Make the place less inviting.

Kitchen & pantry

Check

Look behind appliances, along cabinet edges and inside older dry-food packages. Check spills, pet food left overnight, recycling residue, dripping pipes and gaps around services.

Act on what you find

Remove the actual food source, use sound closed containers, repair leaks and record where activity appears. Moths emerging from packages need a different response from roaches at a warm appliance.

Beds, wardrobes & stored fabrics

Check

Inspect mattress seams and bed-frame joints when there is evidence of bed bugs. For textiles, inspect quiet folds, wool or feather items, lint and upholstery edges for feeding larvae or silk.

Act on what you find

Keep secondhand furniture under inspection before moving it into living space. Clean susceptible fabrics according to their care instructions before closed storage. Do not discard a bed solely because of unexplained bites.

Bathrooms, basements & laundry areas

Check

Look for condensation, plumbing leaks, wet potting mix, drain buildup and damp cardboard. Separate an occasional visitor from insects breeding in a source.

Act on what you find

Fix the water problem and improve suitable ventilation. Remove wet organic debris and damaged storage material. Silverfish in a dry room can be a different species and require a broader inspection.

Attics, roofs, crawlspaces & exterior wood

Check

Inspect accessible edges for leaks, damaged screens, wood-to-soil contact, new frass and entry gaps. Listen and observe wildlife from outside before sealing.

Act on what you find

Repair moisture faults and building defects. Arrange inspection for uncertain structural evidence. Do not block an occupied wildlife entry or active nest; dependent young and local protections change the timing.

Garden, containers & lawn

Check

Check both sides of leaves, new growth, soil moisture and the edge between healthy and affected turf. Identify the host and photograph the same plant over time.

Act on what you find

Correct growing conditions, reduce unnecessary irrigation and protect natural enemies. Choose plant-appropriate barriers and sanitation. An insect on a leaf is not necessarily eating it; tolerate minor damage where practical.

Yard, bins, firewood & boundaries

Check

Check bin lids, spilled birdseed, outdoor pet food, standing water and dense cover next to entry points. Inspect items stored against walls.

Act on what you find

Secure food and rubbish; remove water-holding clutter and maintain suitable screening. Position stored materials so you can inspect the wall. Address the attractant before repeated animal removal.

Rented homes, shared buildings & food businesses

Report evidence and building defects promptly to the responsible manager. Keep dates, photographs and locations; ask how neighbouring spaces and shared service routes will be inspected. Legal repair and treatment duties vary by tenancy and locality. A food business also needs its own food-safety procedures and regulator requirements; a household checklist is not a compliance plan.

Agree who prepares rooms, protects food or equipment, attends visits and checks repairs. Do not move infested furnishings into a shared corridor or apply chemicals in someone else’s unit.

Travel and secondhand items

Inspect the seams and joints of used furniture before bringing it inside. When travel raises a bed-bug concern, keep luggage and suspect items contained while inspecting, and use the item’s safe laundry or drying instructions. Do not use an improvised oven, space heater or car to heat-treat belongings.

For garden plants, examine leaf undersides, roots and growing media before mixing with established plants. Keep suspect plants separate while identifying the problem.

Keep a repeatable record

Choose a few inspection points and revisit them using the relevant guide’s timing. Record what you checked, including zero activity, and any change in food, moisture or access. New evidence matters more than a fixed “pest-free” deadline.