Bed Bug Treatment Preparation Checklist: Do These First and the Results Will Be Completely Different

Key point in one sentence: Good preparation before the pest control company arrives can make a huge difference: seal and hot-wash your clothes, clear clutter so the technician can reach the cracks, and keep people and pets away; ask the company what they need when you book, so you don’t waste your money.

Preparing for pest control: sealing clothes into bags and pulling furniture away from the walls — illustration — Illustration (AI-generated)

Once you’ve decided to hire a pest control company, your job isn’t just to sit and wait for them to arrive. How well you prepare before treatment directly affects the results — if the technician walks in to find a house full of clutter and can’t reach the cracks, your money is wasted.

The checklist below has three parts. Note: different companies may ask for different things, so ask them what they specifically need when you book — this is the general version.

Part 1: 1–2 Days Before Treatment

Clothes and Bedding

☐ Take all sheets, duvet covers and pillowcases off and put them in large sealed plastic bags
☐ Wash clothes and fabric items you suspect have bed bugs in 60°C hot water and tumble-dry on high heat (per FEHD guidance)
☐ Keep the clean, washed clothes sealed in bags and don’t take them out again until treatment is finished

Furniture and Clutter

☐ Ask the company: do they need you to take the bed frame apart? (Some companies’ technicians dismantle it themselves; others need you to do it in advance)
☐ Clear the clutter from under the bed and inside wardrobes, and bag and seal it
☐ Pull furniture away from the walls where you can, to leave working space (the technician needs to treat wall cracks and skirting boards)
☐ Put away or cover valuables, food and tableware

People and Pets

☐ Ask how long people and pets need to be out of the flat on the day of treatment (usually a few hours, depending on the products used)
☐ Fish tanks: ask the company whether they need to be covered or temporarily moved
☐ Put away children’s toys and baby bottles

Write It Down

☐ Photograph where the infestation is (bed bug signs, bite marks) and show the technician — it helps them judge how serious it is
☐ Prepare your questions: what method will they use? How many follow-up visits are included? When can you go back in? (See the 5 must-ask questions in our Hong Kong Bed Bug Extermination Fees 2026: Price Comparison and How to Choose a Pest Control Company)

Part 2: On the Day of Treatment

☐ Leave the flat on time with everyone and all pets, as the company instructed
☐ Bring everything you need for the day (you’ll be out for a few hours, so plan where to go)
☐ Keep your phone on — the technician needs to be able to reach you if there’s a problem
☐ Don’t spray insecticide yourself before the technician starts (it interferes with professional treatment and can scatter the bed bugs)

Part 3: After Treatment

☐ Only go back in at the time the company tells you, and open the windows to ventilate when you get back
☐ Don’t do a big clean and wipe the treatment away straight away — the residual product in the cracks needs to stay there to keep working. Ask the company when you can clean normally again
☐ Handle sheets and bedding as instructed (some companies will tell you not to make the bed for a while)
☐ For the next few weeks, check once a week (torch on the mattress seams and bed frame) and note whether there are any new signs
☐ Bed bug eggs hatch in about a week (CHP information), so the follow-up period is very important — note the follow-up dates the company promised and contact them yourself when the time comes; don’t wait for them
☐ If you see live bugs again during the follow-up period, tell the company straight away — don’t spray chemicals yourself

One Sentence to Sum Up

Preparation = clearing the space + asking the right questions. Clearing the space lets the technician spray where it matters, and asking questions tells you what you can and can’t do. Get both right and the same money buys very different results.