Containing Bed Bugs and Ongoing Rodent Protection

The Story

In autumn 2022, a residential care home contacted iX5 Pest Control after confirming bed bugs in several resident bedrooms. The site was under a national provider for routine pest control, but had been provided with a quote for dealing with a bedbug infestation which they were not happy to accept. The leadership team wanted a fast, specialist response to prevent spread through the home, to protect residents and their reputation.

We surveyed all bedrooms and adjacent areas, confirming 5 rooms with current activity. Using the site plan, we prioritised immediate treatment of affected rooms and implemented containment measures to reduce the risk of transfer to other areas.

Impressed with how quickly the bed bug problem was brought under control, the Managing Director asked us to survey for rodents and provide a proposal to replace their expiring contract for the proactive prevention of rats and mice at the site. After our receiving our proposal, the home switched to an iX5 Pest Control proactive programme in March 2023.

The Challenge

Care homes are busy, lived-in environments, with vulnerable residents. The movement of people, possessions and laundry around the home, can make bed bug transfer easy if not tightly managed. Any response must also respect resident dignity, safeguarding, and the home’s infection-control procedures, while keeping areas safe and usable. Treatment plans must also consider the health vulnerabilities of residents.

For rodents, the challenge is different: regular deliveries, waste storage and external factors can create opportunities for activity. The contract needed to deliver consistent early warning, bait stewardship, and audit-ready reporting for management and CQC expectations.

What We Did

1) Bed bug eradication and containment

• Room-by-room protocol: Treated confirmed rooms and established a buffer inspection zone around them.
• Spread prevention: Clear bag-and-seal procedures for laundry handling guidance and for staff moving around the home to avoid cross-contamination; practical checklists for housekeeping.
• Follow-ups: Scheduled inspections to verify no new signs (live activity, cast skins, spotting), then ongoing monitoring at predetermined frequencies.

2) Staff guidance and housekeeping support

• Briefed managers, care staff and housekeeping on what to look for, where bed bugs hide, and how to manage the risk of spread.
• Provided simple room prep and re-entry guidance so resident impact was minimal.

3) Rodent survey and contract (from March 2023)

• External and internal assessment including waste stores, service routes and potential ingress points.
• Deployed a documented monitoring plan and set service frequency at every 4 weeks.
• Embedded trend reporting, recommendations and proofing checks into each visit.

Result: Bed bug activity resolved and no spread beyond the initially affected rooms. Under the monthly rodent contract, the site is regularly checked for signs of any activity, and early action where necessary.

Results at a Glance

• Bed bugs contained and eradicated in affected rooms
• No further spread, despite central laundry and communal spaces
• Contract switch in March 2023 to iX5 Pest Control for rats and mice, along with regular checks for bedbugs
• Every 4 weeks: routine inspections, trend analysis, staff check-ins
• Stable site since proactive contract commencement; audit-ready reporting provided each visit

Why This Worked

What made the difference was a containment-first mindset. Rather than treating everywhere, we focused on the rooms that mattered most, then built a protective ring of inspections around them. That, coupled with clear laundry and housekeeping protocols, stopped bed bugs spreading out or hitching a ride on clothes, laundry or other articles being moved around the home. We kept disruption low for residents and gave staff simple, confidence-building steps they could follow.

On rodents, the shift to prevention meant the home was no longer waiting for problems to surface. Routine prescheduled visits with evidence-based adjustments, and clear reporting mechanisms have created a robust, auditable system for pest prevention.

Could your care home benefit from the same approach?

For CQC-regulated environments, fast containment and proactive prevention are essential. Explore our Commercial Pest Control Contracts for routine assurance, or contact us on 01604 328545 for an initial chat, email us at [email protected] or complete our short contact form below.