Frequently asked questions

Almost never. An infested mattress can be treated, then protected with a certified bed bug encasement that traps anything that might remain inside. Throwing it out is expensive, solves nothing if bed bugs are also in the box spring or baseboards, and risks contaminating the hallway or elevator on the way out. If a mattress is genuinely at the end of its life, wait until the treatment is finished before buying a new one — otherwise the new one gets infested too.

In the vast majority of cases, no. Furniture can be treated. If you do decide to discard an item, make it unusable and wrap it before taking it out, so nobody picks it up and moves the problem elsewhere.

It depends on the level of infestation. A situation caught early is usually settled within a few weeks, follow-up visit included. An infestation that has been building for months takes longer and requires sustained cooperation from the occupants.

The technician tells you in advance how long to wait before returning to the treated rooms. In most cases it is a matter of hours, not a move.

Public health authorities do not attribute disease transmission to them. The real impacts are skin reactions, itching, infections from scratching and above all the fatigue and anxiety that come with lost sleep. That is not nothing.

No. Bed bugs feed on blood, not crumbs. They are found in spotless homes as well as cluttered ones. Clutter does not cause an infestation, but it does make detection and treatment harder.

Usually carried in: luggage after a stay, second-hand furniture or clothing, a bag set down in an infested place, or movement from a neighbouring unit in a building. See our page on how they got into your home.

Over-the-counter foggers and aerosols kill a few visible individuals and drive the rest into other rooms or other units. The frequent result is a wider infestation that is harder to treat. It is the main reason a file becomes complicated.

Not necessarily, but the risk is real. Have your unit inspected, keep the bed away from the wall, and report any suspicious trace quickly to the landlord or manager.

In Québec, maintaining the dwelling in a habitable condition falls to the landlord, while the tenant must cooperate and give notice promptly. Our page on tenants and landlords sets out each party's role. For a dispute, consult the Tribunal administratif du logement.

Yes. We do not announce the reason for our presence in common areas and our visits are carried out without conspicuous signage.

You must leave the rooms during the application and respect the waiting time before returning. The technician sets out the details based on the presence of children, elderly people or pets.