Don’t we all wish that everything in life could be like those old infomercials? Where the presenter presses a button, to just “set it and forget it”, and minutes later a time consuming process has been completed with little to no effort and in a short amount of time.

If only that were the case with pest infestations!

Sadly thats just not the case. That’s why we have written this comprehensive “Do’s and Don’ts”, list explaining how to prepare your house for bed bug treatment. Not all things can be as easy as an infomercial, but when it comes to creepy crawlies like bed bugs a little effort goes a long way to getting your home pest free as soon as possible!

Before bed bug treatment it is important to:

• Empty all dressers and nightstands. Place clothes into plastic bag before you bring them to the washer and dryer. Wash and dry on high temperatures to kill any potential bed bugs and eggs. (Remember to transfer them in a plastic bag to prevent dropping any on the way to the laundry room).
• Remove linens from the mattresses and box springs and place in a plastic bag. Transfer to washer and dryer and wash and dry on high temperatures to kill any bed bugs and eggs.
• Move mattress off the bed frame and place against wall. Do not put the bed bug mattress cover on until after the service.
• If possible, remove the headboard from the bed. The most common place bed bugs hide are headboards. Removing this gives the technician access to perform a proper treatment. Keeping the headboard unattached will also prevent them from nesting near you, so it is also recommended to place it inside your closet until after the infestation is over.
• Move everything at least three feet away from the walls. This gives the technician access to do a thorough treatment.
• Cover fish tank and turn off pumps. Fish are very sensitive to chemicals, so please be sure to cover the tank and turn off the filter.
• Take down all wall hangings. Wall hangings are common places for bed bugs to hide, so be sure to take them down and set aside for the technician to inspect.
• Remove curtains and wash and dry on high temperatures. Remember to bring them to the laundry room in a plastic bag.
• Remove all electrical wall plates. Bed bugs will go in electrical outlets to hide in the walls, so all of the outlets must be removed so the walls can get treated. Make sure nothing is blocking any of them when we arrive.
• Be prepared to leave the structure for 6 hours. Please make sure everyone who lives there follows this rule.

It is very important that after the service you follow these dos and don’ts to get the most out of your bed bug treatment:

• Do NOT use your own products. Your products will interfere with our process rather than help.
• Do NOT wash the treated areas. This will remove the residual that kills the bed bugs. This can cause you to completely waste your money on the treatment.
• Do NOT sleep somewhere else. They will not come across the treated areas if no one is sleeping in the bed. Bed bugs can detect the carbon dioxide you exhale, so if you start sleeping in another room, they will eventually follow. With this in mind, remember to only sleep in your bed because you are the bait.
• Place the bed bug mattress cover on the mattress. This will trap any bed bugs or eggs that are currently in the mattress. Keep the covers on the boxsprings and mattress as long as you have them. Think of the cover as part of the mattress; it never gets removed.

It is important that all the requirements are met in order to eliminate ALL the bed bugs. Remember, the goal isn’t to kill just a few of them, we have to kill all of them!