Bed Bug Treatment Prep List

 

Bed Bugs can be eliminated from your home only if you help with preparing areas for treatment.  Since Bed Bugs are easily transported from home to home on people or belongings, discuss with your Pest Management Professional how to reduce the odds of future infestations.  Neglecting to complete all preparation steps or not completing them thoroughly will decrease the effectiveness of the treatment.

 

 

• Remove all sheets, mattress covers, pillowcases and blankets, and place them in plastic bags, tightly closing the bags until further treating. All linens should be laundered, preferably in high temp water.  Linens must be dried on the highest dryer setting for a minimum of 30 minutes.

• After washing, place linens in a NEW plastic bag and seal with tape/zip ties or place in covered plastic bins.  Do not place them back on the bed until the treatment is complete.

• Launder all other washable clothing, towels, and linens throughout the home, whether they are dirty or clean.  Follow the same steps as in Step 1 and 2.  These may be placed in an area designated by your Pest Management Professional.

• Any clothing that cannot be washed must be sent to a dry cleaner.  Be sure to notify the dry cleaner of the potential for Bed Bugs in the clothing.

• Remove everything from bedroom closets, hall closets, and any other areas that are suspected to be infested so that your Pest Management Professional can adequately treat these areas.

• Remove all clothing, toys, paper, et cetera from the floors.  Reducing clutter decreases potential hiding places for Bed Bugs and makes it easier to properly treat your home.

• Empty all dresser and nightstand drawers of any clothing, paper, et cetera, and place these items in a sealed plastic bag or container.  Thoroughly inspect before putting items back in drawers following treatment.

• Pull bed away from the wall.

• Turn the heat up to 75-80 degrees, or if it is summer, crack the windows for some ventilation.

• Leave all furniture in the rooms along with all pillows.

• Aeration to fish tanks must be unplugged and the tanks covered.

• All people and other pets must leave the premises for the time of the treatment plus four hours.  This is for your own safety and the Pest Management Professional will not treat if anyone is there.

• When you return you may wish to open the windows to ventilate the home.

• The technician may remove pictures, posters and other items from the walls to allow for better treatment.

• Dust covers from under box springs and furniture may need to be removed by the Pest Management Professional to permit proper treatment.

• Do not discard furniture unless your Pest Management Professional approves and knows about it.  Discarding furniture with known bed bugs could become a liability.