Bed Bugs Treatment: Preparation Checklist

Proper preparation of a room for bed bug treatment will reduce the spread of bed bugs and help ensure a successful treatment. You may see some bed bugs in the affected rooms after the initial treatment. If you see bed bugs after treatment to a specific room or area, please call us immediately for assistance. Although we strive to eliminate bed bugs please be aware they may be reintroduced to your facility immediately after we release the room to you.

Download: Bed Bug Preparation Checklist
                     Bed Bug Preparation Checklist - Spanish Version

• Room(s) to be vacant and not to be reoccupied until Western releases room.
• Strip beds of all linens and place in plastic bags for immediate laundering. Always use hot, soapy water when laundering items.
• If Disposing of infested mattress and box spring, wrap in plastic before discarding.
• Remove curtains and shades and place in plastic bags for immediate laundering. Always use hot, soapy water when laundering items.
• Detach, but leave in room, all items attached to walls (pictures, mirrors, lights fixtures, outlet covers, switch plates, headboards, etc.).
• Loosen the carpet from tack strip at floor/wall junction around the perimeter of the rooms.
• Vacuum floors using crack & crevice tool under wall baseboard.
• Vacuum seams and general surface area of all sofa and chair cushions.
• Vacuum seams and general surface area of mattress and box spring. If sofa contains foldout sofa bed, vacuum that as well. DO NOT FORGET UNDERSIDE OF BOX SPRING. Remove vacuum cleaner bag and discard outside of the facility immediately.
• Remove cloth cover from bottom of box spring and chairs and discard. (Please Note: If cloth covers are still on, Western will remove and discard them during treatment)
• Remove all clothing from drawers & closets in plastic bags and launder & dry at the hottest setting possible for the material. Do not remove from bags until room is cleared.
• Place all books and other items from shelves and closets into plastic bags and leave in room.

The room should be reset after Western clears it of bed bugs. This includes reattaching the carpet to tack strip and plastic/carpet baseboard to wall, reassembly and adjustment of furniture, re-securing loose wallpaper, re-hanging pictures, curtains, and decorative items, and generally cleaning the room prior to occupation.

The failure to complete these items will significantly hinder Western's ability to control bed bugs.