Hi all - anyone had issues with bedbugs? And no I'm not being paranoid due to all the coverage of them lately we think we might have them - I know diagnosing anything via the internet can send people in a tailspin so am not going nuclear yet BUT if anyone has any tips about checking for them and getting rid of them (we'd probably take all steps we could and them bite the bullet and get in a professional) - all input welcome.

Haven't been bitten much (me not at all as far as I can tell Mrs recently but that wasn't in bed and she reckons very rare - she does react badly to any kind of bite which suggests if we had bed bugs they are either not biting us much or at all or we don't have them - but have spotted other signs like red spots on some cushion covers and on a comfy chair my wife sits on a lot) wouldn't say we were slovenly but I guess like many people we don't do a deep clean of our house often so just wouldn't have spotted or occurred to us to check - could have been marks from a long while back (we had a cat up until 18 months ago so could have been marks/muck she walked in or possibly mould as we have had some issues with that in the past).

My main concern is establishing if we definitely (or a near as dammit) have them as no point of going all out to tackle them if likelihood is we don’t have them.

I take some comfort form the fact that while the thought of them is horrible they don’t actually do that much harm to humans and don’t contaminate food - it’s just one of those taboo things we'd all rather not have isn't it.

Blimey if I were to do a deep clean on my little flat I'd still be doing it when I got my birthday card from King Charles.
Trying to be inventive Mr Cathedral maybe it's worth buying a steamer ,such as they use to de-crease clothes in charity shops.
According to articles this is effective
Just an idea
Norm.

Burn your mattress and buy a new one you cheapskate

Don't let them bite.

Got a pest controller in - good news its not bed bugs - bad ish news is have a few lingering fleas (we hadn't been bitten oddly), had a pet which passed away last year so could have been from that or maybe from stay cats which hang around that a neighbour feeds a whole bunch of them (in fairness they keep the rats away!)...still paranoid and its really spooked me but according to the expert (who you would have thought might have erred on side of saying we did have them given it'd make them a fair few quid) - relieved but drained its really not a nice thought.

Get a waterbed we've had one for 30 years now you won't get bed bugs

UPTHEPORT wrote: November 9th, 2023, 8:17 am Get a waterbed we've had one for 30 years now you won't get bed bugs

Ha ha! if we do have bed bugs they aren't anywhere the bed (they don't always hide on/near beds though) - we do have bugs about but 90% not BB's - it is what it is all sorts of bugs are everywhere its a case of being cautious but not getting too neurotic about (which I did for a week I admit!).

I'd personally recommend a waterbed they are generally better for health as well

https://www.georgestreetwaterbeds.com/index.html

That's where we get ours