Pest Control Treatment Preparation Instructions

Surf City Termite & Pest Control will be treating your home utilizing a variety of methods and or products. To ensure the safety and success of your treatment, we ask that you read the following instructions.

If we are treating your kitchen or pantry for pests, including roaches and ants:

• Remove food from the cupboards, cabinets, and under the sink.
• Place the food items on a table away from treatment site.
• Let the technician know where you have noticed the pests’ trails or heaviest insect activity.
• Payment is due at the time of service.
• You will need to vacate for 3 hours. Pets and people can return once the treated area is dry.
• It may be necessary for the pest technician to remove pictures from the walls because roaches often lay their eggs and also hide behind picture frames. We may have to set the frames on the floor to dry.
• For roaches and ant infestations, remove the items from under the bathroom sinks as well.
• Upon returning, do not attempt to wash down treated surfaces. Only clean off areas which are considered food preparation surfaces.
• You may still see insects after the treatment; the chemical may take a couple of days to take full affect. Do not attempt to spray any remaining insects with over the counter sprays, as this may affect the quality of our treatment. If you still experience pests one week after treatment, call our office for further advice.
• Post treatment, keep all food sealed in plastic bags or plastic containers.
• Keep pet food out of reach of pests and preferably seal up in a pest resistant container when not in use.
• Keep clutter away from previously infested sites (this attracts insects).

Flea Treatment–Inside & Outside:

• Water your grass one to two days before treatment; do not water the day of treatment.
• Cut grass regularly to avoid pest harborage sites.
• Dry sweep your concrete walk ways for a day or two, instead of hosing down these areas.
• Have your pets treated for fleas the same day that your lawn is sprayed for fleas. Wash pet bedding in hot water or dispose of bedding on the same day of treatment.
• Move any toys or other loose articles from the floor inside your home.
• Vacuum carpets and hard floor surfaces and dispose of the vacuum bag, prior to the technician arriving.
• Make every room accessible for the technician to spray.
• Allow 3 hours of ventilation in your home prior to re-entry.
• Upon returning to your residence, vacuum the hard floor and carpeted areas of your home once again. This will remove any embryos that may be ready to hatch. Dispose of the vacuum bag or empty and wash canister.
• An insect growth regulator is used to prevent embryos from developing into biting adults. However, if you have a heavy flea infestation caused by neighboring pets or others conditions that require regular treatments to your home, we advise you discuss an annual flea regimen with your technician.

Ant Treatment & Other Crawling Insects Treatment–Inside & Outside:

• Remove any items in your kitchen cabinets or under kitchen sink.
• Discuss with your technician where you are seeing the ant trails.
• Baseboards and cracks and crevices will be treated, so make sure you pick up any loose articles on the floor.
• Make every room accessible for the technician to treat with a barrier application.
• Expect a few straggler ants or scout ants post treatment. If you still see an infestation (more than a 3-4 live ants) one week after treatment, call to discuss with our staff.
• The perimeter of your property line and most likely the outside walls of your home will be sprayed, so please keep pets away until dry (approximately 3 hours). Open any gates, store rooms, or other areas that need to be treated and accessed.
• Your technician will let you know if it’s necessary to treat the crawl space of your home, based on the construction type and target pest.
• Avoid hosing down your concrete walk ways if possible. Instead, dry sweep when necessary.
• Remove any clutter around the outside perimeter of your home.
• Avoid storing firewood near the house.
• Try to keep plants, bushes, and tree limbs trimmed back so that they are not touching the house.
• Do not over water; heavy moisture conditions invite pests.
• Keep your grass trimmed to avoid pet harborage.

Bed Bug Treatment–Pre & Post Treatment Instructions:

• Wash all clothing in hot water and dry on high heat setting.
• Keep all clothing sealed in plastic bags until the initial treatment and the follow-up treatment is completed (approx. 2 weeks). Keep clothes bags sealed when not in use.
• Remove sheets from bed(s) and wash in hot water and dry on high heat setting. Leave bed(s) stripped for technician to treat.
• Remove any items from underneath the bed(s).
• Use mattress covers after treatment to prevent bed bugs.
• Turn off fish tank pump and cover fish with a sheet or remove from tank for treatment if you require a heavy application (discuss with technician prior to schedule date).
• You may find the couch cushions or throw pillows out of order when you return due to our technician having to move them around for our treatment.
• Vacuum all carpets and hard surface areas and dispose of the vacuum bag prior to treatment.
• You will need to vacate the building for 3 hours.
• You may still see bed bugs until the full process is complete. But if bed bugs are seen on clothing or personal items, multiple treatments may be necessary.
• Schedule your follow up inspection and treatment for two weeks after your initial treatment.

Spider Treatment—Inside & Outside:

• If your home is constructed on a raised foundation, it may be necessary to treat crawl spaces. Your technician will advise.
• Please make the garage accessible for treatment, specifically clear areas around door frames, in the corners of the walls, behind appliances, and between exposed stud walls.
• Bushes and plants may need to be sprayed as well, water the plants 12 inches and closer to the foundation of your house one day prior to treatment to protect plant roots.
• Due to the physical characteristics of spiders, it may be necessary to re-treat your home if you are still experiencing an infestation weeks later.
• Post treatment, you can deter spiders from nesting by knocking down any new webs.
• Spider infestations are often a sign of another pest infestation in or around your home. Discuss a treatment plan for all crawling insects with your pest technician.

Call our office for further instructions on your pest treatment.

Thank you,

Management