FAQ: How can I avoid spreading bedbugs to others when I visit their homes?
By parakeets on Nov 2, 2006 in FAQs, bed bugs, bedbugs, travel
by Parakeets
I have bedbugs and I sometimes stay overnight with friends and relatives. What a dilemma! How can I make sure I don’t take bedbugs with me to my host? (Ha ha, that’s a switch. With bedbugs I’m usually referring to MYSELF as the “host.”Â) Bedbugs are so small, such good hiders, such good hitchhikers. It seems almost impossible, but here are some tips on what I do:
1) I take the absolute least amount of things with me as possible. The less you take, the less hiding places there are. This means repeating outfits, mixing and matching, and wearing the same piece of clothing or shoes over and over. Again, the less you take, the less chance of taking bedbugs. We have to be stark minimalists. It reminds me of when I traveled in Europe with a pack on my back and carried very little.
2) Whenever possible, I won’t even take a suitcase. I pack my clothes hot from the dryer into ziploc bags. I then put the zip-lock bags of clothes into a clear plastic larger bag and carry my clothes in that. (Ladies, first tuck your lingerie inside something else. Otherwise you’ll find you’re walking down the street with your “underwear showing”–literally). When I travel, I wear an outfit that I take straight out of the dryer or out of a ziploc bag.
3) I tossed out all my cosmetic bags and all those “travel totes for toiletries” (okay, I didn’t throw out my love of alliteration). I carry such items in zip-lock sandwich baggies. I don’t take hairdryers, travel irons, etc. with me. I borrow shamelessly when I get to the place I’m staying.
4) Again, when possible, I won’t even take the clear plastic larger bag into the house I am visiting if I’m using my car. I leave all my stuff in the car and use the car as my closet. The less I bring into the house, the better. I’d rather infect my own car than someone else’s house. I leave my coat in the car, too. If it is the summer, I put my “luggage” in the car for two days ahead of time, in the backseat in the sun, and let it bake.
5) I won’t take books or magazines with me that have been in my apartment. I buy them “fresh” for the trip.
6) I never take gifts with me that have been kept in my home. Instead I have any gifts shipped ahead of time, straight from wherever I ordered them online, or buy them along the way.
I don’t know if I’ve spread bedbugs or not. I certainly hope not. I take as much care as possible. I really care about the family and friends I stay with. Most of them don’t know about bedbugs, so even if I tell them, it doesn’t sink in how terrible they can be. I somehow think that precautions like this might help since hotels are not yet reporting bedbugs in 100% of the rooms and not everyone who stays in a hotel with bedbugs gets bedbugs, so there must be a way not to take them with you. However, I think the only way to be absolutely certain you won’t take bedbugs when you visit is if you are visiting a nudist camp.
I eagerly welcome more comments and suggestions on how to do this. It’s a learning process and stuff like this is not written anywhere else. Most of the bedbug articles I find in the media are soooo out of date, often cheeky in tone. They seem to think you just have to cover your mattress and spray, and your problems will go away. They couldn’t even imagine the horror we’ve gone through and we continue to go through on a daily basis.
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nobugsonme | Nov 3, 2006 | Reply
HI Parakeets! Great FAQ.
(By the way, I changed the title to a question, added the word FAQ, and linked to it from the FAQ page–I hope that’s all good with you.)
If anyone has suggestions about both visiting people’s homes overnight OR just regular visiting, we can add that too. Even going to someone’s home for dinner is a frightening prospect. If you use a car, and they’re in your car, it’s especially dangerous.
When you realize that they can hitch a ride in a purse or wallet, let alone a pocket, jacket or book, it’s enough to become a bit obsessive-compulsive.
mgdecombe | Nov 4, 2006 | Reply
Wonderful FAQ! This kind of information is going to be vital to help stop the spread of BBs. It is especially scary to think of spreading them to those we love.
Thanks for a thorough, practical guide!
M
nobugsonme | Nov 4, 2006 | Reply
Hi M,
Isn’t is amazing how many procedures we Bedbuggers have built up, amongst us? And so many things are similar ideas we independently come up with. It’s great to share these with people new to the problem.
Let us know if you have anything to add.
hopingIdon't | Mar 7, 2007 | Reply
If you are not sure and have had an inspection that was useless, what to do next when there is endless clutter. What type of coat is cheap and can be put in the dry to avoid all this dry cleaning. How do you even get the coat to the dry cleaners?
nobugsonme | Mar 7, 2007 | Reply
Hi hopingidont!
We’re happy to answer any questions you have, but please repost this in the correct spot so people will see it and respond. (The comments on this page are just about the FAQ). Here’s what to do: please click on “Need advice?” in the links at the top, and copy and repost your message this following the directions there.
Thanks!
everythingsbuggerintexas | Mar 22, 2007 | Reply
When my apartment was infected with bedbugs, I used rubbing alcohol in a spritz bottle. If you spray the suspected areas and items with rubbing alcohol and cover them with a sheet or seal them in a plastic bag, the bugs usually die out.
I sprayed around the floor of my bed after cleaning everything (bugs were getting in through the air ducts) and before I would get into bed, I sprayed my feet too.
I have read that placing plastic lids containing water under the bed posts (creating a sort of mote) drowns them on their way up to the bed.
Did you know that bed bugs find you by detecting the carbon dioxide you emit, especially while breathing in a deep sleep?
At any rate, they are awful, and some times I fear they have been dormant and will even come into my new home. I pray they don’t!
One last note, a washer and dryer are not usually conveniently located in a person’s apartment. Many times, I had to store clothes in the freezer until I could wash them, but as you know, the cold does not kill them (neither does water), it is the heat that kills them.
Grandma once gave me the strangest look when she saw me remove my bra from the freezer!
Fortunately, our bed-bugs-buddies did not spread to our family and friends.
willow-the-wisp | Mar 30, 2007 | Reply
THINGS I would never be able to bring with me becasue I’ve tossed them:
any and all velcro–including my wallet (with the exception of my hand braces) which I try to keep on my “sterile” note the quotes bed.
Considering the insdiousness and tenacity (size hiding and breeding) I rarely go anywhere anymore anyway. I even want to hug people who want to hug me.
PERSONALLY … I DON’T THINK VISITING–ESPECIALLY OVERNIGHT IS A GOOD IDEA AT ALL.
willow-the-wisp | Mar 30, 2007 | Reply
FOR THE RECORD, LET ME RESTATE IT: Ii DON’T EVEN WANT TO HUG PEOPLE.
Butz | May 22, 2007 | Reply
What if you are someone visiting an infested home?? Can you follow the same procedures to get away “clean”, without taking the bugs home with you??
everythingsbuggerintexas | May 22, 2007 | Reply
Great question, Butz. I would avoid sitting on anything with cushions and/or fabric while in the bed-bug suspected home. You can spray off around your pants legs, and body to help keep the bugs off you.
When you leave, spray your car seat with off (many times they will stay in the car for months and hitch-hike on you to your work place). Once you get home, wash the clothes and shoes that you were wearing with hot water, and take a warm shower. If you don’t have a washing machine, store the clothes in the freezer in an air tight plastic bag until you can wash them in hot water (the cold may not kill them).
I hope that helps
parakeets | May 22, 2007 | Reply
Good question, Butz, and good answer, Everythings.
I would add that you can get extra-large ziploc bags and seal everything you take into the house in bags while you are there: Boots, coats, small suitcases, etc.
There are professional people who prepare homes for bedbug treatments in New York City called Diamond Girls (thank heavens for people brave enough to do that). I asked on another bedbug support group how these folks avoided bringing bedbugs home–since they go into infested homes daily, before the homes are treated–and the answer I got was the shower and washing machine/dryer technique that Everythings referred to here. It certainly works. Yet some PCOs and clutter consultants won’t go into a bedbug-infested home without wearing a Hasmat Tyvek suit with Tyvek booties over their shoes.
nobugsonme | May 22, 2007 | Reply
I would add to Everything that the hot wash should be followed with a hot dry. If you can, shower and change into clean clothing from a sealed bag right before leaving the infested home. And spray your shoes before getting in the car (if relevant).
upat5am | Jun 9, 2007 | Reply
Hi - parakeets - can you give me the information for Diamond Girls? I can’t find it anywhere and may be interested in hiring them/getting their advice.
Thanks
nobugsonme | Jun 9, 2007 | Reply
upat5am,
we heard people who hired Pest Away in NYC were sometimes encouraged to hire Diamond Girls to help them prep for treatment. They may or may not work for just anyone (you might have to be using that PCO), but it is worth a shot. I’d call Pest Away to get their number.
Alternatively, I think it has been posted on the Bedbugger Yahoo Group, click the link in the sidebar and search there (you do not have to be a member).
helly | Jun 14, 2007 | Reply
I think the measures listed aboved are pretty extreme if you only have very light infestation. I find there is not much info out there with people with light/mild infestation. All the info I’ve read is so black and white
hopelessnomo | Jun 14, 2007 | Reply
Hi Helly,
It may be good to think you have a mild infestation if that helps you keep calm and get a sense of control. However, I think it is very unlikely that you can be a very good judge of the level of your infestation. Bedbugs hide very well. Actually, they could be described as unbelievably stealthy. Some of us never see them. Most people don’t have infestations that require PCOs to come in wearing hazmat suits. Does that mean that they therefore have “light” infestations? It depends. I never see my bugs so I may think that anyone who does see them, by definition, has a larger infestation than mine. But I would be wrong if it turns out that I have a lot of bugs but they are just living in non-obvious places. All infestations are controllable. That is the best way to think of them.
As for precautions. Everyone needs to take very careful steps to not spread bugs. Whether you have a mild infestation or not. It doesn’t matter really. All you need is a pregnant female. A single bug and you could give your nightmare to others. You need to follow the laundry protocol, keep your clothes in sealed bags and take all precautions when you leave home for any reason, to go to work, to go visit friends, to go away for the weekend. We’ve heard from a lot of people who have spread their bugs to others or have seen one on themselves in a public place, in their office, say.
Parakeets’ recommendations are quite sensible. You’ll see when you have done more research. Please read the other FAQs and visit the forums if you need any help.
helly | Jun 14, 2007 | Reply
I’m judging my infestation on how many or little bites I have now. I haven’t been bitten for 2 weeks. Before that, I was getting bites almost every night for a week. See what I mean? Trust me I’ve read 100s of posts and blogs regarding this including this website. I’m only saying that there shoulbe a varying degree of suggestions and recommendations. I’m not saying I’m somehow disillusioned by this whole infestation issue.
helly | Jun 14, 2007 | Reply
FYI, I had 2 PCO treaments, and living off plastic bags last 3 weeks. Nothing touches the walls, all my furniture (what’s left of it) are all isolated. Most of my clothes are in plastic bags washed. I inspect everything before I leave my apt. I got rid of almost all my furniture and most of my clothes. I’m moving to a new apt at the end of the month, only with kitchen and computer stuff and my clean clothes in plastic bags. I’m still doing all this; even though, I haven’t got bites for 2 weeks. I’m not gonna relax until I move out of here.
If you see a beg bug(s) in your place, see evidence of them (feces and blodd splatters), and still getting bites, you should definitely take every measure possible to not to spread them.
It is very atypical for a bed bug to be travelling with you on your clothes you are wearing at the moment. This is mostly true. I always check my pockets, seams and cuffs, even my shoes before I go out even though it’s very unlikely they are living in them when you don’t have medium to heavy infestation. They also don’t like to lay eggs in open space (compare to dark crevices and corners) unless infestation is severe.
I know there will be people who will argue with me on these points; that’s fine with me.
nobugsonme | Jun 15, 2007 | Reply
helly,
it sounds like your bed bugs are almost gone–or may be gone (though it’s wise to wait a bit to be sure). These recommendations are not for people whose bed bugs are gone, they’re for people with bed bugs, period, and Parakeets wrote them as someone with bed bugs. As hopelessnomo says, it is hard to judge the seriousness of infestations, though you are right that it seems your bed bugs are being killed off.
Although it’s true that the more bed bugs you have, the more likely you are to spread them, if bed bugs rarely hitchhiked on clothing or bags, then people would not bring them home from hotels, cruises, and others’ homes so easily. It’s also worth pointing out that many people here had what they might think were “light” infestations since they only saw one bug, and yet they managed to spread bed bugs either to others, or to move them (while taking extreme precautions). That’s where some of us are coming from.
At the end of the day, we all have to decide what we’re willing to do to make sure we get rid of or don’t spread bed bugs. It sounds like you yourself are taking pretty serious measures to keep from moving them to a new home.
parakeets | Jun 15, 2007 | Reply
Good points raised here, everybody. Helly, you’re right in that someone who has a very light infestation probably won’t take all these measures when visiting someone overnight, and might not have to. For example, before I knew I had bedbugs, I had stayed overnight with people many times taking no precautions at whatsoever. Though my infestation was not light, I fortunately didn’t spread bedbugs. But those of us with active infestations will relate to the issues raised here by hopelessnomo and nobugs. Behaviors to take when visiting someone when you have bedbugs can be rated on a scale–from “not visiting someone at all when you have bedbugs” on one end, to taking no specific precautions on the other end. We all fall somewhere inbetween. Many of the behaviors we take are to reassure ourselves as much as anything, and that is an important when we deal with bedbugs and anxiety.
A related example came up at the Boston Bedbug Conference. The panel of PCOs and inspectors talked about visiting homes with bedbugs which they do daily, often visiting homes with severe infestations. They said some PCOs wore Tyvek Suits when they visited homes, some also wore Tyvek boots, some just made sure their pants didn’t have cuffs. So even professionals who do this everyday haven’t established their protocols yet.
helly | Jun 15, 2007 | Reply
Thank you your follow up posts. nobugsonme, if you read my post, I do not talk about bags or luggages because I do believe this is one of the easiest way to bring bed bugs with you. I’m only talking about clothes you are wearing; literally on your back. My brother in law works at a homeless shelter, and he’s been battling bed bug infestation for last 2 years there. He often goes into these rooms - with severe infestation - and he hasn’t brought one into his home, knock on wood. Of course, he takes every precaution. I wanted to post my view here because some of the posts here are so severe. ie. like the one who says she/he doesn’t even want to hug people anymore. I think this is too sad and extreme.
hopelessnomo | Jun 15, 2007 | Reply
So, in reality, you were reacting in your original comment not to Parakeets’ travel recommendations but to the anguished expression of one reader of this FAQ?
It seems I always find myself saying this again and again: you cannot expect everyone to have a moderate, calm reaction in the face of bedbugs. For some, it’s like a bulldozer in our lives. Just because you are possessed of equanimity and feel comfortable that you have a light infestation under control, it does not mean that somehow those who react differently and come here to express themselves freely are blowing things out of proportion. Extreme measures and reactions are in the eye of the beholder. I think that throwing away your furniture and moving away to escape an infestation is pretty extreme. Must I judge you because of it? Must I say the equivalent of “get a grip?”
I’m sorry if I’m coming on too strong on this point but I am personally offended every time this type of comment comes up. Yes, I offend easily.
everythingsbuggerintexas | Jun 15, 2007 | Reply
You know, bed bugs are really just a nuisance. They are not known to spread disease and most of the time you don’t see them. If you’re cool with that, ignore the small infestation and let it grow, share the little buggers with your friends and family.
I was not cool with it and I got rid of mine. I chose to take every precaution I could until the problem was resolved. As a result, no one I know “contracted” them.
helly | Jun 15, 2007 | Reply
I’m sorry I offended you.
hopelessnomo | Jun 15, 2007 | Reply
No, please, no need, like I said, it’s me, I’m very sensitive to this. And anxious that people don’t misinterpret and not take the precautions we all take. (We’re all counting on the people we work with, ride subways with, etc.) I’m glad you’re adding to the conversation. That’s the way to do it.
everythingsbuggerintexas | Jun 15, 2007 | Reply
No, no offence. I know the measures that we go through to avoid the nuisance seem extreem, but when you wake up to find a fat bedbug engorged and red with your own blood crawling in your sheets to get away, or talk to your roommate and find your gaze drifting to the bed bug crawling from his shirt collar and up to his neck, you kind of don’t want to take any risks. They reproduce extremly fast and foggers dont usually kill them; cleanliness doesn’t kill them.
They hide all day until you sleep, then they creep up like little vampires to feed on you while your asleep. Gross, eh?
We did the following:
1. wash all of your clothes in hot water and dry in hot heat (bag and seal when finished). Wash bedding often 1-2 x or more a week. Move bed away from the wall.
2. minimal infestation (can’t see blood spots on matress): cover your matress and pillows with plastic (to lock the bugs and eggs until they die…6 months to 1 year); heavy infestation: disgard matress.
3. Raid Ant & Roach killer (Country Fresh scent) worked for us when we sprayed it in the corners of room and around furniture. For some reason this one works better than the others (I don’t know why). I wouldn’t try it if you have infants or small animals in the house.
4. Find a new place to live.
5. When moving to new place spray legs and shoes with OFF and wash (as mentioned in 1) clothes immediately after entering the new place (1 pregnant bug can start the whole infestation all over again).
6. Discard as much of the infested furniture as you can aford to disgard(especially couches). Spray what you can keep and let dry before bringing into the new home.
7. Of course, let the property owners know about the infestation (mild or not). If you live in an apartment, they are responsible for getting rid of the bugs, but usually the bugs spread through the air ducts until the whole building is infested. Our apartment complex treated out unit twice, but we still woke up with the bugs despite our cleanliness and effort. A month ago, I visited the manager and was informed that they found the source: the neighbor downstairs had a grossly large swarm of them under the cooling unit in the bathroom!
I hope this helps.
nobugsonme | Jun 15, 2007 | Reply
Hi Everything,
I am glad your methods worked for you, and I am glad you stopped by.
I’d personally recommend people get a PCO and treat professionally. Not only will they solve the problem more efficiently and surely, but they can usually help you retain your furniture and even mattresses (they treat them). I’d venture that most people who go the professional route spend less money than those who self treat and, as you recommend, “Discard as much of the infested furniture as you can… especially couches”. Sometimes things need to be tossed, but usually not. What’s more, if you toss, your neighbors and community are likely to take in your stuff, no matter what warnings you attach to them. If they do, your problems can keep coming back. If you move, they can spread to your old neighbors.
Again, I am not trying to criticize you, but just pointing out why our FAQs disagree with you on the ant/roach spray and on the tossing furniture.
—–
helly,
I think a lot of us thought you were disagreeing with the FAQ and not just with the comment about hugging by one reader, Willow. You only mentioned “the measures listed above,” so this was a fair assumption.
I am glad you clarified, and we can all move on
P McFarland | Jul 18, 2007 | Reply
We just found out my husband’s ex has bedbugs at her house. My stepson is at our house quite often. I am wondering what I can do to prevent him from bringing bedbugs into our home - poor little guy! Thanks!
nobugsonme | Jul 18, 2007 | Reply
The FAQ above should be helpful as should the FAQ on how to deal with clothing.
But the bottom line is everyone needs to understand that the bed bugs can easily spread from her home to yours via things your stepson wears or brings with him. Bed bugs don’t live on people, but they “hitchhike” in clothing and stuff.
Is her home being treated properly?
ihateBB | Jul 22, 2007 | Reply
I often go back to my parents apartment. Every time I come in, I go straight to the bathroom and take a shower and soak the clothes that I wore in hot water. I handwash my clothes and put on a new outfit after the shower. I really don’t want to spread the BBs to other people, so I won’t allow visitors to my apartment anymore, other than my immediate family like my brothers and father, who help me with the preparation treatment and other stuff. I wish that I don’t need them to come, but I can’t do everything myself, so I ask for their help. Given the choice, I would rather do everything myself, so this way my family don’t have to come to apt either.
hopelessnomo | Jul 23, 2007 | Reply
With a few precautions, your brothers and father will be fine. I’m glad you have their support. It’s very hard to fight bedbugs alone.
I wish more families were understanding and supporting in this way.
Anyway, it will get better, you’ll see.
Good luck.
learningalot_bb | Aug 13, 2007 | Reply
If you know your friends have recently travelled and don’t take bedbug precautions AND they are coming to stay with you, how do you get them to be careful while staying at your place? But, also doing this without insulting them as guests to your home, or making them think you’re over-reacting?
hopelessnomo | Aug 13, 2007 | Reply
Learningalot,
The above precautions are suggested for people who already know they have bedbugs and need to stay with friends or family.
I’m afraid your situation is very different. Your friends are either the types of friends you can talk about bedbugs with or they’re not. It sounds like they’re not. I think if they see your anxiety, it won’t be a happy visit. In any case, do you think that your friends would visit you and put you at risk if they knew they had bedbugs?
I suggest you don’t assume that everyone who travels will acquire bedbugs. Unless you have reason to suspect that your friends have been exposed to them, I’m not sure where your concern stems from.
learningalot_bb | Aug 13, 2007 | Reply
Thanks for your response, hopelessnomo. You’re right in saying that friends staying over will either be ones we can talk frankly about bedbugs (BBs) or not; honestly I don’t know how they’d react to such a conversation as we’ll be meeting our friend’s new spouse for the first time.
I think you hit the nail on the head, when you comment that I’m assuming people who travel will acquire BBs or that my friends have been exposed to BBs on their travels. Unfortunately, I don’t feel comfortable about taking your suggestion, above. And, my concern stems from the fact that I am assuming travelling and staying at hotels without taking precautions is asking for trouble whether people realize what BBs are or not. I guess my ignorant attitude comes from thinking we should take responsiblity for things on a global trend; I think that assuming we perpetuate this particular problem when we don’t take the proactive steps of being careful on travels as habit, will eventually help towards limiting the spread of BBs.
Of course, people aren’t going to stay at their friends’ houses to deliberately put them at risk of BBs…I’m not an idiot and that’s not my question. I was hoping for some constructive comments about how to sensitively broach the subject with people that might not be aware of the real effects of BBs without making them think they are unwelcome in my home. Of course my friends are welcome that’s why they are invited.
Yet, I still want to know how to broach this sensitive subject, though. Hope you have suggestions for this point, instead of: assuming you know who my friends are, believe it won’t be a happy visit, or devalue my question by wondering what my concern is about.
hopelessnomo | Aug 13, 2007 | Reply
Learningalot,
I regret that I caused offense. Believe it or not, I was trying to reassure you. You were evidently a person who has never suffered bedbugs, as there’s no other way that you could have asked such a question. Therefore, since I really believe that there is NO way to tell your friends that you want them to launder their clothes and bag their luggage when they arrive in your home without making them feel unwelcome, I was simply trying to assuage your fears.
If you had suffered from bedbugs, your friends would do anything not to cause you any anxiety and you could ask them anything! As it is, no, I don’t think there is any way to ask without causing offense. You can raise the subject at the dinner table, it’s always good to share bedbug knowledge, but by then it’s too late: they’re in your guest room and the fat lady has sung.
Therefore, I am completely out of advice. I am sure that other people who are more respectful and up on the finer points of etiquette than I am will come to lend a hand.
Good night.
nobugsonme | Aug 13, 2007 | Reply
Learningalot,
Tone is sometimes hard to read on the internet, but I don’t think hopelessnomo meant you any offence. In fact I know hopelessnomo didn’t, cause we go way back (8 months or so, which is a long time in the bed bug blog world).
You asked, “how do you get them (traveling friends) to be careful while staying at your place? But, also doing this without insulting them as guests to your home, or making them think you’re over-reacting?”
My own response to your question would be that if your friends had bed bugs, it’s what your friends do BEFORE coming to your place, not once they’re there, that would put you in jeopardy. (The FAQ outlines how they could avoid that: laundering clothes, etc.)
Once they’re in your home, I don’t see what precautions they need to take.
It is my sense that if your friends had picked up bed bugs in their travels, you’re at more risk if they come straight to your home from a hotel, rather than if they come from their home. This is because if they did pick up bed bugs, they’re more likely to “deposit” them where they unpack first.
I agree with hopelessnomo that the odds on your friends having caught bed bugs while traveling is not that great. In addition, even if they had them, they have a good shot at figuring that out before they visit you.
I have stayed in many hotel rooms since becoming aware of bed bugs, and I can honestly say I have searched many times and found no signs–and I am pretty attuned to the signs. So it is possible to travel bed bug free, at least now.
I have one other recommendation: encourage all your friends and relatives to watch the 15 minute CBC video here:
http://www.cbc.ca/mrl3/8752/marketplace/bed_eggs.wmv
Not only does it drive home the risks of bed bugs in hotels and how awful they can be back at home, it also shows, in detail, how to search a hotel room for them. I think sharing with friends in an email how you found it useful might encourage them to watch it too.
Good luck!
learningalot_bb | Aug 14, 2007 | Reply
nobugsonme, I appreciate your weighing in without sounding patrionizing. The video and your point (about there being more risk if my friends come to my place directly from their hotel to my place) were very helpful. The information was also more along the lines of knowledge-sharing I was hoping to get from this forum.
I think passing along the CBC clip with friends who travel is an excellent way to raise awareness. Thanks for suggesting that method. And, thanks for not saying that evidently I had never experienced BBs or I wouldn’t be asking my questions in the first place. I had thought that the more questions the general public asks about reducing BB spread the better. I hadn’t travelled for 10yrs, and then suddenly this year I went on business trips and stayed in Auckland, Sydney, and Saskatoon (and next Narita). I’m trying to learn about the problem and not spread it, so I tried to follow the precautions posted by Betty_Woo on TripAdvisor.
I know that’s not what everybody’ll do, especially if they’ve never been infested with BBs, but I tried because I’m very allergic to insect bites (the BB bites I got so far on my trips itched for 2 months…), and I didn’t want to bring back unwanted souvenirs. I know it’s awful to live with biting insects from living as a student in 2 places with fleas. The first place, the previous tenants had 12 dogs and cats, and when the 6 of us moved in to the now empty house I was the only one getting bitten. No one believed me that there were bugs (and so the landlord refused to do anything), and that on top of the bugs, the disbelief, and the summer heat, were all making me feel like I was going to go mad. I ended up sleeping in the tub wrapped in saranwrap, and finally, when I went home for a visit the other roommates got bit in my absence and that’s when the landlord (she lived upstairs and also got bitten once I went home for the visit) decided to get rid of the fleas. The second time I moved into a place and found fleas, I moved out immediately. So, now I try to avoid bug-infestations whenever I can, and, I ask questions that seem inappropriate, perhaps.
Anyway, if you’ll be kind enough to comment: To follow-up on your point about the unpacking, I’m just wondering what the likelihood of BBs staying on fabric suitcases are over the BBs getting off the case and depositing themselves closer to the bed–i.e. if people transport the BBs from their trip to their home on their suitcases, will BBs usually get off the suitcase right away, or stay on them for a few months?
Cheers, and still trying to learn,
learningalot_bb
nobugsonme | Aug 14, 2007 | Reply
Learningalot,
I am kind of saddened that you are persisting with jabs at hopelessnomo, who I’ve already stated I do not think was trying to be unkind or unhelpful. You might try and remember that she was taking her time to answer your question, for free, on the internet. And as I said, tone is sometimes hard to read. That puts the onus not just on the writer, but also the reader. Remember also that hopelessnomo did not have all the information you’re providing now.
About Betty Woo,
Although we may disagree on a few points, most all of her recommendations are found in our Travel FAQs here:
http://bedbugger.com/faqs/travel/
(This is just one of them.)
I don’t think anyone can speculate on how long a bug will stay in a suitcase, except that adult bugs normally feed every week or so, and newly hatched eggs yield hungry nymphs, who also want to eat (probably right away). So they’re likely to walk away from that suitcase within a week after their last meal, or when they’re born. I don’t think you can count on your visitors’ bugs, if any, staying put.
Good luck and try not to worry. Bed bugs are spreading, but they are not everywhere yet. I have had many happy hotel stays since I first learned about bed bugs.
nobugsonme | Aug 14, 2007 | Reply
ps If you want to do something preventative, protect your mattresses and box springs with encasements (as per our faq on protecting the bed).
Also, you might lightly dust some DE (diatomaceous earth) around the edges of the room, and around the legs of furniture, and in corners. Use it with caution–you don’t want it to be breathed. But freshwater FOOD GRADE DE is a mechanical killer of bed bugs. Should a few come out of a suitcase, they could be nipped in the bud. If you dust as lightly as you should, your guests will be none the wiser. Read our FAQ on DE in the pest control section.
learningalot_bb | Aug 14, 2007 | Reply
nobugsonme, very thought-provoking comments, thanks. I also passed on the cbc clip via email to the friend, so thanks for that suggestion, too.
I’ll look into the DE, but what do you think about sprinkling borax? And, I just heard some interesting research in using scents as repellent. Currently, there’s research into plastic bags infused with mint-scent, which is unpleasant to rodents (and perhaps roaches). Have you heard of any scents unpleasant to bedbugs?
Cheers,
learningalot_bb
nobugsonme | Aug 14, 2007 | Reply
Borax is not effective from what I hear.
Fresh water, food grade (NOT POOL GRADE) DE is the thing.
Also lavender, tea tree–none of these will get rid of your bed bugs if you have them. They have a strong survival instinct. Once in your home, it is hard to kill them. Repellents, those that do exist (and I do not mean scents or herbs) may make your problems worse by driving them into the walls.
This is all covered in the FAQs!
learningalot_bb | Aug 15, 2007 | Reply
nobugsonme, THANKS! You’ve been a great help.
nobugsonme | Aug 15, 2007 | Reply
You’re welcome.
troubled | Aug 17, 2007 | Reply
i’m dating someone who has let a friend of his w/bed begs stay at his apartment for at least two nights. i have no idea about the level of infestation, although i agree with others that it probably doesn’t matter b/c all you really need is one, especially a female. i have no idea what kind of precautions the friend took before coming to his place. i’m deadly terrified about getting infected by visiting his apartment. any recommendations besides not visiting his apartment again or having him visit mine.
Hatebugs | Sep 27, 2007 | Reply
I jsut moved into my very first apartment on Sept. 7th and then 10 days later I start getting bites. Then 8 days later I kill one of these beetle looking things on the wall, this is the third one I have killed since I had moved in. So I went and looked on the internet and freak out because it looked exactly like the image of a bed bug. I went to management and they sent in a exterminator the next day to look through my place and confirmed that it was bed bugs. I didn’t have at the house I was at before I moved and my sister moved at the same time I did to a different complex and she doesn’t have bed bugs. So to me, I think the bed bugs were already in the apartment. Management is accusing me of bringing them in a threatening to break my lease if the bugs aren’t gone by the second spraying. What should I do? Should I stick it out for 12 months or should I let them do the spraying and move and hope that I don’t take any bugs with me? I am also paranoid that I could have spread bed bugs to my friends and family before I knew I had them. It they do a through cleaning like what I have to do to my apartment they should be ok, right? Please help!
persona-non-bugga | Sep 27, 2007 | Reply
I’m outraged on your behalf. Management is full of crap. They’re so lucky that an army of contingency-fee lawyers haven’t brought suits against landlords for renting out bedbug-infested apartments.
I’m sorry. Bedbugs like to hide. If you see bedbugs crawling around freely in the apartment, then that indicates a heavier infestation. Chances are they’ve been there multiplying for a while. Not just for the few weeks you’ve been there.
- The previous tenant might not have been allergic to bites. Lots of people don’t react to bites. So the last tenant might’ve never complained to management, simply because he didn’t know they were there. Doesn’t mean they weren’t there.
- It frequently takes more than two treatments to get rid of an infestation. That ultimatum of two sprayings or else is … wow! I just don’t have the words ….
- Talk to your neighbors - especially in units that adjoin yours. Perhaps they have bedbug problems that management is in denial about.
- If there’s someone on your management staff that’s not a total jerk, could it be worthwhile to try to educate them about bedbugs? Print out a few FAQs on this site or scientific info linked about non-reaction to bites, typical length of treatment, etc. Whatever you think might help your case.
- On the other hand, maybe it’s good that you have a chance to get away from such hostile building management. If you decide to move, check out the forum and search for messages on how to move house without taking the bedbugs with you. Lots of good and lengthy advice there.
nobugsonme | Sep 28, 2007 | Reply
Hatebugs,
It is probable that the prior tenants had them. It could also be that the current neighbors have them and they are coming over. In either case, as persona says, they could be unaware (because not allergic).
It is impossible for your landlord to prove that you brought them in. It’s also impossible for you to prove you did not. (It’s not likely that such a large infestation was brought in by a few stray bugs from a shopping trip, or a few bugs in your moving truck.)
I agree that should should try to talk to others among the management. We have heard from one tenant who had a hard time with management, and so went over their heads and got great treatment. Landlords and managers who are higher up may be more aware.
You should educate yourself about local housing laws. It may be illegal for the landlord to break your lease for this reason.
Also, your friends and family should read about bed bugs (lots of information linked from here) and be on the alert for signs of bed bugs. (Click photos of bed bugs and signs of bed bugs above to start!)
buggyinli | Sep 29, 2007 | Reply
Hi I have to stay with a friend every time my PCO treats, as I am a cancer survivor and am recommended to not come in for 24 hours after they spray. I am in agonies of fear of spreading the bugs to my kind friends who take me in under these conditions. This leads me to a side question: is there any statistic about what kind of people experience the worst reactions. In other words, I wonder if I get such bad bites just because I’m immune compromised.
Maybe I should ask about this in another forum, but I don’t know which one!
Mandalynn | Oct 2, 2007 | Reply
Hi…I just found out that a guy that works for my husband, is infested with bed bugs. The whole apartment complex is. Aparently, this has been an ongoing problem for them (unknowingly) for many months. What are the chances that we might inherit these critters? The worker sometimes travels short distances with him in his truck and they obvioulsy work together so that is the extent of contact. Im soo concerned about this. Thanks
Anonymous | Oct 2, 2007 | Reply
Mandalynn,
I had the same issue. I have bed bugs in my new apartment, and I carpool to work every other day with my coworker. She was really paranoid that it may have got into her car. I told her to vacuum really well and wash her car seat covers. I live in Colorado, so the heat or the cold here soon will kill off anything that maybe left. Once I found out that I had the bugs I makes sure everything is in plastic and don’t take it out until I am ready to get dressed, which is right before I leave to go to her house or she comes to mine, just to make sure there is nothing on them. Check out the forums too, there is a lot of advice on there. Good luck!
LML | Nov 14, 2007 | Reply
My uncle is elderly, and living in a building which is INFESTED with bedbugs. He brought them to my house…and i have since eradicated (I hope!) them from my home, with much effort, money and turmoil to my household. The only question remaining is, how to handle his infestation? He’s too old to “stay on top of this” issue, with plastic bags, and washing…not to mention the expense. He won’t even engage in a conversation about it with me. It’s heartbreaking, but iIcan’t have him to my home anymore. Even for the holidays! Any suggestions short of leaving town for the holidays?
hopelessnomo | Nov 15, 2007 | Reply
LML,
The elderly need help in battling their infestations. From friends, family, social services. The obvious first step is to get help from an experienced pest control company. If the infestations in the building where he lives are widespread, and efforts to control them have not been effective, the tenants need to organize and consider complaining to the health and/or housing authorities.
There are many helpful things that can be done. Shunning him is not one of them. You can learn about how to limit your exposure when you see him. Please keep reading the FAQs and visit the forums (blue bug above) if you have further questions.
parakeets | Nov 16, 2007 | Reply
Maybe you could take him out to eat at a restaurant? I can understand why you would not want him to come into your home, but I do hope you get to see him since he is elderly and very much in need of support and education if he is suffering from bedbugs.
If he did come to your house, could you bring new (or washed and dried on hot) set of clothes to his place, have him shower and dress in the new clothes, and then immediately bring him over to your place? Maybe you could time when you pick him up to right after he takes his shower. Keep his coats and bags in the car. Have EVERYONE take off their shoes outside, including him, and shoes won’t be a problem, either. Some elderly folks love to wear new clothes (particulalry if they are after his favorite football team).
Diamond Girls is the name of a cleaning service in Brooklyn that goes daily into highly infested homes to prepare them before they are treated by PCOs. I once asked how they could do that without getting infested themselves. They said they came home, washed their clothes and dried them in a hot dryer and took a shower. If that works for people who are exposed to bedbugs daily, it should work for your uncle, but I think the new clothes might be a nice surprise rather than handing him a set of his clothes that you had washed and dried and stored in ziplocks.
hopelessnomo | Nov 16, 2007 | Reply
These are great suggestions, Parakeets. I hope LML takes them to heart.
Winston O. Buggy | Nov 16, 2007 | Reply
Follow up on Bed Bug Float for Thnksgiving.
Tyvek it’s not just for turkeys.
LML | Nov 17, 2007 | Reply
Yes. All of this advice is smart and accurate, and I would never think of abandoning him. This is why this situation is so impossible. I would have never been able to imagine a more difficult and impossible scenario. I am between a rock and a hard place. He is in complete denial. He denies that he has bedbugs. He becomes very animated and defensive when i try to discuss possible solutions with him…and he has sworn off me. I understand that dignity is essential to his survival at this point in his life especially.
I even suggested trying to relocate him to another city, start fresh, so to speak. We (our family) would take care of relocation costs…he wants to move to a warmer climate where some of his close friends have relocated to. It would be easier than trying to have him comply to the necessary procedures….which would never be possible for him to adhere to because he is too stubborn. He’s too set in his ways and too defensive.
Anyhow, thanks for all of your input…but I think we’re going to be stuck to meeting in public places. (not very reassuring for the general public!) This is a terrible thing.
I had to spend months and thousands of dollars dealing with the bedbugs he brought into my home…I can’t do it again. Such a shame since it was so nice to offer time away from the city…spending time at my home…he loved it at my house…and i/we always enjoyed his company.
nobugsonme | Nov 17, 2007 | Reply
LML,
I hope you can indeed convince him to make the move he always dreamed of. But keep in mind if you do, you’ll need to take steps to de-bug his stuff before or while he is going. There are ways to do this.
Bed bugs are spreading around the country. Unfortunately, when someone is in denial, it is hard to help (other than the ways others have mentioned). When people are badly bitten, for a long time, they can develop anemia. I wonder if there are any social workers or social service agencies who could help? Maybe hearing that the building is infested (as it surely is) and that everyone will be treated will be more convincing? I don’t personally think living with bed bugs is an option.
Anonymous | Nov 17, 2007 | Reply
As far as precautions, I take everything I’m packing and put it in a laundromat drier for at least 30min, then pack right there at the laundromat, bagging everything in plastic before I go home and only removing the outer plastic bag from the outside of my duffel as I leave.
I have also been spraying my day to day bag with sterifab before leaving the house. No idea if this works, but one can hope.
John | Nov 20, 2007 | Reply
If you discard upholstered furniture that may have bed bugs, rip open all the fabric. That will preven others from using it.
nobugsonme | Nov 20, 2007 | Reply
Good idea, John. We often recommend slashing it with a boxcutter.
John | Nov 21, 2007 | Reply
Bed bugs can apparently be picked up on buses and airliners. I once had a raincoat made of thin non-woven vinyl, with welded seams. It was very cheap. This would be good for public transportation.
It doesn’t seem likely that bed bugs could cling to the outside of it, but after an airliner trip it could be discarded after a single use. For daily bus use, it could be hung outside a person’s home.
However, these raincoats are now to find, except as women’s fashions which are rather costly. Perhaps some clothing manufacurer could start making them again as low-cost items. The raincoat should be long (about knee length), and should have no pockets and no slash pockets, and maybe with a zipper up the front.
They would also be useful when it rains!
nobugsonme | Nov 21, 2007 | Reply
John,
I don’t think a raincoat is going to protect you from bed bugs on public transit. Bed bugs can crawl up your leg if they want to.
John | Nov 21, 2007 | Reply
I read a report from England about several women who were bitten on the back of their calves by bed bugs. The source was traced to a street car.
Did the bed bugs crawl down from the seat, or up from the floor? If they came up from the floor, would patent-leather shoes have stopped them? I have seen patent leather boots for women that were nearly knee high.
At any rate, a non-woven rain coat would be considerably better than nothing at all.
John | Nov 21, 2007 | Reply
In reply to Parakeet’s concern about carrying bed bugs to other people’s homes, bed bugs are reported to be killed at a temperature of 120 degrees F. Before leaving home, put the clothes and shoes you will wear in a hot dryer and take a very hot shower. Then put on the clothes from the dryer. Then it will be OK unless some of the critters are in your car.
A human being can stand a temperature of 120 degrees F. In hot-weather regions of the world, the temperature gets to that level occasionally. When I lived in Arizona I remember the temperature reaching 115 degrees F in the shade, and I often went out in the sun where it was higher.
Are there any reports of bed bugs from hot-weather regions? They could be brought in duringcool weather, but would probably disappear when it gets hot.
A bed bug map of the world would be useful. Hey you medical people, how about it? You already have maps showing the occurrence or absence of many diseases.
parakeets | Nov 21, 2007 | Reply
I was in Phoenix, Arizona, this summer and it was 116 degrees F during the day, even at 6 at night. Yet Phoenix has a bedbug problem! Sadly, you have to heat the bedbug *itself* up to 120 degrees, not just the ambient air. If the bedbug is surrounded by insulation of any sort, it might not be 120 degrees where the bedbug is hiding. I’ve been told that historically people in Central America would take their bedbug-infested household goods and bake them out in the sun in the summer, when it was similar temperatures, just to get rid of bedbugs. So, yes there are reports of hot-weather bedbugs, but there are ways to make them disappear when it gets hot. I don’t know if the heat would kill the eggs. I heard a talk by a person who lived in Bangladesh, where it was always steamy hot, and he said they always had bedbugs growing up. Go figure.
parakeets | Nov 21, 2007 | Reply
Re England: I’ve never heard that patent leather shoes would stop bedbugs. I’ve seen bedbugs in my apartment crawl up simlarly smooth and slippery things, so I am pretty sure they could climb up patent leather boots, too. When I was a little girl, we would put Vaseline on our patent leather shoes, and Vaseline stops bedbugs so maybe that would work? My take is that the bedbugs came from the seat, not the floor, but that’s only a guess. Bedbugs like harbourages where it is dark and they are not disturbed. I think the floor would be cleaned regularly (at least I hope it would) and would not be dark. The seats, particularly if they are upholstered, provide many places for a bedbug to hide. They have found bedbugs in airplane seats. I once was bitten while sitting in a plastic airport seat about 3:00 am in the morning and there were places where the legs were locked into the floor and I thought the bedbugs could have hidden there.
John | Nov 21, 2007 | Reply
Parakeets, your sarcastic comment “Go figure” was uncalled for.
The method I suggested, a very hot shower and putting clothes in a hot clothes dryer, should work as well as putting household goods under a hot tropical sun. The only question is, how long do the bed bugs themselves have to be exposed to the heat?
As well as 120 F, I have seen the figure 113 F as sufficient to kill them.
“Steamy hot” in Bangladesh is not necessarily 120 F throughout a residence and its contents. “Steamy” humidity also makes the temperature seem higher than it is.
As for the plastic airport seat, the bed bug may have got on you earlier.
What is needed is not anecdotal evidence, but scientific investigation.
hopelessnomo | Nov 21, 2007 | Reply
Go figure is simply conversational and Parakeets was actually being kind.
There is a ton of interesting and useful scientific research discussed and linked to in the FAQs and other posts here. Really, an embarrassment of ideas and thoughts based in science and careful thought.
I would advise you to read a bit more before posting. Recommending that children be bathed with scalding water, for example, is thoroughly misguided, and a few minutes of reading here might persuade you of it.
John | Nov 22, 2007 | Reply
With regard to scientific investigation, I had in mind whether bed bugs can climb up very smooth surfaces like sheet vinyl and chrome-plated chair legs.
With regard to bed bugs in the tropics, there is a tropical species of bed bug, scientifically called Cimex hemipterus. It is not found in temperate regions, although it does occur in Florida.
The temperate-region bedbugs are Cimex lectularius. I don’t know whether these can live in the tropics. If they don’t, geographical maps of their occurrence, together with temperature data, would show how much heat it takes to kill them off. This would take professional scientific investigation. For one thing, the investigators would need to know how to tell the two species apart. Air-conditioned hotels and homes would be left out of the investigation. The places to check would be simple native huts that become thoroughly baked under the sun.
John | Nov 22, 2007 | Reply
Of course, the heat tolerance of Cimex lectularius can also be tested in temperature chambers in labs. Some college students in the US would be glad to spend a weekend in a 120-degree chamber to earn some tuition money! And maybe the temperature need only be 113 degrees.
hopelessnomo | Nov 22, 2007 | Reply
Bedbugs do not live on human skin.
Washing possibly infested clothes in hot water (at 60dC/140dF and above) kills all life stages. (Naylor)
There have been two laundry experiments that we know of. Dr. Potter (Univ. of Kentucky) found that tumble-drying (already dry items) in high heat (above 175dF) for 5 minutes kills all life stages. Richard Naylor (Univ. of Sheffield, UK) found that tumble-drying in hot for 30 minutes and above kills all life stages. (Apparently the dryer reached 45dC).
While the thermal death point is 113dF, structural thermal treatments, like Parakeets already mentioned, must take into account that bedbugs may be insulated in their hiding locations, and so, we are told, the aim is to raise the temperature to 120dF for four hours.
Did I already mention that bedbugs do not live on human skin?
John | Nov 23, 2007 | Reply
Bed bugs spend most of their time in cracks and crevices. But people do carry bed bugs about on their clothing or body. Therefore, if they are known to have them in their home, they are not welcome guests in the homes of others. And the bug carriers themselves do not want to spread them. I suggested to Parakeets how to temporarily get rid of them.
Before the days of air conditioning, many babies were raised in places like Arizona and were perfectly all right.
Also, the bugs get carried onto public transportation and air liners on people’s bodies or clothing.
nobugsonme | Nov 24, 2007 | Reply
No, John,
Bed bugs can be carried onto buses on or in people’s clothing or bags. They can also LIVE in the buses if they find a harborage. But bed bugs do not live on people’s skin per se.
Further, it is simply not necessary to scald your children. Any kind of shower would remove a bed bug that remained on someone once their clothing was removed, however, I seriously do not think people will experience this. Bed bugs do not harbor on people unless they never remove their clothing and wash it.
I think you will find that people did not force their children to hang around in a 120dF sun in Arizona. It is not impossible to create liveable conditions for families. I ask, again, that people not scald themselves or children in overly hot water.
parakeets | Nov 26, 2007 | Reply
John, As Hopelessnomo spoke up, I absolutely meant no offense or sarcasm by ending my post to you with the phrase “Go figure.” I simply meant it in the tone “Who can figure this crazy world out!” Or “Who could could possibly figure out that one!” I have to remember that people on this board come from many backgrounds and countries and coloquial phrases can unfortunately be misintreprested here. This is a very intelligent and kindly group and people are trying to help. Being bedbug sufferers, we are united in a bond we never wanted to share.
John | Nov 26, 2007 | Reply
OK Parakeets. It seemed you were saying I was dumb, but I see your meaning now.
mary | Nov 27, 2007 | Reply
We stayed at a hotel last weekend. My sons bed was infested because when we woke in the morning there was blood all over his arms hands, neck , sheets and pillowcase.
When I pulled the blanket off the bed there were numerous bugs crawling all over the bed. I aws horrified!!!! I have never seen bed bugs before, but after investigating this and other websites, I am 100% sure they were bedbugs.
These are my questions:
1. My son was bitten Sat/Sun, but the but the symptoms (bumps and bite marks with itching) did not show up until 5-6 days later.On waking and seeing the bugs, he immediately took a shower. After showering, there was not a mark on him nor was he itchy after showering!!! I kept asking him for the next few days if he saw any bite marks or had any itching. There was none until the following Fri/Sat. Then he woke COVERED in bite marks on his hands, wrists, neck and ankles that were VERY itchy.
Does anyone have any informaton on why he was obviously bitten many times but had no reaction to the bites until several days later?
nobugsonme | Nov 27, 2007 | Reply
Yes–this happens. Some people react immediately, some hours later, some up to nine days later (we’re told). Several days seems common. Did you take any steps to avoid bringing them home? Please consider writing a review on tripadvisor.com and also reporting the hotel on the bed bug registry (see sidebar at right: “Report Infested Addresses.”
mary | Nov 27, 2007 | Reply
Thank you “nobugsonme” for the reply about reaction time and info. The hotel manager refused to believe the bugs were from the room, despite the evidence, so I am relieved that there is somewhere I can write a review and report this incident. Perhaps I can save someone else from this grief.
Since I had no experience with this issue, I tried to do what I thought would be preventative. The minute we arrived home (12-14 hours later) we all showered and put all clothes were wore during the trip in the wash(and dryer-for long enough, I hope). Any remaining bags, luggage, etc, I left in the car in bags until I could empty them outdoors, shake them out and launder them. In retrospect, this may not have been ideal, since now, I realize that my car may now be infested.
I purchased mattress covers as recommended on this site and covered his matress, boxspring. I have washed all bedding, blankets, daily. I have relaundered all clothing we wore or packed for the trip, including coats. I have not waSHED
shoes yet-
Im not sure what to do about shoes.
Im not sure what to do about the CAR.
Can any one give me suggestions about what to do with the car,???? (besides vaccuming it, which I will do tomorrow)
I have vaccumed our house(floors, carpet and couches) and shampooed the carpet with a small portable Bissel unit we own.
I am considering buying a small steamer to steam our couch, because everyone in the family sits on the couch, often immediately after getting out of the car.
Its only been a week, but I feel like I am loosing it already.
Am I doing too much or not enough?
Do any of the “natural products” work as a preventative measure while I sit and wait?
Thank you for any advise !!!!!
mary | Nov 27, 2007 | Reply
And what about pets?
We have a dog, cat and parakeet.
nobugsonme | Nov 28, 2007 | Reply
Hi MAry, you should re-post your comment on the forum:
http://bedbugger.com/forum
Just copy and paste it.
Also, read the FAQs first, as they should help somewhat. There are lots of folks in the forums and we will answer your questions there.
don’t panic. You can’t be certain you have bed bugs. It is possible to be exposed and not bring them home.
mary | Nov 28, 2007 | Reply
thank you, nobugsonme.
John | Dec 2, 2007 | Reply
I live in bugless bliss. I am a bedbug virgin. Not a virgin bedbug, but a bedbug virgin. In other words, I have never been bitten by them. In fact, I have never even seen one.
I did have carpet beetles once. At least, I think that was what they were. They appeared only in my carpeted living room, never in the kitchen or bedroom which have linoleum floors. The beetles were about 3 sixteenths inch long, and had several black and light-tan stripes sideways across the body.
An occasional spider also appeared, including a few of the daddy longlegs variety. I squashed all beetles and spiders with a paper towel.
My policy was kill-em-all. However, it occurred to me that the spiders might be killing the carpet beetles. So I left the spiders alone. It took a while, but the carpet beetles finally disappeared. I never used insecticide of any kind during that period.
When I was convinced the carpet beetles were gone for good, I used cat flea and tick spray to abolish the spiders. Ticks have 8 legs, like spiders. I did not want to use any kind of insecticide that would harm cats, possibly much later. I like cats and do not want to harm them.
If the spiders really exterminated the carpet beetles, maybe spiders will go for bedbugs too, especially the small nymphs.
A spider can be your best friend. Leave them alone and see if that affects the local BB population. You could even catch spiders elsewhere and release them in your house or apartment.
Gardening supply stores sell containers of insects, such as ladybugs, that are beneficial to the garden. Who knows, maybe some day we will see containers of spiders for sale.
hopelessnomo | Dec 2, 2007 | Reply
Well, that explains everything.
nobugsonme | Dec 3, 2007 | Reply
John,
Your posts are this close to being deleted as “spam.”
Readers: please DO NOT try and obtain spiders, ladybugs, or any other insects and release them into your home. Read our FAQs for researched and sensible information about bed bugs.
John | Dec 7, 2007 | Reply
I have a suggestion for the Clear Contractor Bags thread. I forgot my password, so I will post the suggestion here.
For sealing clothes in bags, one poster suggested the heavy clear plastic bags that are used in the fashion business. These have the advantage that they can be hung from a rod in a closet. But the garment bags like that which I have seen were made of several sheets of plastic stitched together to form a 3 dimensional bag. A folded cloth tape was stitched over the edges of the plastic sheets. I think the cloth tape is to prevent the sheet plastic from tearing at the stitch holes. However, bedbugs could probably creep through the stitches and come out inside the bag. They seek out narrow openings.
I think a better solution would be the vacuum storage bags that are intended for long-term storage of clothes and blankets. These are made of sheets of heavy clear plastic that are welded together along the edges to form a bag. One edge has a ziploc closure.
The bag has a fitting to which the hose from a home vacuum cleaner can be attached. The fitting takes the place of the various nozzles that can be attached to the hose. After clothes or blankets are placed in the bag, the zipper is closed and the vacuum cleaner pulls out the air. The fitting can then be sealed by turning it, and the hose is removed.
The bag then has a squashed appearance due to external air pressure.
If the bag keeps out air, it should certainly keep out the smallest bedbug instar. Of course, what is put in the bag should be free of bedbugs to start with.
These bags are available in various sizes. Some of them have a heavy wire device which allows them to be hung on a closet rod.
For short-term storage, the bags could be used without pumping out the air. But be sure the hose fitting is closed.
For long-term storage the bags have the advantage that if an air leak develops, it can be seen because the bag no longer has a squashed appearance. Other types of plastic bags do not have this advantage.
To find these bags advertised online, go to google.com and search for vacuum seal storage bag. This will yield many, many web sites that sell the bags. The great majority of the sites listed are duplicates, but there will still be a variety to choose from.
nobugsonme | Dec 7, 2007 | Reply
Yes, this is discussed in another FAQ.
John | Dec 8, 2007 | Reply
These bags are also available on ebay. To find them, go to ebay.com and do a search for vacuum storage bags.
nobugsonme | Dec 8, 2007 | Reply
John,
I am interested in why you are so interested in our site and in providing advice, when you do not have bed bugs?
By the way, eBay, like Craigslist, is a bit of a Bedbugger no-no.
pidju | Jan 16, 2008 | Reply
I am living in an appartment building with a communal laundry and I am terrified of spreading bugs there whenever I bring my washing. I thought of steaming our clothes before, bringing them to the laundry in a bag, putting them in the machine and throwing away the bag outside. Having a washing machine in our appartment is not really a possibility unfortunately.
Thank you for your suggestions
nobugsonme | Jan 16, 2008 | Reply
Use a large, thick garbage bag. Tie it in one single pass-through knot (so air can’t get through) and take the items to the laundry. Rip open the top over/into the washing machine. After doing laundry, use a fresh, clean bag to bring laundry home. (You can reuse them, as long as you only use them for cleaned clothing.) Toss dirty clothes bag after use. But this can be very wasteful and environmentally unfriendly.
Greener method: use a reclosable XL ziploc to keep the dirty clothes isolated until treatment. There are not likely to be so many bugs in your laundry that they remain in the bag, but these bags are see-through and bed bugs are small (1-6 mm depending on life stage) but not invisible. Use a clean recloseable bag for cleaned clothing. Both can be reused (label them carefully!)
I hope this helps.
If you have other questions, please come to the forums (blue button at top right)!
parakeets | Jan 18, 2008 | Reply
I agree with Nobugs. I use a large ziploc as my laundry bag during the week, re-sealing it everytime I put clothes in it (one for dark, one for light) and I just bring the big ziplocs to the laundromat as my plastic luandry bags. Since my clothes always go from a hot washer/dryer straight into sealed ziploc bags, they are never exposed to bedbugs except when I wear them, which is mostly outside of my apartment anyway. I never had a problem with this method.
Susanne | Apr 22, 2008 | Reply
Here’s a horror story for you. My boyfriend has bedbugs, and we have become obsessive about trying to prevent my apartment from being infested. When I arrive at his apartment, everything I’m wearing (shoes, purse, coat, clothes, underclothes) get put in ziplocs and I change into my “bedbug” clothes that I keep at his place. He takes similar steps in my apartment, changing into clean heat dried clothes that I keep at my place, everything else he brings is sealed in bags. 5 months and no signs of bugs in my place!
Just yesterday, on my way home from his place, I found a bedbug crawling on my pants! I’d worn those pants minimum of 30 seconds in his apartment, and they’d spent the rest of the time sealed away.
Could they be traveling in my hair? I have a long, thick, curly hair, and while I’ve never heard of bedbugs in hair, I can’t help thinking that a little nymph could hitch a ride pretty easily. Not really ready to consider shaving my head! I’m certainly not ready to consider celibacy.
RWJ | May 17, 2008 | Reply
I live on the 2nd floor of an apartment building. The building, to my knowledge, had never had a bedbug problem previously- however as I was moving, I checked websites that note bedbug infestations.
To my horror, my current building (until July 1st) was listed as having bedbugs. I called the rental office, and they admitted they’d had the 5th floor sprayed. I live on the 2nd. I’ve gone from feeling free of them, to this unbelievable fear of them.
I live in a bachelor apartment, so there isn’t a lot of room. I have bought so many varied sizes of Ziploc bags that I ought to have stock in the company. I washed 8 loads of laundry with hot water and put them in a hot dryer; some other clothing I inspected seams, tags, etc… I’ve had NO blood spots/stains on my matress, and I’ve never seen a bedbug…yet the fact that someone in the building reported them has left me with this stalked feeling.
I don’t have too many friends…no significant other…my slight pleasure in life is spent either going to a movie, going out for a walk, or seeing my family. I’m faced with the reality that even my DVD’s, which thus far I’ve inspected one by one, my DVD player, my VCR, my TV, my laptop, sofa, bed…all of it will have to go.
Do you guys understand? I will literally have nothing left in this life! I will be too afraid to visit my family, I won’t have the money to replace everything that I have to in essence get rid of, and whenever I’m out in public, the thought of these bugs is all that is on my mind. And I may not even have them!
Bharathi | May 29, 2008 | Reply
We found bed bugs couple of days back and the treatment do not start for another 3 days.
Our problem is we are scheduled to visit our family in Detroit next week which will be 3 days after the treatment. Any advises on how we can avoid taking the bed bugs all the way from Florida to Michigan?
hopelessnomo | May 29, 2008 | Reply
Hi Bharathi,
This FAQ contains very good advice and the principles you need to apply. Your best bet is to be very methodical in how you launder and pack what you will bring and how you limit what you bring. No matter the size of your infestation, you will feel confident and prepared if you don’t underestimate the risk. You should re-read this FAQ and consult the other FAQs about how to handle clothes. In addition to the recommendations above, people rely on different things: some choose washable duffel bags, others use hardcase luggage. Please visit the forums (blue button above right) to interact with others who are experienced if you have more questions.