Bed bugs in a West Sacramento rental: what to do before bed bug treatment

If you rent in West Sacramento and think you have bed bugs, tell your landlord first, then get the bed bug treatment booked. UC IPM’s Pest Notes say renters should contact the landlord or property owner so they can help manage the infestation, and California law sets out what each side has to do.

Our bed bug treatment starts with an inspection either way, so it helps to know what the law asks of you and your landlord before the visit.

What California law says about bed bugs in rentals

West Sacramento is in Yolo County, but the rules for bed bugs in rentals are state law. They were added to the California Civil Code by AB 551 and took effect on January 1, 2017. Three of the sections cover most of what a renter runs into:

• Section 1954.602 says a landlord cannot show, rent or lease a vacant unit that the landlord knows has a current bed bug infestation.
• Section 1954.604 says entry to inspect a unit picked by the pest control operator, and follow-up inspections of the units around it until the bed bugs are gone, counts as a necessary service. Tenants have to cooperate with the inspection, including giving the pest control operator information needed to find and treat the bed bugs.
• Section 1954.605 says the landlord has to tell the tenants of the inspected units what the pest control operator found, in writing, within two business days. If the infestation is in a common area, every tenant gets that notice.

That is our plain-English summary, and the full text is on the California Legislature’s site, linked at the end of this page. For a dispute with a landlord, ask a lawyer or a tenant help service.

Check before anyone treats

UC IPM says bites alone should never be used to diagnose bed bugs, because several household pests bite and reactions vary from person to person. What confirms them is the bugs or their signs. Its notes say about 85% of bed bugs are found in or near the bed, so start there:

• the mattress seams and tufts, and the wood joints of the box spring
• cracks and joints in the bed frame and headboard
• baseboards, loose wallpaper and picture frames near the bed
• upholstered furniture where people rest

Look for dark spots, small blood spots, pale shed skins and the bugs themselves. Most hiding places are within 6 feet of where people sleep. Take photos of what you find so the landlord and the technician can see it. Our guide on how to tell if you have bed bugs has the full checklist.

UC IPM says interceptor monitors, small double cups that go under the legs of the bed, trapped six times more bed bugs in research than visual searches alone. They help confirm what you are seeing.

What to do with bedding and clothes

While you wait for the visit, the UC IPM note suggests:

• bedding and clothing in a home dryer on the hottest setting the fabric allows, for at least 10 to 15 minutes
• a vacuum along the mattress seams, the box spring and the baseboards, more than once, since one pass rarely gets all the bugs and eggs
• less clutter around the bed
• a mattress encasement made for bed bugs, which seals in any that are inside so they cannot bite and eventually die

Skip the store-bought foggers. The note says total-release foggers are ineffective against bed bugs and can be harmful to residents. If you get rid of an infested mattress, take it to the dump or mark it clearly as infested, so no one else picks it up.

Why one visit is rarely enough

UC IPM says the eggs hatch in about 10 to 15 days at room temperature, and that adults can go many months without feeding. The note says getting rid of an infestation takes treating or removing all infested material, plus follow-up monitoring to confirm the bed bugs are gone. In an apartment building, the law also lets the inspector keep checking the units around yours until the bed bugs are gone.

How our bed bug treatment works

Every bed bug job starts with an inspection to find where they are hiding. The technician then treats the mattress seams, the bed frame and headboard, the baseboards and cracks around the bed, and any nearby furniture the bed bugs have reached. A follow-up visit catches the bed bugs that hatch after the first treatment.

Bed bug jobs are quoted after the inspection, based on how many rooms are affected and how far the bed bugs have spread. Major bed bug infestations are not covered by our regular plans. If your landlord is arranging the treatment, they can call the office to book it. For the other pests we treat in town, see pest control in West Sacramento.

Sources: UC IPM Pest Notes: Bed Bugs (UC ANR Publication 7454). California Civil Code sections 1954.602, 1954.604 and 1954.605. All checked 17 October 2026.

Found signs of bed bugs? Request a quote through our contact page or call (916) 818-3863, Monday to Saturday, 7am to 6pm.

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