How to Prepare Your Home Before Pest Control
To prepare for pest control, clear access to the areas being treated, put food and pet items away, and tell your technician exactly where you've seen activity. That's most of it. The details change with the pest: cockroach treatments focus on the kitchen and bathrooms, while bed bug treatments need the bedrooms stripped. Good preparation makes the treatment work faster and can save a follow-up visit.
What should I do in the kitchen before treatment?
Empty the under-sink cabinet and any cupboard where you've seen cockroaches. Put open food into sealed containers or the fridge, cover or store dishes and cutlery, and clear the worktops. Pull the fridge and cooker out a little if you can, because roaches love the warm motor area behind them.
Don't scrub the kitchen with strong cleaners or use a store-bought spray the day before. Sprays scatter roaches into the walls and can leave a film that stops them eating the gel bait.
How do I prepare bedrooms for bed bug treatment?
Strip the beds and put sheets, pillowcases and duvet covers straight into sealed bags, then wash them on the hottest setting the fabric allows and tumble-dry. Do the same with clothes from wardrobes and drawers in affected rooms. Clear the floor around beds and pull them away from the wall.
Don't move mattresses or furniture into other rooms. That's how bed bugs spread through a home. Leave them in place for the technician to inspect seams, frames and headboards.
What about children, pets and plants?
Plan for children and pets to be in an untreated room or out of the house while the technician works. Pick up toys, pet bowls and pet beds from the floor. Cover fish tanks and move bird cages to another room. Mention any indoor plants so the technician can avoid them.
Your technician will tell you which rooms to keep everyone out of and for how long. With gel-bait treatments that's usually short. With spray treatments, wait until surfaces are dry and the room has been aired.
What should I do after the technician leaves?
Leave gel bait spots alone. Don't wipe them away or spray over them. You may see more cockroaches or ants for a few days as they come out to feed on the bait. That's a sign it's working. Mop floors normally, but avoid washing skirting and cracks that were treated until your technician says it's fine.
Read the written report you're given and keep it. If activity hasn't dropped within the time your technician mentioned, call us. Friends treatments come with a service guarantee.
Related services
In your city
Need help now? Call Friends
Call 050 112 7654 or request a quote. Serving Abu Dhabi and Al Ain since 2003.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to empty all my cupboards?
No. Only the cupboards where you've seen activity and the under-sink cabinet. Your technician will point out anything else when they arrive.
Should I clean the house before pest control?
Tidy up and clear clutter, but don't deep clean with strong chemicals or spray insecticide the day before. It can drive pests deeper and interfere with bait.
Do I need to be home during the treatment?
Someone should be there to let the technician in and show them where pests have been seen. You can then wait in an untreated room or step out.