How to Prepare for Bed Bug Treatment in Phoenix, AZ
- Five steps
- A day or less for most homes
- Same prep for both visits
- Licensed & insured, AZ #8129
This is the prep list John Taylor goes over with every customer at the inspection. How much washing and clearing you have to do depends on how far the problem has spread. If you have not had your inspection yet, do not start on any of this.
- Nothing to do until John has inspected
- Laundry washed, dried hot, and sealed in bags
- Pets and people out for 4 hours
- The same prep kept in place for the second visit
Questions about your prep? Call John at 623-451-0541. Calls answered 7 days a week, 7 AM to 7 PM.
The five steps, in John's order of importance
1. Strip the beds
Every bed, all the linens. They go into the wash in step 3.
2. Put away sensitive items
Medication, toys, food, and anything else sensitive.
3. Wash, dry, and bag
Only the linens and clothes John points out, following his instructions. The laundry table below has the details.
4. Clear the clutter
Out of the service area.
5. Take every animal out of the service area
Do this before John starts. Everyone stays out for 4 hours after he finishes so the treatment can dry completely. Then everyone, pets included, comes home. Put clean sheets on the bed, and sleep in it that night.
Laundry: what to wash and what to do with it
What not to do
While you work through the list, do not add treatments of your own on top of it.
- Do not set off bug bombs.
- Do not spray store products.
What to do, and when
Before the inspection: nothing
Do absolutely nothing before John has looked. The inspection page explains why.
Before the first treatment: the five steps
After the inspection, you will know how serious the problem is, and John will tell you how much prep your home needs and why. A light infestation needs much less than a heavy one. Step 5 applies to every job. John treats as soon as your prep is done, which for most people is the next day.
Before the second visit: leave it in place
The second visit needs the same prep as the first. Leave as much of it in place as you can for the two weeks in between.
Why the prep matters
Getting rid of bed bugs takes you and John working together, and the prep is your part. It lets him treat everything that needs treating. The work carries a one-year warranty, and the warranty requires the prep, so John wants the job done right the first time.
If the prep is not finished
Sometimes a customer does only part of the list and hopes that is enough. That makes John's job harder and prolongs the problem, and he has turned jobs down because the prep was not done. He handles it case by case. If you run into trouble with any step, call John at 623-451-0541 before treatment day.
Prep in rentals
In an apartment complex, management handles tenant prep. If you are a tenant who hired us directly, John goes over the prep with you and stresses doing it correctly. If you host a short-term rental, the rental page covers your situation.
Prep and the price
John sets the price at the inspection, before you do any prep, and it does not change. One of the things he weighs is how clean and clutter-free the home is when he sees it, because clutter adds to the work and to the time the treatment takes.
What Phoenix-area customers say about getting ready
From a Bed Bugs Arizona customer “He told us exactly what to do step by step as there are 7 people in our household with pets & it was very confusing at first but he gave us his phone # to if we had questions & said to call him if we even saw 1 bug after treatment. We are very happy with him, putting house back together now.”
Terri Brown, Google reviewFrom a Bed Bugs Arizona customer “John was thorough, friendly, & knowledgeable. He gave good directions on what needed to be done before the treatment to insure a good outcome.”
Rhonda Poe, Google reviewFrom a Bed Bugs Arizona customer “John personally came out the same day I contacted him and prepared us for the treatments and we haven't had any issues since.”
Priscilla McCaskill, Google review
Questions about prep
Do I have to wash everything I own?
No. Only what is in the laundry table; John tells you which.
How long does the prep take?
It depends on how bad the problem is and how much is in the home. Most people can prep in a day or less.
Do we have to leave the home, and for how long?
Yes. Pets are out before John starts, and everyone stays out for 4 hours after he finishes.
Do you do the prep for us?
No. Prep help is not a service we offer, so the prep stays with you. John goes over your home's needs during the inspection. If a step is unclear as you work through it, call him at 623-451-0541.
Do I need to buy anything to get ready, like mattress covers?
No. Clean plastic bags for the washed laundry are about all you need. John does not recommend mattress covers; the hiding-places guide explains why. We do not sell supplies of any kind.
Not sure what your home needs? Ask John.
Call 623-451-0541 for a free in-home inspection. Calls answered 7 days a week, 7 AM to 7 PM.
What to have ready when you call
- Which step you have a question about
- Your treatment date, if you already have one
- What you have seen, and where
