Prep is half the battle. A well-prepped home cuts treatment time, reduces the chance of survivors, and lowers the odds you'll need a second visit. Here's the prep our technicians ask for.
1–2 days before treatment
Strip all beds and gather bedding, pillows, throws, and stuffed animals from anywhere in the home. Wash on hot and dry on high heat for at least 30 minutes. Bag clean items in sealed plastic until treatment is complete.
Clothing and soft items
Wash and hot-dry all clothing from bedrooms and any room near the infestation. Items that can't be washed (dry-clean only, leather, delicate fabrics) can be heat-dried alone on high for 30 minutes, or bagged and frozen for 4+ days.
Clutter
Reduce clutter wherever possible. Bag and remove items you don't need. Every removed pile is a hiding place we don't have to treat.
Furniture access
Pull beds, dressers, nightstands, and couches a few feet away from the walls so we can treat behind them. Empty all drawers in the bedroom.
For heat treatments specifically
Remove items that can't handle 130°F+: candles, aerosols, pressurized cans, certain medications, vinyl records, oil paintings, musical instruments, and similar heat-sensitive items. We'll provide a complete list before your treatment.
Pets and people
All people and pets — including fish — must leave for the duration of treatment. Heat treatments typically require 6–8 hours; chemical treatments usually 4 hours, with re-entry after the product dries.
Day of treatment
Don't vacuum or apply any DIY products in the 24 hours before. Doing so spreads bugs into new harborage and reduces treatment effectiveness.
Questions?
We send every Sleep Tight customer a personalized prep sheet after the inspection. If anything is unclear, we'd rather you ask than guess.
Ready for a free inspection?
Sleep Tight Pest Control offers same-day inspections and a written guarantee across Chicago and the suburbs.