Preparing Your Home for a Bed Bug Treatment

Bed bugs – they’re any homeowner’s worst nightmare. Bed bugs are one of the most serious home pest problems of all, and unfortunately, are one of the most difficult to control. Plus, we can all agree they’re gross too.

In almost all cases, any house invaded with bed bugs will require professional bed bug treatment help from pest control services. Attempting to remove them on your own is usually simply too difficult.

To help make sure the pest control services can complete their job thoroughly, you as the homeowner will need to play a part in preparing for their arrival.

To learn how to prepare your home for bed bug treatment, keep reading.

Wash Clothing and Bedding

All clothing must be cleaned or laundered in the hottest temperature water as possible. Then they must get dried on the highest heat setting and kept in clean storage bags for up to two weeks post-treatment or until the bed bugs are gone.

Clothing that can’t be washed and dried such as coats and jackets should be inspected carefully and dry-cleaned.

You’ll need to wash and dry all sheets, blankets, pillowcases, and other bedding in hot water too. When drying, place the bedding in a dryer set on a high setting that won’t damage the fabrics.

Any stuffed toys or other fabric items such as curtains and towels must be placed in the dryer on the highest setting that won’t damage the fabrics for 30 minutes minimum. Bag these items once dry.

Make sure to keep washed and packed clothes, bedding, and other fabrics away from other items that may be infested by bed bugs.

Inspecting Items for Bed Bugs That Can't Be Washed

Items that can’t be washed such as books, electronics, picture frames, and plastic toys must be carefully inspected for bed bugs. If your local pest control services are going to use commercial-grade products, items that are without bed bugs should be placed in plastic bags or storage containers.

If heat is used for bed bug treatment instead, your pest control service may prefer these items left in the home, so they’re exposed to the heat treatment. Speak to your team to see which method they’ll be using so you can prepare efficiently.

Vacuum Your Home Before Bed Bug Treatment

It’s time for a deep clean! Thoroughly vacuum all carpeting, bedding, bed frames, backs of photo frames, and any other areas where bed bugs like to live. Once you’ve finished, empty the vacuum cleaner bag pronto and dump it in an outdoor trash container.

To give the bed bug treatment the best opportunity to work, it’s important not to shampoo or wash floors or carpet for at least three weeks post-treatment. However, you’re fine to continue using the vacuum.

Move Items

For pest control services to apply their treatment methods properly, you may have to shift some of your household furniture around. Don’t worry, you can return everything to its original spot once the treatment is complete.

Start by moving all objects and furniture away from the walls. Your pest control team will require access to all the baseboards in your home, and behind all furniture.

You’ll also need to make sure all your closets, bedroom drawers, and bookcases are completely empty before treatment.

Any objects sitting on the floor and furniture must also get removed. These can include toys, shoes, and any other household items.

You can place items on kitchen counters, dining room tables, coffee tables, and even the bathtub to keep them out the way during treatment.

Don’t Remove Any Belongings from the Home Before or During Your Bed Bug Treatment

While kitchen surfaces and tables may get cluttered with items during treatment, it’s important not to move any of your items out of the home during or before the treatment unless you know for sure they’re not inhabited with bed bugs.

If you do, you can spread the pests to another home, your car, or your workplace. You can then potentially bring the bed bugs back to your home after treatment, re-infesting it. What a nightmare that would be!

To be on the safe side, we don’t recommend moving any items out of the home before treatment.

Remove Pets From Your Home During Bed Bug Treatment

All pets must be out of the house during treatment, apart from fish in tanks.

Fish tanks must get wrapped in plastics with the pumps switched off until treatment is complete, and you’re allowed to re-enter the home.

Now You're Prepared for Bed Bug Treatment

By following these guidelines, your home should be ready and prepared for bed bug treatment. Most commercial pest control services will also provide you with home preparation advice for bed bug treatment so you can be extra prepared and can understand the exact methods of treatment they’ll be using.

If you haven’t chosen a pest prevention service yet, here at Viking Pest we can help.

Why Choose Viking for Pest for Bed Bug Control?

Viking Pest has been providing pest control for families and businesses since 1980. Viking is a full-service pest control company offering control and prevention for ants, birds, termites, and bed bugs to name a few.

With locations servicing NJ, PA, MD, and DE, Viking is the local business that you love, with the coverage that you need. Viking offers all clients a FREE and NO OBLIGATION estimate given by a Pest Management Professional.

Call us today or request a FREE inspection online. One Call Gets Them All!