Preparing adequately for a pest control treatment can look different depending on the type of infestation you’re dealing with. Although many pests are treated in very similar ways, sometimes pest control experts may need access to other areas or will need to treat additional items you might not have anticipated.

Here is some more detailed information on getting ready for treatment based on the pest in question:

General Pest Service

When you have a general pest service coming over, it’s important to ask where the service will be performed. For example, bat control will often occur in the attic, whereas insect control may occur in the home’s living areas. Make sure the pest expert has access to all affected areas. In addition:

• Remove pets from the home for their safety and cover small animal enclosures and aquariums
• Cover and store any food items
• Put away toys and cover infant cribs
• Be available for questions and to receive instructions if ongoing treatment will be needed

Ant Control

Ants can be difficult to get rid of on your own, especially if the colony is very large and close by. Ants are generally in homes due to the availability of food sources and a ready access point to your home. You can prepare for ant exterminators (and their costs) by:

• Cleaning thoroughly
• Removing trash from your home
• Keeping pet food put away in ant-tight containers
• Keeping food and ingredients in ant-tight containers
• Decluttering counters where ants have been seen
• Asking your chosen service for quotes

Bed Bug Control

Controlling bed bugs can be a very involved process, especially if your home is on multiple levels or the bed bugs have spread extensively. Ideally, you’ll have been ahead of bed bug prevention so the infestation isn’t too bad, but not everyone knows to look for classic bed bug signs. It may be tempting to remove items from your home and call it a day, but everything you own will need to be treated unless you’ve been told otherwise by your pest control expert.

Here are a few things you can do to help:

• Remove all bedding from mattresses and box springs
• Wash all bed linens in the hottest water possible in your machine. Do not take them to a laundromat to do this, and do not replace them on the bed until after the treatment is complete.
• Pick up items from surfaces and the floor, including children’s toys. Each and every soft item in your home will need to be treated or, at minimum, inspected, for signs of bed bugs.
• Vacuum all cracks and crevices as thoroughly as you can, being sure to seal the contents of your vacuum up in a plastic bag to prevent insects from spreading.

Cockroach Control

Cockroaches can be especially difficult to extinguish even after the first warning signs of a cockroach infestation. Management with gel baits is generally effective, but you’ll need to be committed to forcing the cockroaches to eat these baits by eliminating absolutely every other food source for the long term. You can get ready for cockroach control by:

• Pulling appliances, especially the stove and other cooking appliances, away from walls and corners
• Putting food away in cockroach-proof containers
• Keeping pet food stored away in cockroach-proof containers
• Removing garbage from the house
• Cleaning surfaces well where you’ve seen cockroaches, especially if it’s where you prepare food

Flea Control

Fleas are no one’s favorite pest, but they can be conquered with the help of a pro. Fleas can be tracked in on your own clothing and shoes, or brought in by pets, but either way, control is generally a two-front approach, with both the home and the yard being treated at once. You can help along your flea control and its associated costs by:

• Starting your pets on flea preventatives for the long-term
• Washing pet bedding in hot water or replacing it with new bedding after the treatment (be sure to seal the old bedding in a plastic bag if you throw it out)
• Vacuuming furniture, carpet and hard floors; be sure to seal the contents of the vacuum in a plastic bag
• Removing furniture or other items on the lawn that might make it difficult to spread lawn granules
• Mowing your lawn so the grass is as low as possible

Mouse and Rodent Control

Like fleas, signs of mice and rodents are often obvious. These rodents tend to come indoors from the outside, especially as fall turns to winter. You may not see them, but you can often hear them in the walls, scratching and scraping out nesting spaces and hiding food. There’s a lot you can do to help pest control experts before they come to deal with the mice, including the following:

• Be sure to seal any access points between the indoors and outdoors where mice may be moving around. Keep in mind that mice can get through very small holes, so if you can see daylight, stuff it full of steel wool or other mouse-proof materials.
• Watch carefully for signs of mice or their movement. Knowing where they’re active can make trapping more effective.
• Eliminate any sources of food, including pet food, and put it into mouse-safe containers. Feed your pets at the same time you feed yourself, and pick up everyone’s meal as soon as they’re finished to reduce potential food sources for the mice. This process also includes treats and chews that won’t be finished immediately.
• Pull out stoves and refrigerators and clean out any spills or other food waste that has accumulated.
• Pick up clutter to give exterminators better access to your home and eliminate places mice may hide or nest.

Termite Control

Even if you keep an eye out for early termite infestation signs and termite damage signs, an infestation can take many different forms. It’s important to keep your eyes peeled for damage all over your home and ask plenty of questions to prepare your home for pest treatment. If the termites are located in a very small area, for example, you may not need to do much to prepare, but if they’re located throughout the structure, you may need to take more steps.

In general, here are some things to do before a termite exterminator comes:

• If your home will be tented, remove or bag all food items that are open or out and remove plants and pets and plan to sleep elsewhere for the duration of the treatment.
• Move everything away from the walls, including furniture and appliances.
• Remove clothing and other stored items from closets.
• Make sure any crawl space doors and attic access points are accessible.
• If your home has a basement, ensure all structural elements can be accessed from underneath. This may mean moving furniture into the garage or simply thinning out basement storage areas.