At a glance
Bed bugs travel in luggage and settle within two metres of the bed. A few minutes' check at every change of sheets, with the mattress bare and a torch in hand, lets you spot them before the next guest does.
An adult bed bug is about the size of an apple pip: flat, brown and wingless. By day it hides in seams, cracks in wood and behind the headboard, coming out only at night to feed. It has nothing to do with hygiene: a spotless home can be affected by a single suitcase.
In a rental, the aim is to act before a handful of insects become a colony in the bed base and skirting boards. Here is the protocol we recommend to hosts and cleaning teams.
Recognising the traces
You will mostly be looking for traces, which are easier to see than the insect itself.
- Black spots that soak into the fabric like pen marks: droppings.
- Empty, translucent insect-shaped shells: shed skins.
- Small blood spots on the sheets, on the pillow side.
- Pearly white eggs about 1 mm long tucked into corners.
The inspection route
Always the same order, from the bed outwards, with a torch held almost flat so traces stand out.
- Mattress: piping, seams, label and corners, head end first.
- Bed base or slats: frame joints and screw holes.
- Headboard: back panel and fixings.
- Bedside tables, skirting boards and sockets near the bed.
- Luggage rack, armchair and back of the wardrobe.
Laundry and equipment
Sheets are removed by rolling them inwards, without shaking, and go straight into a closed bag. A 60 °C wash or a hot tumble-dry kills every stage. For agencies, each property has its own bags: dirty linen from one address never goes into another.
If in doubt
Photograph the sign close up with a coin for scale, and close the next nights until an inspection. Do not use an insecticide spray: it scatters bed bugs into other rooms and makes treatment harder. The technician locates the harbourages, treats with dry steam or a product as appropriate, then returns for the follow-up visit.
The 5-step bedding check
After the guest leaves, before making the bed.
- 1
Step 1
Prepare the kit
Torch, gloves, a stiff card to probe seams, sealable laundry bags.
- 2
Step 2
Strip the bed
Sheets rolled inwards and sealed in a bag before leaving the room.
- 3
Step 3
Inspect mattress and base
Low-angle light on seams and corners, with the card slid into folds.
- 4
Step 4
Check the surroundings
Headboard, bedside tables, skirting boards, luggage rack: wherever the suitcase has been.
- 5
Step 5
Record
Date, name and result in the property logbook, with a photo if a sign appears.
Checklist to print
Bed bugs between staysTick items off as you go or print the page: it all fits on one sheet.
Your questions
Are bed bug mattress encasements worth it?
Yes, as a prevention tool: a fully zipped encasement removes hiding places and makes traces visible. It does not protect the frame, headboard or furniture, and it is not a treatment.
If I leave the home empty for a month, will the bed bugs die off?
No. They can go a long time without feeding. An unoccupied home still needs inspecting and treating.
How do I train the cleaning team quickly?
Show photos of droppings, shed skins and insects, print the checklist on this page and set one simple rule: any doubt means a photo and a message to the host.
An insect reported after check-out?
Book an inspection in a 2-hour slot: you will know the same day whether the home is ready for the next guest.
