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Exterminator Guild

How do I prepare for a pest control visit?

The short answer

Ask for the preparation list in writing when you book, and do all of it — treatment failure is more often incomplete preparation than a bad product. Beyond that: write down where and when you have seen activity, clear access to baseboards, sinks and the areas to be treated, and tell them about pets, children, pregnancy and anyone with asthma or allergies before the visit rather than at the door.

The universal list

  • Note where you have seen activity, at what time of day, and for how long. A map beats a description.
  • Clear access to baseboards, under sinks, and the perimeter of rooms being treated.
  • Put food, utensils and pet bowls away and cover anything that cannot be moved.
  • Tell them about pets, including fish tanks and birds, which need different handling from a dog.
  • Tell them about children, pregnancy, asthma and chemical sensitivities. It affects product choice and it is not an imposition to mention.
  • Ask how long the area needs to stay empty and when it is safe to return.

Ask for the label and the paperwork

You are entitled to know what is being applied. Ask for the product name and the label or safety data sheet, and for a service report naming what was used, where, and at what rate. Keep it — if the problem recurs, that document is what tells the next technician what has already been tried.

The most common reason a treatment 'did not work' is that a follow-up visit never happened. Ask at the point of booking how many visits the job needs and whether they are included, because for several pests one visit was never going to be enough.

Also asked

Do I need to leave the house?
It depends entirely on the product and the method. Some treatments need the area vacated for a period and some do not. It is a question with a specific answer for your job, and the technician should give it before they start rather than as they are leaving.
Should I clean before they come?
Tidy and clear, yes, because access matters. Deep-cleaning the surfaces immediately before or after treatment can remove residual product from exactly where it was placed, so ask what to leave alone and for how long.

Read next

General information about pest problems and about hiring, not advice about your specific property. Pest control licensing, wildlife protection and landlord and tenant law are all set state by state and province by province across the United States and Canada, so your own regulator is the current answer. How we read the data.