Bed bugs can be cleared from a Newton Park flat or house, but it takes a careful, thorough treatment and almost always a follow-up visit. They hide in seams, joints and cracks around the bed and nearby furniture, and their eggs survive many treatments. We find every hiding place, treat them all and come back to catch the bugs that hatch afterwards.
Why bed bugs turn up in Newton Park
Bed bugs are hitchhikers. They move with people and their belongings: suitcases, bags, second-hand furniture, mattresses and bedding. Newton Park has a lot of rental accommodation, from flats and townhouses to older houses divided into units, and tenants move in and out regularly. Every move is a chance for bed bugs to come in with someone's things or be left behind for the next person.
In blocks of flats and attached units, bed bugs can also travel between homes along shared walls, through gaps around pipes and along electrical conduits. A neighbour's problem can become yours.
It has nothing to do with hygiene. We've treated bed bugs in spotless homes. They feed on blood, not dirt.
How to tell it's bed bugs
- Itchy bites in the morning, often in a line or small cluster, on arms, shoulders, neck or legs
- Small rusty or dark spots on the mattress, sheets or pillowcases (droppings and blood marks)
- Tiny, flat, reddish-brown insects about the size of an apple pip in mattress seams or the joints of the bed base
- Pale, empty skins shed as they grow
- In heavier infestations, a sweetish, musty smell in the bedroom
Not every bite is a bed bug. Fleas and bird mites cause bites too, and the treatment is completely different. Our page on working out what's biting you in Newton Park can help, or send us a photo of anything you find.
How we treat bed bugs
- A detailed inspection. We check the mattress, bed base, headboard, bedside tables, couches, curtains, skirting boards, picture frames and plug points in affected rooms, and the rooms next door.
- Preparation. We'll tell you beforehand what to wash on a hot cycle, what to bag and what to leave in place.
- Targeted residual treatment of every crack, seam and joint where bed bugs hide, using an odourless, non-staining product.
- A follow-up visit to treat bugs that hatch from eggs after the first treatment. This step is essential, and skipping it is the most common reason bed bugs come back.
You don't need to move out. Keep children and pets out of treated areas until surfaces are dry.
For landlords, agents and body corporates
If a tenant reports bed bugs, act quickly. The longer it goes, the more the bugs spread through the unit and possibly into neighbouring flats. In a block, we'll recommend inspecting the units on either side, above and below. Treating between tenants, before new occupants move in, is also a good idea when a previous tenant had a problem.
What people commonly get wrong
Moving to the spare room or the couch. Bed bugs follow their food, and you're the food. Sleeping somewhere else in the house spreads them to a second room and makes the job bigger. Stay in your own bed until it's treated, and don't move furniture from an infested room into the rest of the house.
The other mistake is buying a new mattress and putting it on the same bed base. The bugs in the frame and headboard simply move onto the new mattress.
A local tip
With so many tenants moving between flats and houses in Newton Park, a lot of beds, couches and headboards change hands. Before bringing home a used bed, couch or headboard, check the seams, joints and underside with a torch. It takes five minutes and can save a great deal of trouble.
What does it cost?
The main factors are the number of rooms affected, how long the bugs have been there and how much furniture is involved. A single bedroom caught early is a smaller job than a whole flat, and a multi-unit treatment depends on how many units are affected. A follow-up visit is part of a proper bed bug treatment. We'll quote after the inspection.
For bed bugs elsewhere in the city, see bed bug control in Port Elizabeth. We also treat bed bugs in Mill Park guesthouses and homes. If the bites are mainly on your ankles, it may be fleas instead; see flea treatment in Newton Park. Our Newton Park pest control page lists the other pests we handle here.
Call 087 012 5550, or WhatsApp us a photo of the bug or the marks on your mattress, and we'll tell you what you're dealing with.
Questions we get asked
Do bed bugs mean my home is dirty?
No. Bed bugs feed on blood, not dirt, and they turn up in very clean homes. They travel in luggage, bags and furniture.
Do I need to throw away my mattress?
Usually not. Most mattresses can be treated. Very old or badly damaged ones may be worth replacing, but only after the room is treated.
Why is a follow-up visit needed?
Bed bug eggs are protected from most treatments. The follow-up catches the young bugs that hatch after the first visit, before they can breed.
Can bed bugs spread to the flat next door?
Yes. They can move along shared walls, pipes and electrical conduits, which is why neighbouring units should be checked.
What should I do before the treatment?
Wash bedding and clothes from the affected room on a hot cycle, bag them, and clear the floor around the bed. We'll give you a full list.
Can I sleep in my bed after treatment?
Yes, once treated surfaces are dry. Sleeping in your own bed actually helps, because it draws bugs out over the treated areas.