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Step 1: Remove all bedding (sheets, blankets, pillows, pillow cases, bedskirts) and tie in a plastic bag. (See Proper Bagging Technique below) Put through hot wash and/or dryer for at least 20 minutes before using the bedding again. After the dryer, put the clean fabric in clean bags, not the ones you initially put them in, as the bags may have eggs or bugs in them.
Step 2: If possible, purchase high quality mattress encasements (fabric only). These are available directly through The X-Terminators, and can be fitted onto the mattress by your technician. Plastic covers nearly always rip, and actually make things worse, because a torn cover creates more harborage area for the bugs, and also significantly hinders treatment. If the mattress already has a plastic cover on it, it should be removed and discarded before we arrive for treatment. If fabric encasements cannot be purchased, the mattress will instead be treated with a product that is safe for use on mattresses.
Step 3: If you do not have a bedframe, we highly recommend obtaining one. The main need is to get the bed off the ground. Anything will do – bricks, milk crates, etc. You can also purchase simple metal bedframes directly through the X-Terminators. Treatment is significantly more effective when the sleeping surface is raised off the ground so the legs can be coated with a residual pesticide. This way, the sleeping area is fully protected. Avoid using bed skirts and keep the bed slightly away from the wall for at least 2 weeks following the final treatment.
Step 4: Clear away all items and clutter underneath the bed, and around the bed area.
Step 5: Empty out nightstands and dresser drawers nearby the bed. Clothing should be bagged (see Proper Bagging Technique below) and put through a dryer for at least 20 minutes; other items can be left in the room in boxes or other open containers.
Step 6: Move all furniture and items about a foot away from the walls if possible.
Step 7: Thoroughly vacuum under the bed and around the edges of the room, especially if you have put down your own dust-based insecticides.
Step 8: The X-Terminators treat your suite. Follow-up treatment in 10-14 days. Please call us to arrange the second treatment time.
Q: Do I have to wash and dry all the fabrics in my entire house?
A: No. Bed bugs tend to hide as close to the bed as possible, so only launder the fabrics in the immediate area – your bedding, and clothing in dressers near the bed. Hanging clothes in closets can usually be left there, but wash anything on the floor. Only in very severe infestations (less than 5% of all cases) is it necessary to clean fabrics in other areas.
Q: What about the other items in my room that can’t be laundered?
A: Leave these items in their normal places, unless they are under the bed or in drawers near the bed. In this case, leave the items in open boxes. Do not bag these items.
Step 9: Continue to sleep in the same bed every night (very important). If you sleep somewhere else, the bugs will not remain active and may not contact the residual pesticide and die. If you continue to sleep in the same area, the bugs will remain active and touch the pesticide at the perimeter or on the bed legs, and will be killed.
Step 10: Avoid vacuuming or cleaning around the edges of the room for at least 2 weeks following the final treatment. Same goes for the bedframe and underside of furniture.
Final Step: Begin to sleep easy again. You have done everything necessary to get rid of the bedbugs!
The bugs in the bedding or clothing nearby the bed must be quarantined and destroyed using the heat of your clothes dryer. To be sure bedbugs cannot escape from the bags, the bags should be tied as follows:
Step 1: Place items in a large sturdy garbage bag, to fill the bag about ¾ full.
Step 2: Twist the bag as far down as you can.
Step 3: Tie a single knot and tighten it.
Step 4: Once the fabrics have been put through a dryer for at least 20 minutes, place them in a new bag. Be sure to discard of the old bags immediately in an exterior garbage bin.
Step 5: Do not put clothing back in dresser drawers nearby the bed. It is best to keep the clean clothing in bags in a separate room until the final treatment is completed.
Using Bed Bug Treatment Preparation Checklist/Sheet will help you become informed, thereby increasing the chances of getting rid of bed bugs in Vancouver, Surrey BC and nearby suburbs.
Our mission is to completely eradicate your pest problem as quickly as possible, at the best possible price.