What to expect before a bed bug treatment
So you have bed bugs? There are some steps you need to take in order to prepare your home for bed bug treatments. Summit Pest Control has come up with a bed bug pre-treatment checklist. Upon completing the checklist, you will be ready to have a bed bug treatment completed in your home.
What kind of bed bug treatments are there?
There are different types of bed bug treatments, the two most popular being the heat treatments and chemical treatments. The chemical treatment is the preferred method by Summit Pest Control, because it is the safest option and most effective. For the chemical option, a potent chemical is sprayed throughout the home to kill the bed bugs and their eggs. The spray leaves a residual that will keep the bed bugs away after the treatment is over.
How to prepare for the bed bug treatment
There are several steps you will need to take in order to prepare for a successful bed bug treatment. Failing to follow these steps will decrease the effectiveness of the treatment.
The first step involves removing the linens from your room and bed and washing them and drying them on a high heat setting. If there are certain things in your home that you cannot wash, take them to a dry cleaner and leave them there until after the treatment is complete. After the items are cleaned you will want to store them in an airtight container or bag and place them in a garage or area that is unaffected by bed bugs.
Closets and dressers need to be completely emptied and cleaned out, including things on shelves. After things from the closet and dressers have been stored in sealed containers or bags and moved, you will need to thoroughly vacuum your entire home and you will need to use the crevice attachment to get hard to reach areas, couches, bed frames and baseboards. Once you have vacuumed, throw out the vacuum bag and contents immediately and take it outside.
Furniture needs to be moved at least two feet from walls. Pets need to be removed from homes and cannot return to the home for a minimum of four hours, it is best to board them overnight if possible. Fish tanks and reptile tanks need to be covered or removed from the home and the air filtration systems in their tank should be turned off for the duration of the treatment. Mattress and box spring covers need to be removed. Cribs, crib mattresses and baby furniture will need to be treated as well. Lastly, shoes need to be dried on the highest heat setting and then stored in airtight containers.
Once you have followed all of the necessary steps on the pre-treatment checklist, you are ready for the bed bug treatment. Sometimes certain homes will require more than one bed bug treatment to remove all of the bed bugs.
How to maintain your home after a bed bug treatment?
After you have prepared your home for a treatment and have a successful bed bug treatment done, you will want to maintain your property to keep the bed bugs from returning. Some things you can do to prevent a re-infestation of bed bugs is to keep your home tidy, vacuum regularly, have seal outs and repairs done and be mindful of what you bring into the home. Thoroughly inspect furniture and luggage before you enter the home.
Bed bugs can most likely be found in motel and hotel rooms and you can take them home with you during travel. It is important to conduct a bed bug inspection of your hotel or motel room and leave the room if you find signs or traces of any bed bugs.
How to inspect for bed bugs?
There are many signs of bed bugs that can help you know you have an infestation. It is best to have a professional pest control technician confirm if you have bed bugs or not. Sometimes people can mistake marks or bites as bed bug bites, so it is best to not only rely on the bites as the only sign of bed bugs. At Summit Pest Control, we offer free estimates for bed bug treatments. At the time of the estimate, the pest control technician will conduct a bed bug inspection and confirm there is a population.
How much do bed bug treatments cost?
Bed bug treatments vary based on several different factors such as the severity of the situation, how many rooms in the home are affected and the number of treatments needed. In most cases, two to three treatments is sufficient, but it is all based on how much of the chemical needs to be used for the treatments. In addition to the chemical, there are some other factors that might add to the price, such as if you need furniture in your home to be moved.
In addition to bed bug treatments we offer a variety of other pest control services including:
For more information about bed bug treatments and bed bug control, give us a call and schedule a free estimate or fill out our contact form.
