How to Prepare for an Exterminator Visit in Your NYC Apartment

• CLEAR ACCESS to walls and baseboards in the kitchen, bathroom, and any rooms being treated. Move items away from walls by at least 12 inches.
• REMOVE ITEMS from under sinks (kitchen and bathroom). Your exterminator needs full access to plumbing penetrations — that's where pests enter and hide.
• CLEAN kitchen surfaces — countertops, stovetop, and inside the microwave. Remove all food from counters.
• TAKE OUT THE TRASH before the appointment.
• MAKE SURE your exterminator can access all rooms. If you're getting a full-apartment treatment, every room needs to be accessible.
• SECURE PETS. Dogs and cats should be out of the apartment or confined to an untreated room. Fish tanks should be covered and the air pump turned off during treatment. Birds are especially sensitive to airborne chemicals — remove them from the apartment.
• INFORM YOUR EXTERMINATOR about any health conditions, allergies, pregnancies, or infant children in the household. This may affect product selection.

• EMPTY all kitchen cabinets and drawers. Yes, ALL of them. Every plate, cup, pot, and utensil needs to come out. This is the most labor-intensive part of prep, but it's critical — your exterminator needs to apply gel bait in cabinet corners, hinges, and crevices where cockroaches harbor.
• CLEAN INSIDE the empty cabinets. Wipe down shelves and vacuum crumbs from corners.
• PULL THE STOVE AND REFRIGERATOR away from the wall if possible. If you can't move them, let your exterminator know — they'll handle it.
• REMOVE EVERYTHING from the top of the refrigerator.
• EMPTY the area under the kitchen sink completely.
• DO NOT USE any over-the-counter sprays, foggers, or bombs before your professional treatment. These repellent products interfere with gel bait effectiveness. If cockroaches can smell spray residue, they may avoid the bait.
• CLEAN BEHIND THE STOVE and refrigerator. The grease buildup behind kitchen appliances is one of the biggest cockroach food sources.

FOR HEAT TREATMENT:

• Remove anything that can be damaged by sustained temperatures above 130F: candles, wax items, vinyl records, aerosol cans, lighters, medications, cosmetics/makeup, chocolates, and fresh food
• LEAVE clothing and bedding in place — heat treatment kills bugs in fabric
• Remove pets, plants, and perishable food
• Open all closet doors and dresser drawers so heat circulates inside
• Your exterminator will provide specific instructions for your property

FOR CHEMICAL BED BUG TREATMENT:

• STRIP ALL BEDDING. Wash sheets, pillowcases, blankets, and mattress covers on HOT (at least 130F) and dry on HIGH for at least 30 minutes. Transport dirty bedding in sealed garbage bags to prevent spreading bugs through hallways.
• DECLUTTER around the bed and bedroom. Remove items from under the bed. Reduce items on nightstands.
• LAUNDER ALL CLOTHING in the affected room. Wash on hot and dry on high. Store clean clothing in sealed bags until after treatment.
• Vacuum the mattress, box spring, bed frame, and bedroom floor thoroughly. Empty the vacuum bag into an outdoor trash can immediately.
• DO NOT move furniture from the affected room to other rooms — you'll spread the infestation.
• DO NOT sleep in a different room. This sounds counterintuitive, but sleeping elsewhere can cause bed bugs to follow your CO2 trail to a new room, spreading the infestation.

• STORE ALL FOOD in hard containers (glass or thick plastic with tight lids). Mice can chew through cardboard, thin plastic bags, and even some food packaging.
• PICK UP PET FOOD BOWLS. Don't leave pet food or water bowls on the floor overnight.
• IDENTIFY WHERE you've seen evidence. Show your exterminator exactly where you've noticed droppings, sounds, gnaw marks, or sightings.
• DON'T CLEAN UP DROPPINGS before the exterminator arrives. I know it's gross, but droppings are diagnostic — they tell us the species (mouse vs. rat), the approximate population size, and the most active travel routes. Clean up AFTER the initial inspection.
• CLEAR AREAS where traps will be placed — along walls behind the stove and refrigerator, under sinks, and in closets.
• REDUCE CLUTTER on floors, especially in closets and storage areas. Clutter gives mice hiding spots and nesting material.

For rodent exclusion (sealing entry points):

• Clear a 12-inch path along all baseboards so the technician can inspect and seal gaps
• Move items away from pipe penetrations under sinks
• Pull out the stove and refrigerator or have the technician help