How to Prepare Your Home for Bed Bug Treatment

Laundry first

Wash and hot-dry all bedding, curtains and clothing from the affected rooms — the dryer’s heat, not the wash, is what kills bugs and eggs. Run items on high heat for a full cycle, then seal them in clean bags so they are not re-exposed before treatment.

Items that cannot be washed can still go through a hot dryer cycle alone. Keep treated laundry separate from untreated piles to avoid re-contamination.

Reduce clutter and clear access

Clutter gives bed bugs more places to hide and blocks the technician from reaching harborage points, so reducing it directly improves results. Bag and remove unnecessary items — but do not move them to another room, which spreads the infestation. Pull furniture a few inches from the walls so baseboards are reachable.

Follow the method’s specific prep

Heat and chemical treatments have different prep. Heat treatment requires removing heat-sensitive items — aerosols, pressurized cans, certain medications, candles and some electronics — because the room gets hot enough to damage them. Chemical treatment has its own prep and a re-entry interval set by the product label.

The provider supplies the exact list before the visit. Following it precisely is what lets the treatment reach every bug.

People and pets

Plan for occupants and pets to be out during treatment and to return afterward — after cool-down for heat, or after the label’s re-entry interval for chemical. Fish tanks and pet enclosures need special handling, so tell the provider about them in advance. A little planning here avoids delays on the day.