetres long, roughly the size of an apple pip. They hide during the day and come out at night to feed on sleeping people. Bites alone do not tell the whole story, as not everyone reacts to them. So also look for:
- Tiny dark dots in the seams of the mattress and on the bed frame.
- Small blood stains on sheets or pillowcases.
- Translucent shed skins around the bed.
- Young bugs behind skirting boards, picture frames and socket covers.
If you find a live one, catch it in a jar or on a piece of sticky tape. That helps us confirm the species.
How bed bugs get into your home
Bed bugs do not walk in from outside; they are carried in. A suitcase that stood next to a hotel bed, a second-hand sofa or mattress, a bag of clothes after staying with friends: that is how they move without anyone noticing. In a city with so many international visitors, expats and students, you see that reflected.
Once inside, they spread slowly. In flats they can travel through pipe openings and gaps into the home next door. That is why acting quickly matters: a few bugs in one bed are far easier to deal with than a whole floor of a building.
Heat treatment for bed bugs
Thoroughness is everything here. We first inspect the bed, the bedroom and the adjoining rooms to see how far the bugs have spread. We then heat the affected space with professional equipment to a temperature that neither the insects nor their eggs survive, getting into seams and cracks that a spray never reaches.
Beforehand you receive a clear list: what goes in the washing machine, which items cannot withstand heat and what can stay where it is. After the treatment we come back to check for remaining activity. Sometimes a second round is needed, and we will tell you so honestly.
Doing it yourself: what helps and what does not
There are a few things you can do straight away. Vacuum around the bed and along the skirting boards, then empty the bag or bin outside immediately. Items that cannot be washed go into a tightly knotted plastic bag. Clear clutter from under the bed so there are fewer hiding places.
What does not help is a spray from the supermarket: the bugs crawl deeper into hiding and spread to other corners. Throwing out the whole bed or sofa straight away also achieves little while bugs remain in skirting boards, curtains or the bed frame in the spare room. Home remedies mostly cost you time that bed bugs use to multiply.
Preventing bed bugs after travel and purchases
In a hotel or holiday let, put your suitcase on the luggage rack or in the bathroom, never on or next to the bed. Take a quick look at the mattress seams before you go to sleep. At home, unpack on a hard floor and put clothes straight into the wash. Check second-hand furniture carefully before it comes inside, especially mattresses, beds and upholstered chairs.
Bites on the ankles and lower legs, with a dog or cat in the house? Then fleas are more likely than bed bugs; read more about flea treatment. Unsure about another creature? Our pest control in The Hague can help you further.
