Treatment FAQ

how far in advance do u prepare for bed bug treatment

by Dr. Emily Willms Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago

On average, most households spend 1 to 3 days preparing for bed bug treatment. On the day of your bed bug treatment, unless specifically instructed to, don't bring any items with you when you vacate the premises. Wear only previously laundered clothing removed from sealed bags.Dec 4, 2020

Full Answer

Should you prepare a room before bed bug treatments?

This takes a significant amount of training to accomplish correctly. If a company requires you to prep a room before bed bug treatments, it could be because they simply don’t know how to provide service the most efficient way. The less work that the technicians have to do, the less time they need to spend at your home.

How hot does a bed bug treatment have to be?

This is because a room has to be 117-122 degrees Fahrenheit to kill off bed bugs. These companies claim the benefit of heat treatments with what they call “no-prep,” are a one and done solution and many not offer a guarantee after the service is provided.

How long after bed bug treatment can you vacuum?

After the bed bug treatment, vacuum the listed places and items at intervals of about three to five days. This keeps your house in check for any bed bugs that are still alive or have been hatched. Each time you are through with the vacuuming process; dispose the bag outside your home.

How to tell if bed bug treatment is successful?

During treatment, all the fecal matter is cleaned. If you notice that there is new fecal matter in the house, then the bed bug treatment process was not successful. On the other hand, if the bed bug’s fecal matter can no longer be traced in your house, you can conclude that there are no more bed bugs in the house.

How do I prepare for bed bug treatment?

Move as few items as possible and have them checked for bedbugs (or heat them) before removing them. Wash all sheets, blankets, pillowcases, and other bedding in hot water. Place the items in a dryer set on the highest setting that won't damage the items. Dry the items thoroughly and then place them in trash bags.

How do I prepare for a bed bug inspection?

Remove all drapes and hang them inside a closet within the infested room. Place all moveable items such as wastebaskets, telephones, picture frames, small furniture, tv remotes etc. inside closets or dresser drawers.

How long after bed bug treatment can I put my stuff back?

Keep all mattresses and pillows sealed for a full year after treatment, so any lingering bed bugs die of starvation. Don't enter your home or treated rooms for at least 4-5 hours after treatment.

Do you have to treat the whole house for bed bugs?

If you confirm you have bed bugs in one bedroom of the house, you'll have to treat that entire room, but you won't necessarily need to treat the entire house. Set up traps to monitor other bedrooms and living areas to make sure they stay bug free.

Should you clean before a bed bug inspection?

Remove and dry all curtains and window dressings on high heat. Inspect items that cannot be washed such as books, electronics, picture frames, and plastic toys. Place them into plastic bags only if you do not find bed bugs on these items. Reduce clutter under your bed and around the room.

How long does bed bug treatment take?

An insecticide treatment typically takes about 30 minutes to 2 hours per room depending on size and condition of the room. Once the treatment is complete you should wait until all the insecticides have dried before reentering your home, or until the PMP says it is safe to re-enter.

Can I sleep in my bed after bed bug treatment?

You may continue to sleep in your bed after treatment. Encasements should be put on mattresses and box springs. Any surviving bed bugs in the mattress or box spring will not be able to escape the encasement or bite.

Is it OK to vacuum after bed bug treatment?

Within hours after heat treatment, your home might be too hot and uncomfortable. The rule of thumb is as soon as you are allowed to clean your home by the professionals, then you can vacuum as well. For spray treatments, you may need three to four hours before going back into your home.

How many treatments are needed for bed bugs?

3 to 4 treatmentsThe number of treatments needed to get control is (national average) 3 to 4 treatments. The first step to treating the problem yourself is taking your bed apart. The frame should be completely deconstructed to reach all cracks and crevices. For any unreachable areas, aerosols are useful.

How do I know if the bed bugs are gone?

One of the questions that we are frequently asked is: “when can I be sure the bed bugs are gone?” The short answer is that if you have had a professional treatment and if it has been three weeks since the end of the treatment with no signs (i.e. bites, live bugs, new fecal matter or casts skins) of continuing ...

Can bed bugs be in only one room?

Typically an infestation starts in one room and spreads slowly to other places where people sleep. The sooner you find and treat bed bugs the easier it will be to get rid of them. Wait too long and bed bugs may be found throughout your home. Don't throw your bed away.

What is the main cause of bed bugs?

They can come from other infested areas or from used furniture. They can hitch a ride in luggage, purses, backpacks, or other items placed on soft or upholstered surfaces. They can travel between rooms in multi-unit buildings, such as apartment complexes and hotels.

Why are bed bugs not treated?

This is because bed bugs can live in the tiniest of places, so an unprepared area could serve as a hidden and impenetrable harborage during the treatment.

How long after a PCO treatment can you clean?

To give the treatment time to work, do not shampoo or clean floors or carpet for at least three weeks after the treatment. The vacuum may be used as desired. Move all items and furniture away from walls. The PCO will need access to all baseboards and behind all furniture.

Do bed bugs need a PCO?

In almost all cases, you will need to contact a professional pest control operator (PCO) for service.

How to get rid of bedbugs in your house?

Store cleaned and dried items in plastic bags until your home has been treated and the bedbugs eliminated. Vacuum and wash all floors. To prevent bedbugs from escaping, be sure to place the vacuum bag into a plastic bag before disposing of it. Vacuum the mattress and box spring to remove live/dead bedbugs.

Can you move your bedbugs to another house?

Don’t move any of your belongings to another home during or before the treatment unless you know they are not infested. You might spread bedbugs to another home or to your car or workplace in a backpack or box and then re‐infest your home after it has been treated.

Can bed bugs bite through a mattress?

If the mattress and box spring will be encased, be sure to use one that is bedbug proof. These encasements are thick enough so that bed bugs cannot bite through it and have tight zippers that the bugs cannot escape through. Vacuum couches, chairs and recliners thoroughly before treatment.

Can bed bugs be eliminated?

Bedbugs can be difficult to eliminate when they infest your home unless you do your part by cooperating with the pest control company . The following tips will help YOU and your pest management company get rid of bedbugs quickly:

How long after bed bug treatment can you get rid of birds?

If removing, check for bed bugs. Pets and birds must be removed from the premises and not re-enter for 4-6 hours after treatment. Birds preferably 24 hours after treatment. Fish tanks and pumps must be covered and air filters must be disconnected and covered. Leave electronics in the room for treatment.

How to get rid of a bed?

Remove ALL bedding from the beds and immediately place in bags and take straight to the laundry for washing and/or drying. Dry on the highest heat possible. Put the laundered items into new garbage bags and completely seal. Do not put back on the beds. Remove picture frames, mirrors, etc from walls.

What to do if you are unsure of anything on the preparation sheet?

If you are unsure of anything that is on the preparation sheet given to you by the pest control company, then always make sure you talk it over with them so they can fully address your concerns and provide the most effective bed bug treatment.

How far away from the wall should you move furniture?

Furniture items in every room need to be moved away from the walls by at least 2 feet to allow the exterminator access to the baseboards. Baseboards might actually need removing if instructed. Remove all light switch plates, electrical wall covers, and phone jack plates.

How long do you have to leave electronics in a room?

Everyone must vacate the premises for at least 4-6 hours after treatment has been completed.

Do you wash bed frames after bed bug treatment?

You’ll want to do some cleaning after the bed bug treatment, but do not wash the baseboards, door frames, window frames or bed frames for the timeframe specified by the technician. Do not remove any mattress or box spring encasements. These protect from re-infestation and protect you from being bitten.

Why do companies require you to prep a room before bed bug treatment?

If a company requires you to prep a room before bed bug treatments, it could be because they simply don’t know how to provide service the most efficient way. Increased profits. The less work that the technicians have to do, the less time they need to spend at your home. Getting you to prepare the room for treatment is one less thing they don’t have ...

What temperature kills bed bugs?

This is because a room has to be 117-122 degrees Fahrenheit to kill off bed bugs. These companies claim the benefit of heat treatments with what they call “no-prep,” are a one and done solution and many not offer a guarantee after the service is provided.

Why do bed bugs bounce back?

In cases like this, companies put their clients through bounce back due to spreading the bugs from do to excessive prep work (or lack of training), not because they are willingly trying to deceive the client.

How effective is heat treatment for bed bugs?

While heat treatments can be relatively effective in eliminating bed bugs from your home, we believe the drawbacks in many circumstances outweigh the benefits. Heat treatments can be construed as no-prep with the promise of leaving your belongings in place and positioned as a “safe” method. In reality, heat treatments are more of a “low-prep” option. A lot of these companies tell you that you don’t need to do anything before treatment, but then require you to “remove firearms, ammunition, medication, deodorant, hairspray, spray paint, paint thinners, candles, lip balm, make-up or thing things prone to melting,” as specifically indicated by a local pest control company referring to heat treatment prep. Some heating can break the sealing around windows can be destroyed which don’t show up until several years later. Companies specializing in heat treatments for bed bugs also typically say that your electronics will be safe from damage even though most everything else will not. This is because a room has to be 117-122 degrees Fahrenheit to kill off bed bugs. These companies claim the benefit of heat treatments with what they call “no-prep,” are a one and done solution and many not offer a guarantee after the service is provided. So it is very important to ask the company that is providing a bed bug heat treatment what their guarantee covers and how long the service is guaranteed.

What happens when a pest control company leaves bed bug service preparation in the hands of the client?

When a pest control company leaves bed bug service preparation in the hands of the client, a multitude of things can go wrong. Even when you diligently follow every step of the checklist that the pest control company provides, it’s incredibly easy for you to unknowingly make the situation much worse. It’s only natural that you will make some mistakes. Is it realistic that you are expected to thoroughly inspect the crevices in your couch, your kids’ toys, and electronics for bed bugs without being a bed bug specialist yourself? Something that’s simple for a pest control technician to do such as encase your mattress can be challenging for someone who is attempting to follow instructions and seeing a mattress encasement for the first time. This step is incredibly important to successful bed bug elimination because encasements create a barrier against new bed bugs. If this step goes even a little bit wrong, it may significantly impact the efficiency of the service.

What happens if you don't prepare your home for bed bug treatments?

If you do not prepare your home for bed bug treatments when required, the technicians that come to service your home will likely not do these things for you. This can result in mishandling of materials which could spread bed bugs throughout your home or destroy your bedding and belongings. Something as simple as flinging comforters ...

Why is encasement important for bed bugs?

This step is incredibly important to successful bed bug elimination because encasements create a barrier against new bed bugs. If this step goes even a little bit wrong, it may significantly impact the efficiency of the service. Most importantly by moving around items in the room you can disturb the bed bugs making the bed bug removal more ...

Whole Room Heat Treatments

Whole room heat treatments involve a Pest Management Professional (PMP) bringing in specially designed equipment to raise the temperature in your home to kill the bed bugs. Bed bugs and eggs die within 90 minutes at 118°F (48°C) or immediately at 122°F (50°C).

Insecticide Treatments

Insecticide treatments that are conducted thoroughly and correctly by a licensed PMP can be a very effective way of controlling bed bugs. Three different types of insecticides should be used in order to achieve the best result. There are many different brands of insecticides but one of each of the following broad categories should be used.

How to dry clothes the night before?

The night before you need to dry the clothes that you plan on wearing the next day and keep them in a tightly closed plastic bag .#N#2. In the morning, shower and put the clothes on that you dried the night before. Leave used clothing in the house.#N#3. It is very IMPORTANT that you DO NOT sit on any of the furniture. It would be best to get dressed and leave the house.#N#4. Please make sure that all fire alarms, smoke detectors, fire sprinkler systems, or home security systems ARE ALL DISARMED! Not responsible for the sprinkler system being set off.#N#5. Unplug all electronics and refrigerator.

How much does it cost to increase the temperature of your home?

This is needed to help pre-heat your home. If this is not done, there will be a $99 charge.

Is Alpha Bed Bug liable for damage to paint?

Alpha Bed Bug will not be liable for damage done to old, improperly applied, oxidized, chipped, or peeled finishes. Alpha Bed Bug is not liable for damage to painted surfaces. Alpha Bed Bug is not liable for damage done to flooring or carpeting during the heat treatment process.

How long does it take to get rid of bed bugs?

You should repeat the treatment in a span of approximately one week. This ensures any bed bugs that were left are killed freeing your house of any future infestation.

How long does it take for bed bugs to hatch?

Proper elimination of bed bugs involves doing away with all bed bug eggs which in normal cases are a risk of continued infestation since they hatch in 6 days. Eggs. When carrying out the bed bug treatment, you must ensure that all bed bug eggs are killed.

How to get rid of bed bugs in house?

Inspect all locations in your house. After bed bug treatment, you are advised to inspect all around your house to ensure all bed bugs were killed as well as bed bug eggs. Some bed bugs may have escaped during the treatment and it is these bugs that in the end multiply into many more and the infestation comes back.

How many eggs do bed bugs lay?

From the study, it was found that female bed bugs lay about 500 eggs .

How to tell if bed bugs are gone?

Another way to tell if the bed bugs are completely gone is to look out for live bed bugs. When your house is infested with bed bugs, it is easy to notice the movement of live bed bugs especially at night.

How do you know if you have gone to bed bug bites?

Gone Bed bug bites. If you experienced bed bug bites at the time when your home was infested with bed bugs, it will be easy for you to tell if the bed bugs no longer in your house. This is because, if you stop experiencing bites on your skin, it is an indicator that the bed bugs are gone.

Why do bed bugs come back?

Sometimes, the reason bed bugs still come back is because you do not address the real problem which is the source of the bed bugs. If the bed bugs are for instance coming from your neighbor’s apartment, you will need to create a barrier that ensures bed bugs do not make it to cross over from your neighbor’s house. You should ensure such barriers are placed on your windows, doors or any other openings that are connecting your house with your neighbors.

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