How To Prepare For A Bed Bug Treatment

You have bed bugs. Now what? Well, if you're reading this because you've scheduled to have a bed bug treatment from American Pest Solutions, the biggest decision is behind you. By choosing a leader in the pest control industry to resolve your bed bug problem, you've saved yourself months, or even years, of misery, frustration, and wasted money. But, you're not out of the woods yet. There are some things you should do to make sure your bed bug treatment goes smoothly.

Bed bug infestations come in many sizes. Sometimes, they are isolated to a single location and able to be quickly resolved with one treatment. Sometimes, they are widespread and must be dealt with through a process of treatment and monitoring over multiple visits. But, no matter how big the infestation, inspection is key.

At American Pest Solutions, we use K-9 Inspection to locate bed bugs for treatment. Dogs are amazing. They can move through rooms much quicker than a human inspector, and they can detect bed bugs even in a cluttered environment. The nose on a bed bug-sniffing dog is like an x-ray machine. It can sniff out bugs inside drawers, beneath carpeting, behind baseboards, inside upholstered furniture, and more. But, that nose is not infallible. Here are a few things you can do to assist:

• Slide your drawers open and loosen any clothing that is tightly packed.
• Make sure closets are not obstructed and that all areas that need to be inspected are accessible.
• Dogs can be distracted. It is important that no one is present when the inspection takes place. Now is the time to schedule other places to be.

When bed bugs appear, they often appear in a single room. If this is the case for you, there are a few things you can do before your pest control technician shows up.

• Take all the bedding off of the beds in the room and wash them on the hottest temperature. Heat kills bed bugs in all stages of development.
• If you suspect bed bugs in a dresser, take all the clothes out and wash them on the hottest temperature. This is a good step to take, even if you don't suspect bed bugs are in a dresser.
• Clean the house as best you can, and dispose of vacuum cleaner bags outside.

While we use non-chemical solutions first, chemicals are sometimes needed. If you have any pets in your home, it is a good idea to have them removed before treatment begins. Any fish tanks in the home should be sealed with plastic wrap, and the filter should be turned off.

If your home has baseboard heating, make sure to turn it off an hour before your service appointment.

Prevent The Spread Of Bed Bugs

While you wait for your bed bug inspection, there are a few things you can do to prevent the spread of bed bugs.

• If you have an infested mattress, box spring, or piece of furniture, don't put them out on the curb or by a dumpster. This could spread your bed bugs to someone else. Besides, after your treatment is done, you should be able to keep these items. Treatments will get deep into furniture items to eliminate the bugs.
• Be aware that bed bugs are not like lice or other parasites that choose a host. They hitch a ride in clothing, and in the items we carry--not in our hair. When you go out somewhere, check the seams and pockets of your items for bed bugs that might be hiding, and search for tiny white eggs.
• It is best to not lend books or other items to people during this time if you can avoid it. Bed bug eggs are extremely tiny and easy to miss. If you lend someone an item with bed bugs on it, you won't be doing them any favors.

If you have any questions about your upcoming service visit, or you would like to schedule a service visit for you Massachusetts or Connecticut home, you can reach out to us right away. Our helpful and knowledgeable pest control technicians are standing by to assist you.