Bed bug exterminator in Montreal

How bed bug extermination works

A successful treatment always follows the same order. Skip a step and you leave eggs or hiding spots untouched, and the bed bugs are back a few weeks later.

1. Inspection and confirmation

The technician confirms that you’re dealing with bed bugs, locates the hot spots and assesses how far the infestation has spread: mattress, box spring, bed frame and headboard, night tables, baseboards, outlets, sofas and armchairs. When needed, canine detection can complement the inspection. In apartment buildings, neighbouring units often need to be checked too. This inspection determines the method, the number of visits and the written quote you receive.

2. Preparing your home

This is the step that makes or breaks the treatment. You move furniture about 30 cm (1 ft) away from the walls, empty dressers, night tables and closet floors, seal bedding, clothing and curtains in airtight bags, then vacuum. The sheets you can download below sum up these instructions, and our bed bug treatment preparation checklist walks you through them room by room.

3. Treatment

Depending on the infestation and the home, the technician combines several methods: insecticides applied precisely in cracks and hiding spots, heat treatment that raises room temperature to a level lethal to every life stage, or a fungal spore biopesticide that keeps working after the visit. During an insecticide treatment, occupants and pets leave the premises for a few hours (see the FAQ below for exact times).

4. Follow-up visit

Eggs often survive the first treatment. A second visit is therefore usually scheduled about three weeks later, once the eggs have hatched and the young bed bugs are exposed to the product. The technician then confirms the infestation is gone and tells you when you can put your belongings back.

How much does a bed bug exterminator cost in Montreal?

In Montreal, the average cost of a standard bed bug treatment generally ranges from $250 to $700. For a treatment limited to a single room, expect between $250 and $350 on average. Four factors drive the price:

• how severe the infestation is: heavy activity in several rooms takes more time and product;
• the area to treat: one bedroom isn’t priced like a whole apartment;
• the type of treatment: heat treatment, for example, can take several hours on site;
• the number of visits: most infestations need a follow-up treatment.

The price of your treatment is confirmed in writing after the inspection. For a closer look at each factor, read our article on the cost of bed bug extermination in Montreal.

What to do while you wait for the exterminator

The wrong reflexes spread the infestation through the whole home. Until the treatment:

• keep sleeping in your bedroom: moving to another room encourages bed bugs to follow you;
• don’t use over-the-counter insecticides: they push bed bugs into other rooms and interfere with the professional treatment;
• don’t put your mattress or furniture out on the curb, or you risk infesting the neighbourhood;
• wash bedding at 60 °C (140 °F), run it through the dryer on the hottest setting for at least 30 minutes and store it in airtight bags.

To confirm your suspicions, read our guide Bed bugs: how to identify them and what to do, see our pictures of bed bug eggs, nymphs and signs and our article on bed bug bites. Our bed bug identification sheet describes the insect in detail.

Tenant or landlord: who calls the exterminator?

In Montreal, tenants who find bed bugs must notify their landlord right away and shouldn’t try to treat the problem themselves. The landlord must then hire a qualified exterminator and give them access to the building. In apartment buildings, we coordinate the inspection and visit schedule with the owner or property manager: treating a single unit often just pushes the problem next door. Elsewhere in Greater Montreal, the rules vary from one municipality to the next.

After the treatment: what to do

• Empty the bags of fabrics straight into the washer, wash in very hot water, then dry on high heat for 30 minutes.
• Don’t wash the floors along the room edges before the follow-up visit; sweeping and vacuuming are fine.
• Wash toys in soapy water and have rugs and curtains cleaned, or steam-clean them yourself.
• Wait two weeks after the second visit before putting your clothes and belongings back.