How to Prepare Your Home for Bed Bug Heat Treatment

Heat treatment is only as effective as the preparation that goes into it. Here is exactly what to do before our team arrives so the heat can reach every hiding spot in your home.

Why Preparation Matters

Our equipment circulates hot air throughout the treatment area until every surface reaches a temperature lethal to bed bugs and their eggs. Clutter, sealed containers, and furniture pushed against walls create cold pockets where bugs can survive. Good preparation removes those hiding places.

Step-by-Step Checklist

1. Wash and seal all clothing and bedding

Wash all clothing, bedding, curtains, and soft furnishings at 60°C or above, then seal in clean bags immediately after drying. Keep the bags sealed and stored outside the treatment area until we give the all-clear. Anything you cannot wash — bulky coats, dry-clean items — should be bagged and moved to an untreated room.

2. Clear floors and surfaces

Remove items from floors, from under beds, the tops of wardrobes, and the backs of shelves. You do not need to empty the room completely, but the more open space there is, the better heat can circulate. A floor you can see is a floor that gets treated properly.

3. Pull furniture away from walls

Move beds, wardrobes, bedside tables, and sofas at least 30cm from walls. This allows heat to penetrate behind and beneath them — the most common bed bug hiding spots in any property.

4. Remove heat-sensitive items from the treatment area

• Candles, wax melts, and wax-based products
• Aerosol cans (deodorant, hairspray, spray paint)
• Houseplants and cut flowers
• All pets — including fish tanks (heat reduces dissolved oxygen levels)
• Temperature-sensitive medications
• Musical instruments, especially wooden ones
• Fine art and oil paintings
• Vinyl records

5. Do not use sprays or insecticides beforehand

Many DIY bed bug products contain repellents. When bed bugs sense a repellent they scatter, spreading the infestation and making treatment harder. If you have already used shop-bought sprays, let our team know at the time of booking so they can account for any scattered bugs.

On Treatment Day

• Leave the property for the full treatment period — typically 6–8 hours
• Leave all internal doors open so heat flows freely between rooms
• Open wardrobe and drawer doors, including inside wardrobes
• Turn off window air-conditioning units in the treatment area
• Open curtains so window frames and sills receive full heat exposure

Our team will advise on smoke alarms when they arrive — some properties require them to be temporarily disabled during treatment.

Do You Need to Throw Away Your Mattress?

No. Heat penetrates right through a mattress — seams, tufts, and all — killing bed bugs and eggs that no spray could reach. Throwing away an untreated mattress also risks spreading live bugs through your home as it is carried out.

After Treatment

You can return once the property has cooled — usually 1–2 hours after treatment ends. Vacuum up any dead bugs you find and dispose of the vacuum contents in a sealed bag outside. For full aftercare advice, see our bed bug aftercare guide.