What to Clean Before the Exterminator Comes: An NYC Apartment Checklist
02.07.2026
Before the exterminator arrives, clear and clean under sinks, behind the stove and fridge, and inside cabinets so treatment can reach the cracks where pests hide. Wipe up grease and crumbs, take out the trash, store open food in sealed containers, and move furniture a few inches off the walls. A clean apartment lets the treatment work where it matters.
What you'll need
- Trash bags (and a plan to take them straight to the building's bins)
- Dish soap and a bucket or spray bottle of warm soapy water
- Microfiber cloths or paper towels
- A vacuum with a crevice tool (borrow one if your closet can't fit it)
- Sealable food containers or heavy zip-top bags
- A broom and dustpan for tight galley-kitchen floors
- Rubber gloves
- Painter's tape and a marker to label what you've cleared
Step by step
- Ask your exterminator (or building super) what they need first. Requirements differ for roaches, mice, or bed bugs. In a rental, the treatment is usually coordinated through the landlord, so confirm the scope before you start emptying cabinets.
- Empty the under-sink cabinets. This is the number-one hiding spot in a NYC apartment: warm, dark, and near water. Remove everything, wipe the shelf with warm soapy water, and let the tech reach the pipe openings.
- Pull out the stove and refrigerator if you safely can. Grease and crumbs collect against the wall behind them. Sweep, then wipe the floor and baseboards with soapy water. Don't drag appliances across a wood floor alone — slide a towel underneath.
- Clear the kitchen counters and cabinets. Move small appliances, wipe crumbs, and store open dry goods (cereal, rice, pet food) in sealed containers.
- Take out all trash and recycling. Run the dishwasher or wash dishes so nothing sits in the sink overnight.
- Vacuum floors, edges, and behind the radiator. Roughly three-quarters of NYC buildings run steam heat, and the warm space behind and under a radiator is a common harbor. Use the crevice tool along baseboards and cracks.
- Pull furniture a few inches off the walls so the technician can treat the perimeter. For bed bug prep specifically, follow the tech's laundry and bagging instructions exactly.
- Cover fish tanks and put pets in a carrier or another room per the tech's guidance.
What NOT to do
- Don't mop the baseboards with a strong cleaner right before treatment. A freshly washed, slick baseboard can interfere with where the product sticks. Wipe up food and grease, but ask the tech before deep-cleaning perimeters.
- Don't spray a store-bought bug product first. It can scatter pests deeper into wall voids and make the professional visit less effective.
- Don't wet-wipe unsealed wood cabinet interiors and leave them soaked — water swells particleboard shelving common in rentals. Wring the cloth out and dry as you go.
- Don't pour anything down or behind the radiator to "clean" it. Steam radiators run hot and the finish scratches easily; vacuum and dry-dust only.
- Don't stack everything you emptied onto the bed or couch. That just gives the tech fewer treatable surfaces. Consolidate into the center of one room.
When to call a pro
Prep cleaning is DIY, but the treatment itself is not. Only a licensed exterminator should apply pesticide, and in a rental that's typically arranged through your landlord or management company. There's also a point where cleaning around clutter isn't enough — if you're moving out, doing a full turnover, or need the apartment emptied and wiped down so the tech can reach every surface, that's real work in a small space with limited storage. If you want the deep, whole-apartment reset handled for you, book a move-out cleaning with CleanWhale.
FAQ
Do I have to empty every cabinet before the exterminator comes?
Not always — it depends on the pest and the treatment. For roaches and mice, clearing kitchen and bathroom cabinets and under-sink areas is usually enough. For bed bugs, prep is far more involved. Always follow the specific checklist your exterminator or building gives you.
Should I clean right before they arrive or a day ahead?
Clean a day ahead so surfaces are dry and trash is already out of the apartment. Doing a heavy wet-clean of baseboards and perimeters minutes before treatment can affect where the product is applied.
Can cleaning alone get rid of the pests?
No. Cleaning removes food, water, and hiding spots so the professional treatment can work better, but it isn't a substitute for treatment. Think of prep as clearing the runway, not as the fix itself.
What about my steam radiator — should I clean behind it?
Yes, vacuum and dry-dust the space behind and under the radiator, since that warm gap is a common harbor in older NYC buildings. Don't use water or sprays on a hot radiator, and let it cool fully before you reach behind it.
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