The following are steps you can take to assist us in doing the best job possible.

1) Remove mattress and box spring from the bed frame and place them upright against a wall for inspection and treatment.  Remove the fabric dust cover from the bottom of the box spring and throw away in trash outside.
2) Remove all bed linens and launder them in HOT water and HOT dryer. Place the clean items in sealed plastic bags.
3) Remove drapes/curtains and launder them in HOT water and HOT dryer or dry clean and then put in sealed plastic bags.
4) Empty dressers, closets, and cupboards of all items and place in sealed plastic bags. All fabrics must be laundered in HOT water and HOT dryer cycle when possible.  Items that can’t be washed can be put in HOT dryer for a minimum of 1 hour.
5) Discard all unnecessary boxes, papers, magazines, or other similar items by placing in sealed plastic bags and dispose of outside.
6) Remove all items from walls, mirrors, pictures, other items and leave in the room for inspection.
7) Unhook and unplug all cables and cords from electrical devices and remove electrical plates from the walls-phone jacks, light switch covers, etc.
8) Move all furniture away from the walls.
9) Thoroughly vacuum all carpet and fabric-covered furniture paying special attention to edges. Vacuum mattress and box spring-edges, seams, buttons, etc.  Vacuum closet shelves and inside drawers of all furniture. Place contents of vacuum in sealed plastic bag and throw in trash outside. If you have any furniture you want to have treated remove fabric dust covering from the bottom, throw away outside and thoroughly vacuum the underside.
10) All non-washable items placed in plastic bags must be inspected and/or treated.  This may include electronic equipment (computers, clocks, radios, TV’s, phones, etc.) artwork in frames, and other objects in infested rooms.
A. Bug Stoppers may suggest options for these materials which may include:
1. Heating or freezing
2. Fumigant strips
3. Direct insecticide treatment
11) Wash pet bedding or discard.
12) All people and pets especially birds should be out of home for 4 hours. Fish or reptile aquariums need to be securely covered with plastic and the filters shut off.
13) If you are going to dry cleaned items they should be bagged. It would be a good idea to call ahead to make sure cleaners will accept them.
14) Yes it is a lot of trouble but the better you prepare, the fewer times you will have to do it.  Bed bugs are persistent, they don’t care how much time and money you spend trying to get rid of them.
15) DO NOT USE ANY OVER THE COUNTER PRODUCTS TO TREAT WITH YOURSELF AS THESE PRODUCTS WILL CONTAMINATE THE PRODUCTS WE USE.