Business and hygiene
Bedbugs are one of the most stressful pests a Kenyan home or hostel can face. This guide explains how to get rid of bedbugs properly: how to spot them, what you can do yourself, why professional treatment needs two visits and how to stop them coming back.
Quick answer
Look for small blood spots, dark marks and live bugs in mattress seams, bed frames and sofa joints. Wash bedding hot, vacuum and steam seams, and reduce clutter. Then book a licensed treatment with registered products, usually two visits about two weeks apart, because eggs survive the first. Inspect luggage and second-hand furniture to stop them returning.
Few things ruin sleep like bedbugs. They hide by day, bite at night and spread quickly between rooms, flats and hostels. Many families in Kenya try sprays from the shop, only to see the bugs return a few weeks later. That is because bedbugs are hard to kill, and their eggs survive most quick fixes. If you want to get rid of bedbugs for good, you need a plan: find them, reduce them, treat them properly and stop them coming back.
Pest control
Adult bedbugs are flat, oval and reddish brown, about the size of an apple seed. After feeding, they swell and look darker. Young bedbugs are smaller and paler, while eggs are tiny, white and sticky, usually hidden in seams and cracks. Because they are so small and hide well, most people notice the bites or the marks before they see the bugs.
Pest control
Bites alone do not prove bedbugs, because other insects bite too. Therefore check the mattress seams, the bed frame and the sofa with a torch before you decide.
Pest control
Bedbugs live close to where people sleep or sit. The most common hiding places are mattress seams and labels, box springs, wooden bed frames and headboards, sofa joints and cushions, cracks in walls and skirting, behind loose wallpaper and inside electrical sockets. In hostels and apartments, they can also travel between rooms through gaps in walls and along pipes.
Pest control
Home steps reduce numbers and help treatment work better. On their own, however, they rarely clear an infestation.
Avoid spraying random insecticides on beds. Many shop products do not work on bedbugs, and some are unsafe on mattresses. In addition, overuse can spread bugs to other rooms rather than killing them.
Why choose us
The most important fact about bedbugs is that their eggs survive most treatments. So even a good first treatment leaves eggs that hatch over the next one to two weeks. Therefore professional treatment usually involves two visits about two weeks apart. The first visit kills adults and young bugs, while the second kills the bugs that hatched since. Skipping the second visit is the main reason bedbugs come back.
Pest control
A proper treatment combines cleaning and pest control. Our approach follows these steps:
See our fumigation services page for more detail.
Preparation makes treatment far more effective. Before the first visit, wash and bag bedding and clothes, empty drawers under beds, move furniture slightly away from walls and vacuum thoroughly. Also, cover or remove fish tanks, and plan for children, pets and anyone pregnant or unwell to stay elsewhere during treatment. We give you a written preparation list when you book, so nothing is missed.
Bedbugs spread quickly where many people sleep or sit, such as student hostels, boarding schools, hotels, matatus and offices with fabric chairs. In these places, treat all connected rooms, not just the room with complaints, because bugs move through walls. Moreover, plan treatment during holidays or quiet periods, and follow up with regular inspections. Schools in particular benefit from mattress steaming and treatment at the end of each term.
Pest control
With good preparation and two treatments, most homes are clear in three to four weeks. However, severe infestations, cluttered homes or connected flats can take longer. Keep checking seams and frames with a torch for a few weeks after the second visit. If you still find live bugs, tell us, so we can inspect again.
Pest control
Bedbugs are not known to spread disease, yet they cause real harm. Bites can itch badly and become infected if scratched, and lost sleep affects work, school and mood. For itchy or infected bites, see a pharmacist or doctor. For general public health information, the Ministry of Health provides guidance.
To get rid of bedbugs, act early, prepare well and complete both treatment visits. Home steps such as washing, vacuuming and steaming help, but licensed treatment with registered products is what clears an infestation. If you think you have bedbugs, send us a photo of the mattress seams or the bites, and we will advise on the next step. Request a cleaning quote to book an inspection.
Several common beliefs make bedbugs harder to beat. For example, many people think bedbugs only live in dirty homes. In fact, they travel in luggage and furniture, so clean homes and good hotels get them too. Another myth is that throwing away the mattress solves the problem. Usually, however, bugs remain in the bed frame, the sofa and wall cracks, so a new mattress soon becomes infested. Finally, some believe one spray is enough. As explained above, eggs survive, which is why two visits are needed to get rid of bedbugs properly.
Bedbugs do not only live in beds. In fact, fabric sofas, upholstered office chairs and vehicle seats can all hide them, especially in seams and under cushions. If you sit in the same place every evening and wake with bites, check the sofa as well as the bed. For sofas, vacuum seams and joints, then steam them, and treat the frame where needed. Meanwhile, after long journeys, shake out bags and jackets outside before you bring them in. These small habits help you get rid of bedbugs faster and lower the chance of bringing new ones home.
To sum up, follow four steps. First, confirm the problem with a torch check of seams and frames. Second, wash, vacuum and steam to reduce numbers. Third, book licensed treatment with two visits. Finally, keep inspecting for a few weeks and follow the prevention tips above. With this plan, most homes are clear within a month, and families can sleep well again.
Bedbugs in rented homes need cooperation. If you are a tenant, tell the landlord or caretaker early, because neighbouring units may also be affected. If you are a landlord, treat affected units and check those next door, then deep clean units between tenants. Working together is the fastest way to get rid of bedbugs in an apartment block, and it stops them moving from flat to flat.
Get started
Tell us what needs cleaning and where, and our cleaning coordinator will call you back within one working day with a free written quote and a time.
Prefer to talk? Call +254 184 379 590
Wash bedding hot, vacuum and steam seams, reduce clutter, then book licensed treatment with two visits about two weeks apart and inspect luggage and furniture afterwards.
Usually because the eggs survived and no second visit was done, or because neighbouring rooms were not treated.
Washing, vacuuming and steaming reduce numbers, but they rarely clear an infestation without professional treatment.
Licensed operators use registered products and give instructions on how long to stay out. Children and pets should stay away during treatment.
Keep reading
Business and hygieneOffice Cleaning Checklist: Daily, Weekly and Monthly Tasks for Kenyan WorkplacesWhat to clean daily, weekly, monthly and quarterly in an office, from desks and washrooms to kitchens and reception.Read the guide
Business and hygieneHow Often Should You Clean a Water Tank? A Guide for Kenyan HomesHow often to clean a home water tank in Kenya, the warning signs, and what a proper clean involves.Read the guide
Cleaning tips and checklistsHow to Remove Stains From a Sofa: A Guide for Fabric, Leather and SuedeA safe, step-by-step way to treat common sofa stains on fabric, leather and suede, and when to call a professional.Read the guideTell us what needs cleaning and where. We will check the job by photos, a video call or a quick visit, send a free written quote and book a time that suits you.