Day 0 — Re-entry
- Walk the property with the technician (or check the photo report).
- Plug appliances back in.
- Return pets and plants once the building is back to room temperature.
- Sleep in the bed exactly as you would any other night.
You may see a few dead bed bugs on the floor or windowsills in the days after. This is normal and a good sign — they were driven from harbourage during the treatment and died in the open.
Day 1–3 — Quarantine the "outside" items
Anything that was out of the property during the treatment is the biggest re-introduction risk. Wash all clothes and bedding from your overnight bag at 60°C and tumble dry on hot for 30 minutes. Items that cannot be washed (shoes, leather bags) — bag them, then put them through a tumble dryer on hot for 30 minutes or leave them in a hot car for a sunny afternoon.
Day 1–14 — Vacuum routine
Vacuum bedroom floors, mattress seams, headboard and skirting boards every other day for two weeks. The goal is not to kill bugs (heat already did) but to remove dead carcasses, dust, and any tell-tale fecal spotting so you have a clean baseline to monitor. Empty the vacuum into a sealed outdoor bin each time.
Day 1–14 — Monitor
- Bites: any new bites in the first 14 days should be photographed and reported to us. After day 14, the risk window has effectively closed.
- Bed seam checks: once a week, lift the mattress and inspect the piping and headboard joints for new fecal spotting.
- Interceptor cups: we offer these as an optional add-on — small plastic cups under each bed leg that trap any bug attempting to climb up.
Stopping re-introduction
Bed bugs do not breed back from nothing. If you see them again after a successful treatment, they were carried in. The most common routes we see across London and the Home Counties:
- Hotels and Airbnbs. Inspect every hotel room (headboard, mattress seams) before unpacking. On return, wash all clothes at 60°C and tumble dry hot — even unworn ones.
- Second-hand furniture. Kerbside sofas, eBay mattresses and Facebook Marketplace headboards are the single biggest cause of repeat infestations in Camden (NW1), Hackney (E8), Tower Hamlets (E1), Croydon (CR0) and Romford (RM1).
- Shared laundries. In HMOs and student blocks in Watford (WD17), Guildford (GU1) and Hackney (E8), bag laundry going to and from a shared washroom.
- Visitors and contractors. A guest from an infested flat can carry an adult bug in a coat. Hang coats on a rack, not on beds or sofas.
When to call us back
Call immediately and do not spray anything if you see: a live bug, a new bite cluster after day 3, or new fecal spotting on bedding. Under our written 6-month guarantee we return free of charge to re-treat the affected room or the entire property.
Where we deliver this service
We respond across London and the Home Counties on the same day. Click any location below for postcode-level coverage, response times and pricing for that exact area.
- CamdenNW1, NW3, NW5, WC1
- WestminsterSW1, W1, W2, WC2
- IslingtonN1, N5, N7, EC1
- HackneyE2, E5, E8, E9, N1, N16
- Tower HamletsE1, E2, E3, E14
- SouthwarkSE1, SE5, SE15, SE16, SE17
- LambethSW2, SW4, SW8, SW9, SE11, SE24
- WandsworthSW8, SW11, SW12, SW15, SW17, SW18
- NewhamE6, E7, E13, E15, E16
- BrentNW2, NW6, NW9, NW10, HA0, HA9
- EalingW3, W5, W7, W13, UB1, UB6
- CroydonCR0, CR2, CR7, SE25
- WatfordWD17, WD18, WD19, WD24, WD25
- St AlbansAL1, AL2, AL3, AL4
- Hemel HempsteadHP1, HP2, HP3
- StevenageSG1, SG2
- LutonLU1, LU2, LU3, LU4
- BedfordMK40, MK41, MK42
- CambridgeCB1, CB2, CB3, CB4, CB5
- PeterboroughPE1, PE2, PE3, PE4
- Milton KeynesMK1, MK2, MK3, MK9
- High WycombeHP11, HP12, HP13
- RomfordRM1, RM2, RM3, RM5, RM7
- ChelmsfordCM1, CM2, CM3
- ColchesterCO1, CO2, CO3, CO4
- Southend-on-SeaSS1, SS2, SS3
- BasildonSS13, SS14, SS15, SS16
- MaidstoneME14, ME15, ME16, ME17
- CanterburyCT1, CT2, CT3, CT4
- DartfordDA1, DA2, DA9
- BromleyBR1, BR2, BR3
- GuildfordGU1, GU2, GU3, GU4
- Kingston upon ThamesKT1, KT2
- WokingGU21, GU22
- EpsomKT17, KT18, KT19
Frequently asked questions
Can I sleep in the bed the same night?
Yes — as soon as we sign the property off. There is no chemical residue, no smell and no airing-out period. The faster you return to normal sleeping patterns, the faster you confirm the treatment worked.
Do I need to wash everything?
No. Heat already killed everything in the treated rooms. The only laundry you should do is anything that was OUT of the property during the treatment (clothes in your overnight bag, items at a friend's house) — wash those at 60°C before bringing them back in.
How long should I keep monitoring?
Two weeks is the critical window. Any surviving eggs (extremely rare) would hatch and feed within that period. If you see no bites and no new fecal spots after 14 days, the treatment is confirmed complete.
What if I see a bug afterwards?
Call us immediately and do not spray anything. Under our written 6-month guarantee we return free of charge. In practice this happens in well under 1% of treatments.
Can I redecorate or steam clean?
Yes, but wait 7 days so you can observe the room in its post-treatment state. After that, decorate freely.
Do I need a follow-up inspection?
Not usually. We provide a written report and remote support during the 14-day window. If you want an on-site follow-up we offer one at a reduced rate within the guarantee period.
Related guides
Questions in the 14 days after treatment? Call any time.
7 days a week · Same-day response · Written 6-month guarantee