Bed bug heat treatment is planned so your furniture and most electronics can stay put. In most cases beds, sofas and other furniture remain in the room and are treated, not thrown away. The damage risk comes from a few heat-sensitive items, such as candles, aerosols, medicines and vinyl records, which you remove or tell us about first.
Reviewed by James Rhoades, Owner, ThermoPest · Last reviewed 15 October 2026
It’s a sensible thing to worry about. Heating a room to a level that kills bed bugs sounds like it could ruin your things. Below is what usually stays, what has to come out, what to flag before the day, and how to protect your home and belongings during treatment.
Can heat treatment damage your home or furniture?
Professional heat treatment is designed to heat the room and its contents without damaging ordinary household items. By carefully controlling the temperature, bugs and eggs can be killed wherever they are without damaging household items. That control is the whole point: our technicians use specialist heating equipment, fans and temperature sensors, and monitor the room throughout, adjusting where needed. Bed bugs and their eggs die when held above about 50°C for long enough. We heat rooms to 50–60°C and hold that heat until the hardest-to-reach spots stay above 50°C, with temperature monitors in known cold spots and hard-to-reach areas.
One of the main reasons people choose heat is that it lets you keep your furniture. In most cases your bed frame, mattress, headboard, sofa, wardrobes and chests of drawers stay in the room and are treated along with everything else. That can save you replacing furniture you’d otherwise have to throw away.
The damage that does happen usually involves items that should have come out first. Heat-sensitive items need to come out before treatment so they don’t melt, and can be treated another way. That’s why we give you preparation instructions before your appointment.
Antique Furniture, Wooden Floors and Panelling
Ordinary modern furniture is normally fine to leave. Some things need more thought, so tell us in advance if you have:
- antique furniture;
- wooden floors or wooden panelling;
- peeling wallpaper or cracked plaster;
- plastic curtain rails;
- an AGA or other fuel-powered cooker.
None of these automatically stops a treatment. Knowing about them lets your technician plan the setup, airflow and which areas need extra care. If you’re unsure whether something counts, ask. Your technician will tell you what to do with it.
Does bed bug heat treatment damage electronics?
Usually not. Heat-sensitive items such as aerosol cans, indoor plants and medicines need removing, but televisions, computers and other electronics usually do not. In practice, most TVs, games consoles, speakers and similar devices can stay in the room. Your technician will tell you whether to switch them off and unplug them.
There’s a good reason not to carry everything out, too. Bed bugs can hide in and around electronics, especially near the bed, so moving devices to another room or a friend’s house can take bugs with them. If heat-tolerant items stay in the treated room, they’re treated too.
Electronics to Tell Us About First
Our preparation guide asks you to tell us beforehand about server rooms or temperature-sensitive electronics. That can include:
- specialist, medical or work equipment you rely on;
- older or vintage audio and hi-fi gear;
- anything valuable, irreplaceable or with a manufacturer’s temperature warning in the manual;
- laptops, tablets, phones and power banks you’ll want with you on the day.
Your technician will tell you which of these can stay and which to take with you. If you do take devices out, check them over and keep them in a sealed bag until you’re back, so you don’t move bed bugs around.
What has to be removed before heat treatment?
These are the items on our heat treatment preparation guide that can melt, burst, spoil or be damaged. Bag them up and take them out of the treatment area before we arrive. Check them carefully first, so you’re not moving bed bugs to another room.
| Item | What to do | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Medicines and tablets | Remove | Can spoil |
| Perfumes, deodorants and cosmetics | Remove | Can melt or spoil |
| Aerosols (air fresheners, sprays) | Remove | Pressurised cans can burst |
| Wax candles and wax ornaments | Remove | Wax melts |
| Plants and flowers (real or artificial) | Remove | Can be damaged |
| Perishable food outside the fridge | Remove | It will spoil |
| Fridge and freezer contents | Leave in place, appliance on | Safe if the appliance stays switched on |
| Vinyl records, crayons, wax-based items | Tell us beforehand | Can warp or melt; needs planning |
| Oil paintings and antiques | Tell us beforehand | Heat-sensitive; needs planning |
| Pets and aquariums | Tell us beforehand | Animals can’t stay in the heat |
Perishable food means things like fruit, vegetables, milk, jams and baby formula left out on the side. Food in a working fridge or freezer can stay.
Vinyl Records, Artwork and Other Valuables
Vinyl records, media collections, crayons and other wax-based items are on our “inform us beforehand” list, alongside oil paintings and antique furniture. Mention them when you book, and your technician will tell you whether to take them out or how they’ll be protected.
The same goes for anything else you’d be upset to lose: musical instruments, framed artwork, collections or heirlooms. If it matters to you and you’re not sure, ask before the day rather than worrying afterwards. Our preparation guide explains that we’re not liable for damage to items that should have been removed or declared, so a quick question protects you as well as your belongings.
Clothes, Bedding and Soft Furnishings
Most soft furnishings stay in the room and are treated, but clothes and bedding need some preparation so the heat can reach them properly:
- Bedding: strip the bed and wash everything on a hot wash. The NHS advises washing affected bedding and clothing on a hot wash (60°C) and tumble drying on a hot setting for at least 30 minutes.
- Beds: stand mattresses upright and pull bed frames away from the walls. Leave only the headboard, mattress and frame.
- Clothes: bag and remove excess clothing, hang what’s left loosely in wardrobes rather than packed tight, and spread out clothes that can’t be washed so the heat reaches them.
- Clutter: clear rubbish and unused items from floors and under furniture so the technician can reach corners, skirting boards and the undersides of beds.
Any clothing left in the room is treated at your own risk, so take out delicate items you’re worried about and wash or freeze them instead. The NHS suggests putting items that can’t be washed in a plastic bag in the freezer for 2 to 3 weeks.
Smoke Alarms, Sprinklers and the Building Itself
Heat can set off smoke alarms, heat detectors and sprinklers, so fire safety equipment needs dealing with before the day. Before the treatment:
- isolate or deactivate smoke alarms, heat detectors and sprinkler systems in the treatment area;
- if your building has sprinklers, they may need draining and capping, which is your responsibility to arrange (in a flat, speak to your landlord or managing agent early);
- make sure windows can be opened;
- leave keys for any rooms or cupboards we need to get into.
In flats, we also ask to inspect neighbouring flats, because bed bugs move between homes through gaps around pipes, cables and sockets.
Pets, Plants and People
Everyone leaves during the treatment, including pets. Tell us in advance if you have pets or an aquarium so we can plan around them. Plants and flowers come out too.
After a residential heat treatment, you can usually go back in 2 hours after we finish, unless your technician advises otherwise. They’ll tell you when it’s appropriate to return and give you aftercare advice on cleaning and what to look out for. Some treatments include targeted spray where it’s needed, so follow the re-entry and cleaning instructions you’re given. Our guide on how long bed bug treatment takes covers planning your day away.
Why heat rather than fogging or fumigation?
People sometimes search whether fumigation damages electronics. We don’t fog homes, and while our technicians can use fumigation in certain circumstances, it isn’t a common method for us. ThermoPest’s bed bug heat treatment is heat-led, with targeted spray where it’s needed, and the heat reaches bugs and eggs hidden deep in furniture, seams and cracks. Shop-bought foggers and bug bombs tend to scatter bed bugs into other rooms rather than clear them, and the NHS says DIY steps are unlikely to get rid of bed bugs completely.
If you’re curious about the science, our post on what temperature kills bed bugs explains how heat affects them. If you’re weighing up who to call, see council vs private bed bug treatment. For costs, see our pricing page.
FAQs
Does bed bug heat treatment damage electronics?
Usually not. Televisions, computers and other electronics usually don’t need removing. Tell us beforehand about server rooms, specialist equipment or anything temperature-sensitive or valuable. Your technician will advise on each item.
Can heat treatment damage your home?
It’s designed not to, and the temperature is monitored throughout. Problems usually involve items that should have been removed, such as candles or aerosols, or fire safety systems that weren’t isolated. Follow the preparation guide and tell us about antiques, wooden floors, peeling wallpaper or plastic curtain rails before the day.
Do I need to remove my TV before heat treatment?
In most cases, no. TVs can usually stay in the room; your technician will say whether to unplug them. Leaving them in place also avoids carrying bed bugs to another room. If your TV is unusually valuable or old, mention it when you book.
Can I leave food in the fridge during heat treatment?
Yes. Food in a fridge or freezer can stay as long as the appliance is switched on. Remove perishable food that’s left out, such as fruit, vegetables, milk, jams and baby formula.
When can I go back in after heat treatment?
For homes, re-entry is usually 2 hours after the treatment finishes, unless your technician advises otherwise. They’ll confirm when it’s appropriate and talk you through the aftercare.
Worried about your belongings?
Tell us what’s in the rooms that need treating and we’ll talk you through what stays, what goes and what to flag. ThermoPest is a member of the BPCA and NPTA, and our technicians arrive in unmarked vans.
