How to Prepare for Bed Bug Treatment: A Step-by-Step Checklist for Canadian Homes

TL;DR

• Start with your company's prep sheet: preparation depends on the treatment method and on how bad the infestation is.
• Strip the bed and bag the bedding in the bedroom. Dry bedding and clothing near the bed in a hot dryer for at least 30 minutes (HealthLinkBC, the Quebec government).
• Clear the clutter, swap cardboard boxes for plastic ones, empty dressers and nightstands, and pull furniture at least two feet (about 60 cm) from the walls.
• Vacuum mattress seams, the bed frame, baseboards and upholstered furniture, then seal the vacuum bag in a plastic bag and throw it out.
• Don't move belongings to other rooms, throw out your mattress before the inspection, or use foggers and store-bought sprays. The US EPA notes that fogger spray will not reach the cracks where bed bugs hide, and these mistakes can spread the infestation or make it harder to treat.
• Need help? Get a quote from a recommended local exterminator through Pest Agent's referral form.

Knowing how to prepare for bed bug treatment starts with resisting an instinct: emptying the bedroom. Dragging the mattress to the curb, carrying clothes to the living room or boxing up everything under the bed can move bed bugs into clean rooms and neighbouring units, and a mattress often does not need to be thrown out at all.

Good preparation looks more like controlled packing. Bedding and the clothes kept near the bed go through a hot dryer and into sealed bags, furniture comes away from the walls so the technician can reach the baseboards, and a heat treatment adds its own list of items that cannot stay behind.

All of that work serves one limit of every treatment: whatever a spray or a wave of heat cannot get to survives the visit.

Why Does Bed Bug Preparation Matter?

Bed bug preparation matters because sprays and heat only kill the bed bugs they reach. Purdue University Extension calls preparation critical to the success of a treatment, and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says it matters just as much whether you treat on your own or hire a professional.

Access for the Technician

Access is the first goal of bed bug preparation. A technician needs to reach the baseboards, the seams and underside of the bed, and the furniture close to it, and clutter gives bed bugs places the treatment cannot follow. A thorough professional bed bug extermination depends on that access.

Stopping the Spread

Stopping the spread is the second goal. Purdue University Extension warns that removing items from infested rooms increases the chance of spreading bed bugs to other rooms and units, and the EPA advises against moving infested items into areas that are not infested.

Your Company's Prep Sheet

Your company's prep sheet always comes first, because preparation depends on the treatment method and on how bad the infestation is. Alberta Health Services says a pest control operator should give you written information on the treatment time, the products used, how long you must stay out, the preparation steps and the cleaning afterwards, and that you should ask for it if you do not get it. Orkin Canada, for example, hands out its checklist after the inspection, and Abell Pest Control notes that its technician may ask for less preparation when the infestation is light. When in doubt, the written sheet wins.

What Happens If You Skip Preparation

Skipping preparation can cost you the treatment. Abell's checklist says a technician checks the preparation on arrival, and that unfinished steps may delay the treatment and void the guarantee. One British Columbia company charges a fee and reschedules when a unit is not ready for a heat treatment. If you rent, Manitoba's Residential Tenancies Branch reminds tenants that they generally have to do the preparation their landlord asks for, that a missed treatment can make the problem worse, and that a tenant may be held responsible if the landlord loses money as a result. For who pays the bill, see our guide on whether the landlord is responsible for bed bugs.

How to Prepare for Bed Bug Treatment: Step-by-Step Checklist

How to prepare for bed bug treatment comes down to nine steps that apply to almost every method. Start a few days ahead, beginning with the bedroom.

Strip and Bag the Bedding

Stripping the bed is the first step. Remove the sheets, pillowcases, duvet covers, blankets and bed skirt, put them straight into a plastic bag in the bedroom, and tie it shut. Abell asks clients to carry bagged bedding to the laundry room only when it can go directly into the washer, so bed bugs are less likely to drop off along the way.

Launder Clothing Near the Bed

Laundering clothing near the bed kills the bed bugs and eggs hiding in fabric. HealthLinkBC and Alberta Health Services both recommend drying items in a hot dryer for at least 30 minutes. The dryer does the real work: the EPA notes that washing alone might not kill bed bugs and eggs, and the Quebec government says a wash needs very hot water. Do not overfill the dryer, because items in a packed load may not get hot enough; Abell asks clients not to overload it.

You usually do not need to wash every piece of clothing you own. Abell's prep sheet asks for the clothing in bedside tables and anything stored near the bed, plus any clothes lying around the room. Clean clothing in dressers and closets farther away can stay unless it shows signs of bed bugs or your technician says otherwise. After drying, store everything in light-coloured, sealed plastic bags or lidded bins, as HealthLinkBC suggests.

Clear the Clutter

Clearing the clutter takes away the hiding spots that protect bed bugs from treatment. Pick up clothes from the floor, recycle old newspapers and magazines, and put anything you plan to throw out directly into a plastic bag that goes to an outdoor bin. For items stored under the bed, bag them in the same room rather than carrying them through the house: the EPA recommends storing them in the room while you inspect and clean them, and Abell warns that moving them can relocate bed bugs to other parts of the home.

Replace Cardboard Boxes

Replacing cardboard boxes removes a favourite hiding place. The EPA advises getting rid of cardboard boxes and using plastic storage boxes instead, and a heat treatment company in British Columbia calls cardboard an ideal place for bed bugs to hide.

Empty Drawers and Shelves

Emptying drawers and shelves lets the technician treat the inside of the furniture closest to the bed. Purdue University Extension recommends emptying dressers, nightstands and similar furniture and bagging the contents, Manitoba's tenant guide asks renters to clear dressers, drawers, closets, shelves and countertops before a pesticide spray, and the Quebec government advises emptying drawers and closets in infested rooms.

Pull Furniture Away From the Walls

Pulling furniture away from the walls opens up the baseboards, one of the most common bed bug hiding places. Purdue University Extension and Manitoba's tenant guide both recommend moving furniture at least two feet (about 60 cm) from the walls. Leave the bed frame assembled and the mattress on the bed unless your company asks you to stand the mattress and box spring on their sides.

Vacuum the Bedroom

Vacuuming removes many bed bugs and eggs before the treatment. Go slowly over mattress seams, the bed frame, baseboards, carpet edges and upholstered furniture with a crevice tool. HealthLinkBC advises sealing the vacuum bag in a plastic bag and putting it in a garbage can with a tight lid, or emptying a bagless canister into a plastic bag and throwing it out right away.

Remove Outlet and Switch Covers

Removing outlet and switch covers gives the technician access to the gaps behind them. Purdue University Extension and Abell may both ask residents to take off electrical wall plates in treated rooms, and Abell also asks for phone jack plates and light switch covers. Only do this if your company asks for it, and never poke into outlets yourself.

Items You Cannot Wash

Items you cannot wash still need a plan. Purdue University Extension suggests sealing "dry clean only" clothing in bags and telling the dry cleaner they may carry bed bugs. HealthLinkBC says freezing can work for small items only if they stay at -19°C for 4 days, and even then it may not kill every bed bug, so ask your technician before relying on the freezer.

How Do You Prepare for a Chemical Bed Bug Treatment?

Preparing for a chemical bed bug treatment focuses on clearing surfaces and protecting the people who will come back into treated rooms. Everything in the checklist above applies, with a few extra steps.

Children's Items

Children's items need to be off the floor and out of the treated area. Purdue University Extension recommends removing toys and anything a child might put in their mouth. HealthLinkBC adds that pesticides should not be used on baby cribs, playpens or toys, so wash and dry what you can and bag the rest.

Pet Bedding

Pet bedding should be washed or dried like your own bedding, then bagged. Pets also need somewhere to go during the treatment, and fish tanks need covering; our guide on what to do with pets during bed bug treatment covers each animal.

Health Conditions

Health conditions in the household should be shared before the treatment. Purdue University Extension asks residents to tell the pest control operator about allergies, chemical sensitivities and similar conditions, and Alberta Health Services suggests checking with your doctor if infants, seniors, or people with weak immune systems or chemical sensitivities live in the home.

How Long to Stay Out

Staying out of treated rooms protects you while the product dries. Purdue University Extension recommends that young children, older adults, people with breathing problems and pets stay away for at least 4 hours or until the product has dried, whichever is longer. Abell gives the same 4-hour window as typical and asks residents to open the windows for 20 to 30 minutes when they return, and Purdue University Extension also advises keeping windows open. Your technician will tell you if your home needs longer.

How Do You Prepare for a Bed Bug Heat Treatment?

Preparing for a bed bug heat treatment means removing anything that can melt, burst or burn, and leaving the rest in place so the heat reaches it. Heat treatment raises whole rooms to a temperature that kills bed bugs (they die at 50°C, according to HealthLinkBC), so the preparation is different from a spray. Our guide to bed bug heat treatment explains how the process works.

Items to Remove

Heat-sensitive items must leave the treated space or go where the technician tells you. Canadian and US prep sheets list:

• Candles, wax crayons, lipstick and other cosmetics that melt
• Medicines and vitamins
• Aerosol cans, lighters, fire extinguishers and other items that can burst or burn
• Ammunition and unopened drink cans or bottles
• Photographs, soft vinyl items and plastic blinds
• Musical instruments, valuable artwork and antique furniture with fragile finishes
• Live plants

Anything you take out of the home must be inspected first. Cranbrook Pest Control warns that a single item carrying bed bugs or eggs can sometimes reinfest the home when it comes back.

Electronics

Electronics are handled differently by each company, so follow your sheet. One British Columbia heat sheet asks residents to remove computer towers and laptops, while Orkin Canada asks clients to follow its instructions for heat-sensitive electronics. If you are worried about a TV or a computer, read our guide on whether heat treatment damages electronics.

What Stays in Place

Most of your home stays put during a heat treatment. A US heat treatment company tells residents to leave mattresses, furniture and the clothing in drawers and closets in place, since the heat generally needs to reach them. Secure loose papers and breakables, since the fans used to move hot air can knock them over, and do not pack boxes or bags tightly, because air generally needs to flow through them.

Living Things

Living things cannot stay in the heated space. Everyone in the household and every pet must leave for the whole treatment, and Orkin Canada also asks that houseplants and tropical fish stay out of the treatment area. Plan for a full day away: Virginia Cooperative Extension notes that a whole-room heat treatment can take many hours from setup to take down, and one British Columbia company asks residents to be ready to leave for at least 6 hours. For more detail on timing, see how long a bed bug treatment takes.

What Should You Not Do Before Bed Bug Treatment?

The most common bed bug preparation mistakes spread the infestation or make it harder to treat. Avoid these four.

Moving Belongings to Other Rooms

Moving belongings into a clean room, a friend's place or your car can carry bed bugs with them. Purdue University Extension and the EPA both warn against moving items out of infested rooms, and Orkin Canada advises leaving the room undisturbed so the technician can see the problem. Bag items where they are and keep them in the room unless your sheet says otherwise.

Throwing Out Your Mattress

Throwing out your mattress before the inspection is rarely necessary. Purdue University Extension says mattresses and furniture often do not need to be discarded and should not be thrown out until a pest control operator has inspected them.

Using Foggers or Store-Bought Sprays

Using foggers or store-bought sprays before the technician arrives does more harm than good. An Ohio State University study found that over-the-counter foggers had little to no effect on bed bugs collected from homes, and NC State Extension notes that research shows foggers are largely ineffective. Alberta Health Services and the Quebec government warn that improper pesticide use can be dangerous for your health, and it may push bed bugs into other areas. If you ever use a product, Health Canada regulates pesticides in Canada: check that the label shows a PCP number and lists bed bugs.

Buying New Furniture

Buying new furniture or a new mattress should wait until the bed bugs are gone. Purdue University Extension recommends waiting until the infestation is eliminated, and Abell asks clients not to bring new or used furniture into the home between the first treatment and the follow-up visit.

What Happens on Treatment Day and in the Weeks After?

Treatment day goes smoothly when you leave with clean, bagged clothes and keep your home as the technician left it until the follow-up visit.

Clean Clothes to Leave In

Clean clothes keep you from carrying bed bugs out of the home. Alberta Health Services suggests drying the clothes you will wear, including socks and outerwear, for 30 minutes on the hottest setting, shaking them out, and sealing them in a plastic bag. Get dressed somewhere free of bed bugs, such as a light-coloured bathtub, and leave right away.

Bags and Purses

Bags and purses are easy places for bed bugs to hitch a ride. Empty and check them before you leave, then vacuum, brush or heat-treat them if you can, as Alberta Health Services recommends.

Live Bed Bugs After Treatment

Live bed bugs after treatment are normal for a while. Abell tells clients they may still see live bed bugs for a while after the first service, and Manitoba's tenant guide says to contact your landlord if you still see large numbers after two weeks. HealthLinkBC notes that more than one application is usually needed, and UC IPM says insecticide applications alone won't control bed bug infestations.

The Follow-up Visit

The follow-up visit finishes what the first treatment started. Abell schedules it a few weeks after the first treatment and asks clients not to fully reassemble the home until then, to leave encasements in place and to keep nothing stored under the bed. Alberta Health Services recommends keeping a bed bug proof mattress encasement sealed for at least 1 year. For the full routine after the technician leaves, read what to do after bed bug treatment. If you still need to book a treatment, you can get a quote from a recommended local exterminator through Pest Agent's referral form, and our list of questions to ask a bed bug exterminator helps you know what to ask. More guides are in our bed bug hub.