If you're waking up in Lynnwood with itchy bites in lines or clusters, and you've found tiny dark spots on the mattress seams, you may well have bed bugs. They won't go away on their own, and supermarket sprays tend to scatter them into other rooms. What works is a thorough, targeted treatment of every hiding place, followed by a second visit to catch the ones that hatch afterwards.
How bed bugs end up in Lynnwood homes
Bed bugs are hitchhikers. They hide in the seams of suitcases, backpacks, handbags and clothing, and they get carried from hotels, guesthouses, buses, planes and other people's homes. A lot of Lynnwood residents travel for work, host visiting family, run guest cottages or have students coming and going, and every trip and every guest is a small chance of bringing them home. Second-hand beds, couches and headboards are another common route.
It has nothing to do with cleanliness. We treat bed bugs in spotless homes. All they need is a sleeping person to feed on and a crack to hide in near the bed.
How to check for bed bugs
- Bites in rows or clusters, often on arms, shoulders and legs, appearing overnight
- Small black or rust-coloured spots on mattress seams, sheets and the bed base
- Tiny pale shed skins and eggs in the seams and corners of the mattress
- Live bugs: flat, oval, reddish-brown, roughly apple-pip sized, in mattress piping, headboard joints, bedside drawers and behind skirting boards
- A sweet, musty smell in heavily infested rooms
Bites alone don't prove bed bugs. Fleas, mosquitoes and bird mites all bite at night too, which is why we confirm what's there before we treat. If the bites are mainly around the ankles and you have pets, look at flea control in Lynnwood first.
How we treat bed bugs
We inspect the affected rooms closely: mattress, base, headboard, bedside tables, couches, curtains, skirting boards, plug points and picture frames. Then we treat every hiding place with a residual product suited to bedding and furniture, working into seams, joints and cracks rather than spraying the open surface of the room. Because bed bug eggs survive the first treatment, a follow-up visit is part of the job, not an optional extra. In rare, severe cases, fumigation with a registered fumigant may be the better route, and the sealed area then has to be empty until it's been cleared.
For a normal treatment, you don't need to move out. Let treated surfaces dry before kids and pets go back onto them, and follow the preparation list we give you.
What not to do
Don't start moving to the spare room or the couch. Bed bugs follow the person, so you end up with two infested rooms instead of one. Don't throw your mattress out in a panic either. Dragging an infested mattress through the house spreads bugs along the way, and a new mattress goes straight into the same infested bed frame. And don't use foggers or bug bombs. They don't reach into seams and cracks, and they push bed bugs into walls and neighbouring rooms.
A tip for Lynnwood travellers and hosts
When you come home from a trip, unpack straight into the washing machine, not onto the bed, and put clothes through a hot wash and a hot tumble dry. Keep the suitcase off the bed and out of the bedroom, ideally on a hard floor in the garage or scullery. If you run a guest cottage or flatlet, check mattress seams and headboards between guests. Catching bed bugs early in one room is far easier than treating a whole house.
What does it cost?
The main factors are how many rooms are affected, how much furniture needs treating, how long the bugs have been there and whether fumigation is needed. A single bedroom caught early is a smaller job than a whole house or a guest cottage with several beds. The follow-up is included in how we plan the treatment. We'll quote once we know the scale.
For a step-by-step look at the problem, read how to get rid of bed bugs, or see bed bug control across Pretoria. We also treat the student flats and older homes around the university through bed bug treatment in Brooklyn. Other pests in your area are covered on our page for Lynnwood.
We're SAPCA registered, with 25 years in the trade. If bed bugs return within three months of the treatment, we come back. Call 012 012 5526, or WhatsApp us a photo of what you've found on the mattress.
Questions we get asked
Do bed bugs mean my house is dirty?
No. Bed bugs are carried in luggage and furniture and live on blood, not dirt. We treat them in very clean homes.
Do I need to throw away my mattress?
Usually not. Mattresses can be treated, and throwing one out without treating the room just puts a new mattress into the same problem.
Why do I need a second visit?
Bed bug eggs aren't killed by the first treatment. The follow-up catches the young bugs that hatch afterwards, before they can breed.
Can bed bugs live in couches and office chairs?
Yes. They hide in any seam or crack near where people sit or sleep for long periods, including couches, recliners and upholstered chairs.
How do I prepare for a bed bug treatment?
Wash bedding and clothing from the affected rooms on a hot cycle, clear clutter from under the bed, and leave furniture in place. We'll give you a full list when we book.