Bed bug treatment / Prep & aftercare
YOUR SUPERNOVA TREATMENT GUIDE
A clear plan for before treatment, the night away, and the days that follow. Focus on laundry and daily vacuuming. Leave furniture and other belongings in place unless we give you specific instructions.
High-heat dryer time for already-dry, dryer-safe items. Wet laundry needs to dry fully first.
Arrange an overnight stay for people and pets. Follow the return time we give you.
We return to inspect progress and address remaining activity.
Identification comes before treatment. We have inspected suspected bed bug problems that turned out to be carpet beetles, and we have also encountered bat bugs. A specimen is especially useful; skin marks alone cannot confirm bed bugs. If we have not identified the pest yet, contact us before beginning a major cleanout.
BEFORE YOUR APPOINTMENT
Gather the bedding, clothing, and dryer-safe fabrics we ask you to prepare. Bag them in the affected room, then take the closed bags straight to the laundry area. Avoid shaking items or carrying loose piles through the house.
For already-dry items that tolerate high heat, use a loosely filled dryer on high for 30–45 minutes. If you wash first, dry items completely before the timed high-heat step. Do not count a cool-down or air-only cycle. Check fabric and appliance instructions; ask us about bulky or heat-sensitive items.
Place finished laundry directly into fresh, clean bags or containers and keep them closed. Keep clean and untreated items separate. Seal used transport bags inside a trash bag before disposal.
Outside of laundry, vacuuming, and contained trash removal, follow only the preparation steps we give you for your home.
Laundry and containment references: EPA preparation guidance and University of Kentucky — laundering and handling belongings.
Heat must reach the bugs for long enough. Virginia Tech reports that bed bugs exposed continuously to 118°F die within 20 minutes, while eggs require 90 minutes at 118°F. A loosely filled household dryer on high can kill all stages in 30 minutes because dryer conditions differ from that lower-temperature exposure.
This is why we specify a high-heat dryer step rather than washing alone or aiming for 117°F. Dryers and loads vary; overfilled or bulky loads may not heat evenly. Virginia Tech heat-treatment reference (PDF).
Use 30–45 minutes for already-dry, compatible items. If an item cannot safely tolerate high heat, leave it in place and ask us for a different plan.
Do not try to heat the home yourself with a thermostat, space heater, or fireplace.
DAILY VACUUMING
Vacuum daily in the areas we identify, and empty and clean the vacuum immediately afterward. After treatment, leave treated cracks, edges, seams, and other application areas alone until we tell you to clean them. We will identify where daily vacuuming can continue without removing the treatment.
Use the crevice attachment on the areas we direct you to vacuum. Work slowly without flicking bugs off the surface. Vacuuming can reduce live bugs, but it may leave attached eggs and is only one part of the treatment.
Turn the vacuum off and unplug it before cleanup. Handle collected material outdoors where practical, containing the bag or removable bin during transport.
Remove the used vacuum bag immediately, seal its opening, then seal it inside a plastic trash bag. Place it in an outdoor trash bin.
Empty the collection cup directly into a plastic bag, seal it, and place it in outdoor trash. Wash the removable cup with soapy water only as the manufacturer permits. Keep water away from electrical parts.
Check the filter after every use. Wash it only if the manufacturer identifies it as washable; let it dry fully before reinstalling. Otherwise, seal and replace it, or ask us how to handle that model. Do not shake or blow dust and debris into the room.
Once the vacuum is off, cool, and dry, cover the hose opening and keep the vacuum in a securely closed plastic bag or container between uses. A protected outdoor location is an option if it keeps the equipment dry and secure. Ask us to confirm the storage spot.
Do not add insecticide, powder, or liquid to the vacuum. Let us assess any remaining bugs and the appropriate next step.
Bed bugs can survive the trip through a vacuum. Cleanup guidance: University of Minnesota — vacuuming to capture bed bugs and EPA — bag disposal.
Bed bugs use cues including body heat and carbon dioxide—the gas in the air we exhale—to find a host. They often stay close to where people sleep or rest. The CDC notes that they tend to live within about eight feet of a sleeping area, although they can travel farther. UC IPM; CDC.
Common hiding places include mattress seams, box springs, furniture joints and upholstery, behind pictures, and around electrical outlet plates. Activity can extend beyond the bedroom. These are inspection clues for us, not a request for you to take the room apart. University of Minnesota.
A bed bug close-up from our pest library. Identification guides the preparation and treatment plan.
TREATMENT DAY & AFTERCARE
We perform the precision treatment based on the inspection. Arrange for people and pets to stay out overnight. Take only the essentials, with freshly dryer-treated clothing in clean bags. Ask us about items you need to take that cannot go through the dryer.
Return only at the time we specify and after the product-label re-entry conditions are met, including drying or ventilation requirements. The overnight stay is part of Supernova’s process; it is not a substitute for those instructions.
Continue daily vacuuming in the approved areas and use the cleanup routine above. Keep prepared laundry protected and avoid moving belongings between rooms. Ask before washing, steaming, or vacuuming treated surfaces, or adding any other pest-control product.
Photograph live bugs or new signs and record where and when you see them. Contact us with activity or questions rather than waiting for the follow-up.
We return 14 days after the initial treatment to inspect progress and address remaining activity. Keep this appointment even if things seem quiet. Eggs or hidden bugs can survive an initial treatment, so the follow-up is part of the process.
We will explain when you can resume normal cleaning and unpacking based on what we find.
Supernova began with Zach Leavitt’s hands-on work resolving a motel bed bug infestation. As of September 2026, Zach reports more than 40 additional bed bug jobs completed and every one resolved. That experience shapes this focused preparation, precision treatment, and follow-up process.
Call before moving it, heating it, or throwing it away. We can clarify the instructions for your home and your vacuum.
Not scheduled yet? Request a free inspection.