Moving reveals how much life hides in the seams. Behind the fridge, under the porch steps, in a box that once held dog biscuits, there are crumbs and harborages you never meant to offer but did. Pests notice. The good news is that a move creates leverage you rarely have: everything gets touched, opened, and reset. With a bit of planning, you can leave infestations behind and keep the new place clean from day one.
This guide pairs practical field tactics with the lived details that often get skipped. I’ve included what typically goes wrong, which shortcuts backfire, and the low-cost moves that do most of the work.
Why pests ride along with our stuff
Pests travel because we give them shelter and food without noticing. Cardboard ridges mimic bark, perfect for cockroaches and silverfish. Soft goods like folded towels, overflowing toy bins, and pet bedding hold dander and crumbs that feed them. Bed bugs hitchhike in seams, zippers, and screw holes. Mice and rats are less likely to end up in a moving truck, but they will follow outdoor food sources to a new property if transit connects two habitats.
The risk spikes if you’ve had even occasional issues in the old place, lived in a multiunit building where neighbors treated for pests, or stored belongings in a garage, basement, or storage unit. Apartments with shared walls and older homes with crawl spaces generally need tighter protocols than a newer single-family house on a slab.
Set your strategy with a light inspection
Before boxing anything, give your current home a quiet inspection. You’re not trying to solve every problem, only to map risk so your packing follows a plan. Use a flashlight and a thin card or putty knife to check cracks. Look for peppery fecal stains in cabinet hinges, shed skins and egg casings in closet corners, webbing in pantry items, and rub marks near baseboards where rodents travel. Lift couch cushions, slide appliances away from walls, and check bed frames, especially screw heads and the junctions where slats meet rails.
If you see live roaches, fecal spotting larger than a few dots, or active bed bugs, pause packing and treat. A simple, targeted response two to three weeks before your move shrinks what might hitchhike.
Two timelines that work
Most households benefit from one of two timelines. If you have 3 to 4 weeks before move day, you can clean, treat, and pack in phases, giving any live pests fewer places to hide. If you have only 7 to 10 days, focus on high-risk categories, containment, and triage at the curb before loading.
A three-to-four-week plan allows you to launder textiles in batches, rotate airtight bins through each room, and leave bait placements undisturbed long enough to work. A shorter plan depends more on heat, containment, and discard decisions.
What to discard and what to salvage
Some things cost more to save than to replace. Dented particleboard furniture that has lived in a damp basement, cardboard packed months ago in a garage, and loose-weave baskets can be full of webbing or harborage you will not find. If you had bed bugs at any point in the past year and did not professionally treat the bed frame, strongly consider discarding frames with intricate joints. Mattress encasements can save a mattress, but frames with hollow tubing or deep cracks often hold stragglers.
Pantry items deserve scrutiny. Anything moth-prone that is already open, such as flour, rice, oatmeal, and pet food, should be sealed in rigid containers or tossed. If you see webbing, clumping, or small brown moths when you disturb a shelf, assume eggs hide in multiple items. The cheaper path is to discard dry goods worth under 30 to 40 dollars and start fresh after the move.
Cleaning that makes a difference, and cleaning that doesn’t
Dry cleaning methods outperform wet sprays for pest prep. Vacuuming with a crevice tool removes eggs, skins, and food dust without spreading moisture https://maps.google.com/?cid=785874918723856947 that can warp materials or make a mess. Use a vacuum with a disposable bag, and toss the bag when you finish each room. Wipe with diluted dish soap or a mild all-purpose cleaner only after vacuuming, not before. For kitchen cabinets, remove shelf liners and wash the wood with a slightly damp cloth, then dry thoroughly to keep silverfish and roaches from enjoying humidity.
Steam has its place if bed bugs are your concern. A canister steamer with a wide head, used slowly so surfaces reach lethal temperature, can sanitize seams on couches and mattresses. Move at about one inch per second. Avoid blasting electronics or finished wood; steam forces moisture into gaps and can ruin finishes. Heat treatment is fast, but it is not surgical. If you steam, follow with encasements on mattresses and box springs and interceptors under bed legs.
The power of containment: boxes, bags, and bins
Cardboard is convenient, but it carries risk. If you can, use new boxes rather than scavenged ones that may carry cockroach egg cases from grocery and liquor stores. For kitchens and bathrooms, clear plastic bins with tight lids prevent recontamination and allow a quick visual check before unpacking. For moderately priced, high-risk items like linens, pillows, and plush toys, large contractor bags sealed with tape add a significant barrier.
Label each container not just by room but by treatment status. Mark “cleaned and bagged,” “laundered high heat,” or “quarantine, open outside.” These cues help you and any helpers avoid mixing categories on move day. Quarantine bags should be the last on the truck and the first opened on a hard surface at the new home for inspection.
Laundry that actually kills things
Heat is your friend. Running a hot wash helps, but the dryer is decisive. Dry on high for at least 30 minutes after items are already dry to ensure the core of thicker textiles reaches lethal temperature. Bag clean textiles straight from the dryer into fresh bags. If you need a budget option, laundromats with large-capacity gas dryers often run hotter and more evenly than home units.
Shoes and delicate items complicate things. For shoes, remove insoles, tap out debris, then bag with a clean sock filled with diatomaceous earth or place them in a heat-rated bag in your car trunk during a sunny day. Trunk temperatures vary, but on a 85 to 95 degree day a closed car can exceed 130 degrees for an hour or more. Protect heat-sensitive items and monitor with a cheap digital thermometer probe if you try this. For delicates, use a warm dryer in a mesh bag for a shorter cycle, then bag immediately.
Kitchens warrant special care
Kitchens deliver food, water, and shelter in one room, which draws ants, roaches, and pantry moths. A week before packing, pull appliances and clean sides and backs. Remove the drip pan under the fridge. Degrease the hood filter. Vacuum behind the stove and mop the wall where aerosolized grease settles.
As you pack, wipe the outer surfaces of small appliances. Empty crumb trays, shake out toasters, and store them in sealed bags. Inspect spice jars, tea tins, and dry baking supplies. If you find even one affected container with webbing or larvae, assume others are exposed. Replace dry goods instead of trying to rescue them; the savings rarely outweigh the risk of seeding the new pantry. Pack plates and glasses last after cabinets are cleaned and left to dry, so you aren’t nesting them with stray food dust.
Beds, sofas, and upholstered pieces
Beds are the most common vector for bed bugs, and sofas are a close second. If you have never seen bites, fecal spotting, or cast skins and you live in a single-family home, you can proceed with a careful, preventive routine. Encase the mattress and box spring in bed bug proof encasements the week before the move. Vacuum the frame, focusing on joints and screw holes. If the frame disassembles, bag the fasteners and wipe each piece. For platform beds with integrated drawers, remove drawers and inspect tracks and felt pads, which can hide nymphs.
For sofas, take the cushions outside on a sunny day. Vacuum seams, flip the sofa, and remove the bottom dust cover if stapled on. That fabric is often a harbor. You can reattach a fresh dust cover later, but nothing beats a direct view into the frame joints. If you find active bed bugs, consider a professional heat treatment or discarding. DIY heat in a garage can warp frames and still miss pockets.
Electronics and media
Pests rarely nest inside operating electronics because heat and airflow discourage them, but the dust on and around electronics attracts them. Disconnect devices and wipe or vacuum vents. Do not spray liquids into ports. Pack cables in sealable bags. Paper items, especially stored in basements and attics, can carry silverfish and booklice. If you had moisture issues, pack books in airtight bins and keep them sealed for a few weeks after the move. Low humidity and time starve these insects. Silica gel desiccant packs can accelerate the process.
What to do if you’re already dealing with an infestation
If you have visible roaches, bait works better than sprays in the last month before a move. Place gel bait in pea-sized dots in hidden locations near activity, such as under sink lips, inside cabinet corners, and behind appliances. Do not clean these locations aggressively for a few days, and do not pair residual sprays with bait since they repel roaches from the bait. Sticky monitors under sinks and beside the fridge help you measure progress. Plan at least two bait placements seven to ten days apart.
For bed bugs, heat and encasement win. Launder and bag all soft goods, encase the mattress and box spring, and position beds away from walls. Use interceptor cups under bed legs to catch climbers. If you must move before the situation is stable, isolate clean items carefully and schedule a professional inspection at the new address within the first month.
Moving day protocols that stop stowaways
On move day, keep categories separate. Clean and bagged items should never rest on bare floors near baseboards waiting to be carried out. Use a folding table or the top of the washer and dryer as a staging surface. Load high-risk items last so they unload first into a controlled area. If you are using a rental truck, sweep and inspect the cargo area before loading. I once found grain dust and moth casings in a truck that had hauled feed the day before; a quick sweep and a tarp prevented a headache.
Tell helpers not to set bags or boxes on beds and sofas at either end. Keep a roll of painter’s tape handy to reseal any bag that tears. As you load, watch for mouse droppings in the garage or basement and leave those areas for last so they don’t contaminate clean items.
First hours in the new home
Start with a walkthrough not for decor, but for pest proofing. Check door sweeps, window screens, and pipe penetrations under sinks. Pencil-width gaps let in ants and smaller roaches. Caulk what you can in the first week. Vacuum baseboards and closets before any furniture touches walls. If you brought interceptors for bed legs, set them up before the mattress arrives in the room.
Pantry shelves need a wipe and dry time. Bring in dishes and cookware first, then close cabinets. Delay stocking dry goods until you’ve observed a day or two without ant trails or moths fluttering when you open a door. This short pause tells you if you transported a problem.
Early warning systems that actually work
The best monitors are simple and passive. Sticky traps placed along baseboards and inside sink bases catch crawling insects and provide data. Check them weekly for the first month, then monthly. Interceptors under bed and sofa legs are an early warning for bed bugs. For rodents, nontoxic tracking blocks or a light dusting of talc along suspected runways can reveal footprints.
Do not set out mixed attractants everywhere on day one. A few roach baits in the kitchen and near utility closets make sense. Over-baiting or mixing bait with residual sprays reduces effectiveness. If you use bait, skip cleaning the exact dot locations for a few days, but keep general sanitation tight.
Sealing the envelope so pests don’t find you later
A new home often has small gaps the previous owner stopped seeing. Look for daylight under exterior doors, gaps around dryer vents, unsealed weep holes, and settling cracks where utilities enter. Door sweeps and weatherstripping take an afternoon and make a visible dent in ant and spider entries. For larger holes, use copper mesh and sealant rather than steel wool that rusts.
In older homes, the attic hatch can be a highway for insects and occasional rodents. A gasketed cover helps. In basements and crawl spaces, keep humidity below 60 percent with a dehumidifier. Silverfish, centipedes, and booklice thrive in damp microclimates. A 2 to 3 degree change in temperature or a small drop in humidity can collapse their populations without chemicals.
Yard and perimeter basics
Outside, trim shrubs 12 to 18 inches away from the house so branches don’t touch siding or rooflines. Store firewood at least 20 feet from the structure and 5 inches off the ground. Inspect mulch beds. Thick, damp mulch draws ants and roaches. If you prefer mulch, keep it thin near the foundation or switch to gravel in the last 12 inches.
Garbage and recycling are often the first invitations pests accept. Clean bins with a little dish soap and a hose, let them dry, and keep lids closed. Pet food belongs indoors or in sealed containers. Bird feeders near doors and windows invite mice, squirrels, and ants to the party. Place them farther from the house or use catch trays to minimize spillage.
Renting, buying, and shared-wall realities
In multiunit buildings, pest control is a shared responsibility whether anyone likes it or not. Ask property management for the last year of pest service records, not just a verbal assurance. If your neighbors treated for bed bugs in the past six months, set interceptors immediately and avoid placing furniture against shared walls. For roaches, a light dusting of boric acid into wall voids by a pro is more effective than tenant sprays. A door sweep and a draft stopper on the hinge side of the door can cut insect traffic from hallways.
If you bought a single-family home, your inspection report may note rodents or moisture in the crawl space. Deal with those first. A quick seal-up around the foundation and a rehang of a loose crawl space door beats months of kitchen trapping later.
Working with professionals without overspending
Pros earn their keep most when the situation crosses from nuisance to established infestation, especially with bed bugs and German roaches in multiunit settings. If you hire a company, ask for an inspection followed by an integrated plan, not a one-time spray. The best programs combine sanitation guidance, targeted baits, dust in voids, and follow-ups. Heat treatments for bed bugs are effective but require proper preparation, including removing heat-sensitive items and ensuring sensors reach concealed areas. For a typical two-bedroom apartment, professional heat treatment may range widely depending on region, from several hundred dollars to a few thousand. Clarify warranty terms, since reinfestations in shared buildings can occur without any fault on your part.
If something slips through
Even with excellent prep, you may see a scout ant, a moth, or a stray roach in the first week. One sighting is a data point, not a crisis. Two or three of the same pest within a week deserves action. Tighten food storage, refresh bait placements, and inspect the source. When a client once unpacked museum-quality textiles, small webbing moths appeared about five days later. The pieces had been frozen before packing, but the storage tissue was contaminated. Swapping tissue and freezing again solved the problem without fumigation.
Bed bug concerns cause understandable anxiety. If you find a suspicious bug, capture it on clear tape and store it in the freezer in a labeled bag. Many “bed bugs” turn out to be bat bugs or carpet beetles. A quick ID from a local extension office or a reputable pest pro can save you the cost and stress of a full response.
Two compact checklists you can actually use
Pre-move essentials, 3 to 4 weeks out:
- Inspect beds, sofas, kitchen, and utility areas with a flashlight; map risks. Launder and high-heat dry textiles, then bag and label by treatment status. Vacuum crevices, cabinet interiors, and furniture frames; remove dust covers if needed. Place roach bait if activity is present; avoid sprays that contaminate bait. Replace or toss high-risk pantry items; pack small appliances crumb-free and sealed.
First-week setup at the new place:
- Vacuum baseboards and closets before furniture lands; install bed leg interceptors. Seal entry points with caulk, door sweeps, and weatherstripping; set sticky monitors. Stage clean items on hard surfaces; delay stocking pantry dry goods for 24 to 48 hours. Control humidity in basements or crawl spaces; keep mulch thin near the foundation. Keep trash tight and pet food sealed; trim vegetation back from siding.
Trade-offs and edge cases
Some choices hinge on your tolerance for risk and cost. Plastic bins are pricier than boxes but far cheaper than treating a roach introduction. Mattress encasements feel like overkill until you remember you spend a third of life in bed. Encasements also trap any undetected bed bugs inside so they starve, which takes weeks to months. If you live in a cold climate and move in winter, a heated truck can keep roaches active, while leaving sealed items overnight in a garage can suppress them. Use temperature strategically, but be realistic about what it can kill; sustained lethal cold for pests is well below a typical winter garage for long enough to be impractical without professional freezing.
Pet owners face unique challenges. Pet food storage should be airtight and off the floor. Wash pet bedding on high heat before the move and again after arrival. Fleas are usually a nonissue after modern treatments, but their eggs can ride in carpets and rugs. If you had fleas, schedule a vacuum-and-rest cycle in the new place: vacuum daily for a week to trigger and remove emerging stages, then discard bags.
For people with chemical sensitivities, mechanical and cultural controls do most of the work: heat, vacuum, encasements, exclusion, and sanitation. If you must use pesticides, choose targeted baits or desiccant dusts applied into voids by a professional rather than broad sprays.
Keeping the momentum
The first 30 days set the tone. If monitors are clean, food is stored well, and doors seal tightly, you have stacked the odds in your favor. After that, a quarterly habit of quick checks keeps small problems small. Glance at interceptors when you wash sheets. Swap sticky traps when you change HVAC filters. Sweep the garage and check for droppings when you put away seasonal gear.
A move gives you a rare reset. With deliberate packing, a few well-placed barriers, and calm follow-through at the new address, you can shut the door on the old pests and keep it shut. The payoff is not just fewer critters. It is a home that feels truly new, with habits that make everyday life cleaner and easier long after the last box is broken down.
Business Name: Dispatch Pest Control
Address: 9078 Greek Palace Ave, Las Vegas, NV 89178
Phone: (702) 564-7600
Website: https://dispatchpestcontrol.com
Dispatch Pest Control
Dispatch Pest Control is a local, family-owned and operated pest control company serving the Las Vegas Valley since 2003. We provide residential and commercial pest management with eco-friendly, family- and pet-safe treatment options, plus same-day service when available. Service areas include Las Vegas, Henderson, Boulder City, North Las Vegas, and nearby communities such as Summerlin, Green Valley, and Seven Hills.
9078 Greek Palace Ave , Las Vegas, NV 89178, US
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People Also Ask about Dispatch Pest Control
What is Dispatch Pest Control?
Dispatch Pest Control is a local, family-owned pest control company serving the Las Vegas Valley since 2003. They provide residential and commercial pest management, including eco-friendly, family- and pet-safe treatment options, with same-day service when available.
Where is Dispatch Pest Control located?
Dispatch Pest Control is based in Las Vegas, Nevada. Their listed address is 9078 Greek Palace Ave, Las Vegas, NV 89178 (United States). You can view their listing on Google Maps for directions and details.
What areas does Dispatch Pest Control serve in Las Vegas?
Dispatch Pest Control serves the Las Vegas Valley, including Las Vegas, Henderson, North Las Vegas, and Boulder City. They also cover nearby communities such as Summerlin, Green Valley, and Seven Hills.
What pest control services does Dispatch Pest Control offer?
Dispatch Pest Control provides residential and commercial pest control services, including ongoing prevention and treatment options. They focus on safe, effective treatments and offer eco-friendly options for families and pets.
Does Dispatch Pest Control use eco-friendly or pet-safe treatments?
Yes. Dispatch Pest Control offers eco-friendly treatment options and prioritizes family- and pet-safe solutions whenever possible, based on the situation and the pest issue being treated.
How do I contact Dispatch Pest Control?
Call (702) 564-7600 or visit https://dispatchpestcontrol.com/. Dispatch Pest Control is also on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest, and X.
What are Dispatch Pest Control’s business hours?
Dispatch Pest Control is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Hours may vary by appointment availability, so it’s best to call for scheduling.
Is Dispatch Pest Control licensed in Nevada?
Yes. Dispatch Pest Control lists Nevada license number NV #6578.
Can Dispatch Pest Control handle pest control for homes and businesses?
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How do I view Dispatch Pest Control on Google Maps?
Dispatch Pest Control helps serve the Summerlin community, including homeowners and businesses near Downtown Summerlin who are looking for a trusted pest control company in Las Vegas.