How To Prepare For A Bed Bug Heat Treatment

If you’ve found bed bugs in your home, don’t be discouraged; these pests can happen to anyone.

The important thing is to make sure that you get rid of bed bugs completely. If you’re reading this article, there’s a good chance you’ve scheduled a bed bug heat treatment with Pine State Pest Solutions or you’re thinking about it. As Maine’s premier bed bug control company, we know how to exterminate all stages of bed bug development – from eggs to adults- but we need your help to ensure optimal results. In order to achieve the best possible outcome from your bed bug heat treatment, please use the heat treatment preparation guide below. 

Remove items from treatment area(s) before our bed bug control specialists arrive

In order to treat effectively and without harm or damage to belongings and pets in your household, please remove the following items from infested areas before our team arrives to treat:

• Pets – this includes fish in aquariums
• Houseplants 
• Fresh fruits and vegetables
• Food that melts
• Wine bottle
• Prescriptions and OTC medicines
• Cosmetics and deodorants
• Candles, lipstick, and other wax-based items
• Art supplies  
• Lighters, lamp fuel, alcohol, solvents, and other flammables 
• Wood and string musical instruments (leave cases)

Family heirlooms and irreplaceable items should be inspected to determine if they can remain during the thermal remediation or if they should be removed to prevent damage. 

Declutter infested space(s)

As you might suspect, heavily cluttered areas will decrease the effectiveness of heat treatment. To ensure success, please remove clutter including empty boxes and bags. 

Clean out your drawers and closets

To ensure heat is circulated throughout the entire infested area, our highly trained pest control specialists will be opening drawers and closets. If there’s anything you don’t want us to see or touch, please remove them ahead of time.

Box up loose papers and secure breakable item

In order to kill bed bugs using heat, we will be moving large amounts of hot air around an infested area. That means any item that could be blown around will need to be boxed up or secured. This includes papers, glass items, knick-knacks, etc. 

Take down wall hangings

To prevent damage, pictures, paintings, and other wall-mounted items will need to be taken down. 

Prepare electronics for treatment

Since bed bugs often hide out inside electronics, you’ll want to leave computers, stereos, TVs, iPods, mp3 players, gaming systems, clocks, and radios as well as other electronics in the infested space. Please make sure they are disconnected from outlets and that batteries are taken out of all units/systems.

Drain waterbeds & deflate airbeds

You must drain waterbeds in order to make sure that the frame will be treated and partially deflate airbeds to prevent damage. If you have an airbed with an electronic pump, make sure it’s unplugged from the wall outlet. 

What to do with your clothing, stored bedding & other soft goods

Prior to our arrival, all clothing, extra stored bedding, linens, and other soft good MUST be removed from treatment area and placed in a dryer. Dry clothes on the highest heat setting for a minimum of 30-45 minutes to kill bed bugs. You do not have to remove clothing that is hanging in your closet.

Clothing, bed linens, and other soft goods CANNOT be brought back into the home until they’ve been put through a dryer and Pine State’s treatment is complete. 

What to do with items you remove from the infested area(s)

Any items removed from the infested area(s) should be packed in tightly sealed plastic containers or in plastic bags AFTER you inspect them for signs of bed bugs. If you find bed bugs, rather than remove them, please put them in the bathroom. We will attempt to treat said item(s), but will not be responsible for the damage.

Have questions about bed bug heat treatments?