Before an inspection
Leave the sleeping area largely as you found it, because cleaning can wipe away evidence. Take photos of any signs, keep a specimen in a sealed container if you can, and list sightings by room and date. These notes help the technician decide where to look first.
Give clear access to bed edges and nearby furniture, but do not take everything apart. Our inspection guide shows what the visit should cover. If you are unsure what a mark is, the post on signs of bed bugs and where they hide can help.
Before treatment
Use the provider's written list, because methods differ. Councils show how much the lists can vary. Leeds, for example, asks you to declutter and tidy the affected rooms, then hot launder, dry and bag clothing and bedding. Haringey asks residents to empty bedrooms of everything except heavy furniture before both visits.
The NHS gives interim steps you can take. Wash affected bedding and clothes at 60C, then tumble dry them hot for at least 30 minutes. Put items that you cannot wash in a sealed bag and freeze them for 2 to 3 weeks. However, these steps are unlikely to remove bed bugs completely, so they do not replace treatment.
Agree who does what
BPCA says someone must prepare the affected area, either the pest company or you, and that the firm should agree this before it starts. It recommends a checklist that sets out each task and who owns it. However, a firm may choose not to treat if the tasks are not done.
Manchester is stricter, since it says you must carry out its preparation instructions or the treatment cannot go ahead. See the Manchester area guide and the Leeds area guide for the full council wording.
- Which items must leave the room, and where they go
- Which textiles you will wash, dry or bag first
- Which spaces the technician needs to reach
- Who moves heavy furniture
Think about people and pets
Tell the firm about anyone with a health condition, anyone who is pregnant and any pets, fish tanks or medicines in the home. Manchester says to keep children and pets away from the insecticide and the treated area. The firm can then plan around you.
Also say if anyone has trouble moving furniture or lifting bags. A good firm will explain what help is possible, and who pays for it, before the day. That avoids a cancelled visit because the room was not ready.
Confirm the practical details
Ask when everyone must leave, who locks up and when it is safe to come back. Ask about ventilation, what you can clean and when the follow-up happens. Councils give examples. For instance, Haringey says to stay out of a treated room for 2 hours after the insecticide has dried.
Manchester says not to wash or vacuum the treated area for at least seven days, because that removes the insecticide. Always follow your own provider's written advice instead, because products and methods differ. Our questions to ask page lists what to request.
After the visit
Keep the instructions and the contact route. BPCA says a firm should tell you which products it used, when areas are safe to enter, the follow-up plan and how long the treatment takes to work. Note any new sightings and the date.
Seeing one or two bugs soon afterwards is common, according to Manchester. Still, tell your provider if the numbers grow. For a wider view of how methods work, read the treatment methods guide. If you need someone to arrange a visit, use the help request form.
Frequently asked questions
Should I wash everything before the visit?
Not before an inspection, because you may wash away evidence. Before treatment, follow the provider's list, although the NHS suggests a 60C wash and a hot tumble dry for at least 30 minutes for affected bedding and clothes. Our post on DIY treatment explains the limits of those steps.
What if I cannot prepare the home myself?
Tell the firm early, because BPCA says either the pest company or the customer can do the preparation, as long as the two agree it first. Ask for the cost of help with preparation in writing.
Can I vacuum before the treatment?
Follow your provider's written advice, because councils differ. Leeds asks for a tidy, decluttered room, while Haringey asks residents to vacuum thoroughly before treatment. Manchester says not to vacuum the treated area for seven days afterwards.
How long should I stay out of the room?
It depends on the product and method, so we do not give a general figure. Haringey, as one example, says to wait 2 hours after its insecticide has dried. Always ask your provider for the safe re-entry time in writing, since products differ.
Sources and further checks
Open the source before acting on information that may change, including council services, prices, tenancy rules and product labels. Each link below goes to the organisation that publishes the original guidance.