There are three different theories as far as what to do about your bed.
1. Protecting your bed from bed bugs
This means you make sure bed bugs are not harboring in the bed frame, headboard, etc., and that you encase mattresses and box springs in high quality bed bug-proof encasements.
Bed bugs can crawl onto the bed and bite you, but you are taking steps to ensure they do not live there. If they cross poison on the way to you, any meal will hopefully be their last. You may use Climbup ® Interceptors to catch any bed bugs climbing onto or off of the bed (read more about Climbup ® Interceptors here).
2. Isolating the Bed
Here, you are trying to get bed bugs out of your bed, and keep them out.
Isolating the bed is very controversial, and though it may help people who are being bitten very badly or who have serious allergic reactions or distress may to try and avoid being bitten by bed bugs while in bed, it also may actually mean you are fighting bed bugs longer. This is so because bed bugs may spread further around your home (they will still bite you outside of the bed).
The theory is that bed bugs will still try to get to you, but they should be trapped on the way, and you should be able to avoid bed bug bites.
In a few cases, however, bed bugs have been seen dropping down from the ceiling to bite people in “isolated” beds. It seems to be a rare occurrence, but can happen. More often, beds not thoroughly isolated have allowed people to continue to be bitten by bed bugs. If you’re going to isolate, you must be meticulous and thorough.
And remember, if bed bugs cannot bite at night, they will bite during the daytime, as you sit in chairs or go about your day. For this reason, many would recommend instead that you simply “protect” the bed, but do not isolate it.
Many people prefer to “protect” rather than “isolate” the bed because having bed bugs biting you in bed, or finding evidence they were there (cast skins, blood spots, etc.) is a sure sign you still have bed bugs and require further treatment. If you “isolate” and don’t react to bites you get during the day, it may be harder to verify bed bugs’ continued presence. Isolating may also mean bed bugs spread further around your home, since they may have trouble reaching you in the bed, where they used to feed. Protecting the bed instead, and using Climbup ® Interceptors as a tool for catching bed bugs as the wander onto or off of the bed legs, may be a better option for most people, and would be my preference.
3. Do not encase
We are aware of one highly regarded bed bug expert who does not recommend encasing mattresses or box springs. British PCO David Cain of Bed Bugs Ltd., well known to forum users, does not recommend encasements. It should be noted that David has a very hands-on approach to removing bed bugs from homes, and claims to take a long time inspecting and removing bed bugs. If your pest control operator uses such methods, and tells you not to encase the mattress or box spring, by all means, do not do so.
Most pest professionals we’re aware of do recommend encasements, and so, in general, Bedbugger does too. We also feel that a carefully-encased mattress (with encasement sealed and kept free of tears) may help many people to eliminate bed bugs in the rest of the home sooner, avoid bed bug bites, and save or protect an expensive mattress.
Note on products mentioned:
You can buy Climbup ® Interceptors from US Bed Bugs, using the coupon code in the ad below for free shipping. You can also get them from Amazon.com (Climbup Insect Interceptor Bed Bug Trap, 4ct
For mattress and box spring encasements, see our Encasements page. All other items below are available widely. You can also see or purchase them on Bedbugger’s Useful Stuff page.
What to do
Both protecting and isolating the bed require you to eliminate bed bugs from the mattress, box springs, headboard and bed frame, and then encase the mattress and box springs. So let’s start there.
Important:
The advice below assumes your home will be professionally treated by a Pest Control Operator who has experience with bed bugs. Protecting or isolating your bed, on their own, will not get rid of bed bugs. However, a PCO will tell you that you need to sleep in your normal spot in order to get rid of bed bugs, and protecting or isolating the bed will likely work well with the PCO’s treatment plan, which will likely include laying down residual pesticides that bed bugs will cross while trying to get to you.
You should wait to carefully clean your mattress, frame, bed, and home until a Pest Control Operator has verified you have bed bugs. Some have cleaned away evidence and been refused treatment by professionals or landlords.
Also, once bed bugs are verified to be present by those who need to see them, you should wait to encase your mattress until the Pest Control Operator has treated your home, because most PCOs can treat areas of the mattress (side, seams) and box springs as well as the bed frame / headboard with certain pesticides which are labeled for this purpose. Doing so and then thoroughly drying and sealing the mattress and box springs in encasements is best.
For protecting the bed or isolating the bed, everyone will need:
1. A zippered mattress encasement that has been tested to keep bed bugs in (or out), and that completely encloses your mattress (and box springs, if you insist on keeping them), the best you can afford. They are not all the same. Vinyl and cloth encasements are sold by a wide variety of suppliers, but few have actually been tested to keep bed bugs out (or in).
I would recommend Protect-A-Bed AllerZip encasements. They have been tested to keep bed bugs within the mattress even if the zipper is opened slightly — which gives you some insurance against accidents. Mattress Safe and National Allergy Elegance encasements also did well in Rick Cooper’s tests. Click here to read about encasements and to purchase them.
2. New pillows
3. Pillow encasements; buy with mattress encasements from same source. As for mattress encasements, they should be designed and tested specifically to keep bed bugs out (or in).
4. White sheets and pillow cases, cotton blanket (if you need to replace a comforter or other blanket). Cotton sheets and a cotton blanket are easy to wash and dry. (Comforters may harbor bed bugs even after a long stint in the dryer, and non-cotton blankets do not hold up well to dryer heat.) White color is not mandatory but may help you spot stains; I’d avoid small patterns for this reason also.
One blanket option would be this cotton blanket from National Allergy which is reasonably priced and holds up well to lots of time in a hot dryer (follow the link for a discount of 7% on orders up to $174.99 or 10% on orders over $175).
——————————————————-
If you want to “isolate” the bed, read the following items 5-13.
If you only want to “protect” the bed, skip down to “Steps for Everyone” under the next dotted line below.
5. Bed risers — they raise the bed, to help keep sheets and blankets off the floor, a must if you are trying to “isolate the bed.” They can be found at Bed, Bath and Beyond (or Bed Bugs and Beyond, as Bedbugger Bugzinthehood termed it, long before a company providing Vikane treatments appeared with the same name) or (like the other items below) on Bedbugger’s Useful Stuff page.
In 2009, the Climbup ® Interceptor passive bed bug monitor became available. You can read about them here. This product replaces and is, in my mind, preferable to the use of items 6-8 below. If you obtain Climbup Interceptors, you can skip the mineral or tea tree oil, vaseline, and bowls. You may still want to use bed risers, to help keep bed linens off the floor, but make sure they fit inside the Climbup well.
Climbup ® Interceptors — one per bed leg. These will catch any bed bugs climbing onto or off of the bed, and are vastly preferable to items 6-8 because they catch samples, rather than deterring bed bugs.
If these are not available, you may use items 6-8:
6. Mineral oil or tea tree oil (more expensive but some people enjoy the idea that bed bugs hate it).
7. Vaseline
8. 4 bowls for holding mineral oil or tea tree oil under the legs of the bed frame. Stainless steel is the best
choice, but other sturdy unbreakable bowls will do. If your bed risers have a little reservoir, you can simply keep that filled instead.
9. Thick garbage bags (contractor bags) and XL and XXL Ziploc bags. Check the hardware dept of your favorite big box store for the contractor bags. They are usually not sold with the household trash bags. In the USA, XL / XXL Ziplocs are sold in Target stores (look near the storage section and/or the section with bags), Home Depot (near the home cleaning supplies) or here.
10. Murphy’s Oil Soap (for wooden bed frames), which is a contact killer for bed bugs and is good for cleaning wood and rendering it bed bug-free. Regular strength works fine. It is sold in ready to use spray bottles and a concentrated formula.
11. Quality duct tape: Use duct tape to ensure there are no sharp edges on a metal frame before you place an encased mattress on it.
12. You may need a new metal bed frame, if you are unable to get bed bugs out of your wooden bed.
13. Some have actually decided to discard mattresses and isolate an Aerobed upon a metal bed frame. Use duct tape to ensure there are no sharp edges on a metal frame before you place an Aerobed on it. (Please use caution with discarding items; seal them completely in plastic before moving them through or out of your home, label them carefully, and realize that if you live in a building or in a house which is attached to others, your neighbors may take them in and use them and become infested and you may be right back to square one — another reason to encase instead.)
——————————————————-
Steps for everyone:
(See “Important” note at top.)
1. Strip the bed. Put all of the dirty linens into a garbage bag and tie it off well. Some suggest using plastic cable ties. You can also knot the bag’s top in one single knot (it must be airtight; push the bag. If air can escape, you are tying it wrong). Launder your bedding as soon as you can in HOT water, and dry on HIGH HEAT until completely dry and then some. When you take it out of the dryer, put it immediately into another garbage bag and tie it off, or use an XL Ziploc.
2. Vacuum the mattress and springs really well. Especially in areas with stitching, piping, tufts and the plastic corner guards. You might want to take the corner guards off. You may also want to take the gauzy covering off of the bottom of the bed spring and vacuum inside. (Though box spring encasements are available, many people will want to discard box springs; be sure to seal in a bed-sized bag before moving through your home.) Used vacuum bags should be sealed in a ziploc and disposed of after use. If you have a bagless vacuum, empty into a ziploc and clean the bagless container right away. Otherwise, bed bugs or eggs may remain in the container/bag.
3. Put the mattress and springs into the new encasements and seal. If you use a Protect-A-Bed AllerZip encasements (with the BugLock Zip), you do not need to tape the zipper. Mattress Safe encasements also have a lock to keep the encasement closed.
If you use another encasement, you should probably tape the zipper and where the zipper closes on your encasement. This tape must not be allowed to come off; keeping it on can be very difficult. People have used Scotch Blue Painter’s tape, and National Allergy sells this along with their encasements, to be put over the zipper. Other types of very adhesive tape may work better, but none are foolproof.
4. Vacuum your bed frame. If you have a metal frame, put DE down in the legs and cover over all of the holes and spaces with duct tape.
Wooden bed frames, and fancy headboards and foot boards are very problematic and need extra considerations. These are addressed in another area of this FAQ.
5. Move the bedframe away from the wall.
6. Vacuum under and around the bed frame very thoroughly.
7. Put the mattress set back on the frame, very carefully, so you don’t rip the covers. (See comments above about duct tape; this can be used to reinforce corners.)
(Note: even though they are not necessary for protecting the bed, you may want to use Climbup ® Interceptor passive bed bug monitors under each bed leg in order to detect bed bugs climbing onto or off of the bed.
——————————————————-
The following steps are only for those “isolating” the bed. If you are only “protecting” the bed, skip to step 12.
8. If using Climbup ® Interceptors (preferred method; see above): Put bed legs (or bed legs on risers) inside Climbup Interceptors — one per bed leg. These will catch any bed bugs climbing onto or off of the bed, and are preferable to items 6-8 because they catch samples, rather than deterring bed bugs.
If Climbup ® Interceptors are not available to you, put the bed on the risers, and put mineral oil (or tea tree oil) in the depression in the castors are resting in. If your bed is already high off the floor, or if the bed risers have no wells to put the oil in, put the legs in bowls of mineral oil.
Note: some people have traditionally recommended placing a row of vaseline and a separate row of double sided tape around the bed legs, above the mineral oil cups. I am not sure of the value of this if you are using cups of mineral or tea tree oil. People tell us double sided tape does not often catch bed bugs. However, if you are using Climbup ® Interceptors as recommended, do not place vaseline or double sided tape on the bed legs. You want bed bugs to walk into the Climbup discs and be trapped; you do not want them to be deterred by barriers.
9. Vacuum again, to hopefully pick up any strays that fell or crawled off of the mattress and box springs in the process.
10. Remember not to let your sheets and blankets drag on the floor while you sleep. Realize also that you may carry bed bugs into the bed, for example, by simply sitting on a chair where a bed bug was able to crawl onto your clothing. If you isolate the bed, try to hop in bed clean and wearing clothing which was itself isolated and kept in sealed plastic bags.
——————————————————-
Everyone should:
11. Break out the new pillows and put encasements on them. See step #3 above and duct taping the zippers if necessary.
12. Put on clean white linens (so you can see blood or other stains more easily).
Change and launder them (and blanket, if used), preferably about every 4-7 days. Check the sheets every day for bugs, molted skins, blood spots (tiny to inch long smears), and black poppy seed-sized spots or what look like black ink spots.
If you “protected” the bed, this is evidence you still have bed bugs (helpful to know, especially if you do not react to bites). If you “isolated” the bed, this is evidence that the bugs are still in the bed.
Consider repeating the steps above of cleaning the frame and having it treated with pesticides, to ensure bed bugs are not living in the bed. And in any case, continue professional treatment approx. every two weeks until bed bug bites and all other signs are long gone.
13. Unless you are doing more cleaning immediately, take the bag out of the vacuum,and put the bag in a Ziploc bag or a securely tied garbage bag and put in an outside garbage receptacle. If you use a bagless vacuum, empty it into a bag and seal and dispose of this, and clean the bagless container. This prevents bed bugs and eggs from remaining in the container and potentially reinfesting your home.
14. Examine all of your precautions often. Encasements can get holes; try to avoid this. If it happens, promptly duct tape or replace them.
If you have a cat with claws, ensure the cat cannot make contact with the encasement (or even the encasement covered in bed linens). Keep the cat away from the bed if at all possible.
15. Optional steps:
AeroBed
Some Bedbuggers have used an AeroBed or air mattress, with or without a new cheap metal frame. You can’t encase the raised AeroBeds, so you will probably want to isolate the bed (per our FAQs) with bed risers and a cheap metal frame (see below). Remember to make sure there are no sharp edges on the frame (wrap with some duct tape if there are).
Wood Bed Frames:
If you have a wood bed frame, take it completely apart, if you can, and wash it down (every inch) with Murphy’s Oil Soap. Spray the Murphy’s on and wipe it off. Don’t just spray it on a rag and wipe. The Murphy’s will kill bed bugs on contact, if you douse them. I don’t know what a light spray will do.
Since you are cleaning, you can pay close attention to all the little cracks and crevices in the wood and joinery, looking for all of the signs listed in step #13. The Pest Control Operator may spray the bed frame all over before you reassemble it. You may also consult the PCO about a pesticide you can use all over the frame if s/he will not do it. Take precautions and use pesticides only as labeled.
Captain’s beds (with drawers underneath a wooden platform) can be a bed bug nightmare. Consider destroying and carefully removing them. Otherwise, every piece will need to be disassembled, cleaned and sprayed with pesticide (by a PCO). A PCO who knows bed bugs will be able to advise about which items you should discard and which can be treated successfully.
Upholstered Headboards and Footboards:
Any upholstery is very difficult to treat successfully. Others may have different answers, but I would say to remove them from your frame, and vacuum and have the PCO treat them (or cautiously spray them with an upholstery safe insecticide). Let it dry completely, then seal the item in plastic wrap (ie. heavy painter’s tarp or shrink wrap plastic), duct tape all of the edges of the plastic and store it for a year to 18 months.
Another option that may or may not work is steaming with a very good quality steamer. A professional may do this as part of a PCO service. You may do it also. The steam may not reach deeply enough in heavily upholstered items without cooling and may only serve to drive the bugs in deeper. Some people have simply given up and tossed them out, frankly, as upholstered head- and footboards are hard to treat successfully. Again, ask the PCO whether the item can be salvaged.
——————————————————-
The FAQ on isolating the bed was originally written by Dee in Colorado, from information she compiled by asking the members of the Bedbugger Yahoo Group, a great source of support and information, in your war against bed bugs. It was edited and revised several times by Nobugsonme based on information we have since gathered about the downsides of isolating, and about products which were not available when the original FAQ was written.
Note from Nobugsonme: I have made a number of significant changes as of June 2008, including removing recommendations that people use the mechanical killer diatomaceous earth (DE) around the bed and on the floor.
I also strengthened the warning that “isolating” is controversial among bed bug experts. Many people would recommend you “protect” but do not isolate.
In June 2009, I added information on Climbup Interceptors, a new invention which is inexpensive and much preferable to cups of mineral or tea tree oil being placed under bed feet. I changed the directions to note that if this tool is used, people must NOT use vaseline or duct tape on bed legs, as it will prevent samples going into the monitor and being trapped.
If you choose to use DE in your home, read the DE FAQ, and ensure that your pest control operator approves of this self-treatment and where you’re doing it.
Among other things, I also changed the recommendations about mattress encasements. When this FAQ was written, few encasements were available, and few studies had been done about their effectiveness. Eighteen months later, it’s a completely different ballgame.
We have better products available now, and they can be more costly than the cheapest encasements which don’t work. But the best encasements can also be comparable in cost to ones that do not work.
If these pests are living in your bed and not crossing poison in order to bite you, you will never get rid of bed bugs. For this reason, I personally believe the quality of mattress, box spring, and pillow encasements are very, very important.
Thanks to Dee in Colorado, and all the other Bedbuggers who’ve contributed to this wonderful FAQ!
We learned everything we know by trial and error and advice from others. If you have had success with something other than what has been listed, please add it to the comments. Also, please feel free to add any other reputable sources for products.
If you need information on other aspects of your bed bug war, go back to the FAQs by clicking here. To read about or buy mattress encasements click here, and to buy DE, bed risers, metal frames, or any of the other stuff recommended above, you can click here to go to the Shop for Useful Stuff page.
Similar Posts:
- Megan McArdle on Atlantic.com: bed bugs and Craigslist
- Useful Stuff
- Bed Bugs hit Johnson City Fire Station
- Bed bugs infest multiple areas of New York’s John Jay College (CUNY)
- Encasements
{ 7 trackbacks }
{ 90 comments… read them below or add one }
← Previous Comments
Just found out that I have bed bugs in my mattress. I will be moving in about a month out of my apartment. The mattress is about 5-6 years old. I’m thinking about discarding it and buying a new one when I move into the new place. Is there anything else I can do to avoid these things coming along to the new place? Should my soon to be ex-landlord treat the apartment for them once all of my stuff is out of the old place?
Ugh,
How do you know they are only in your mattress? I’d assume they’re also elsewhere in the apt. and quite possibly in your other stuff.
You should have the landlord start treating now, in my opinion.
If you want to be sure not to take bed bugs with you, and you have the funds, consider having your belongings gassed with vikane en route to the new place.
If this is not an option, you will need to take great care, and even then, there’s no guarantee you won’t move them.
If you have further questions, please post them in the forums.
I found bed bugs in my bed and box spring. I threw them out because I was so freaked out. I’m working with pest control who has already come twice and I’m still getting bitten while sleeping on my futon in the living room. I have encased the futon mattress and pillows. I have searched and searched around the apartment and have found no evidence of any live bed bugs but as stated I still wake up with the welts of having been bit over night. I believe they are inside my bed frame which is hollow and has small holes where the slats are attached. It’s complicated to explain it’s design – it came from IKEA. Anyhow…..anyone know what else I can do to get to these things if they are actually inside the frame?? I don’t want to lose anymore furniture but I’m at my wits end and can not sleep. If the sheet brushes against my leg at night I’m immediately up and awake I’m so freaked out and discusted. PLEASE HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!
The only thing I would suggest, igottheheebiejeebies, is considering isolating the bed with a cheap metal frame. (Metal can be infested, but the idea is you are starting from a clean slate and isolating the legs).
Alternatively, speak to the PCO about treating the frame. Diassemble it (remove every screw, take it apart). You can inspect it carefully and either use a contact killer on every surface OR have the PCO spray it professionally (even better).
Ikea furniture, since self-assembled, by its nature provides many places for bed bugs to hide. The plus side is you can usually take it apart.
yesterday i was at an apartment that had recently been treated for bedbugs. we wanted to remove the carpeting before the second treatment. after finishing up, i took a hot shower, threw away all the clothes i was wearing (including undergarments). my new clothes were in ziploc bags. and i left the apt. right after my shower. i didnt even have a bag with me.. just my wallet and keys. tonight after dinner (24 hours later) itchy bumps showed up all over my arms, almost out of the blue. could i have brought back bedbugs to my own house on my person? could i have been bitten while working in the apt. yesterday and the symptoms are showing up now? please help.. i’m freaking out..
reallyscared:
You can react to bed bug bites up to nine days later. It would not surprise me if you were bitten during the visit to the apt.
(I wonder also if you ever visited before that, or if the inhabitant has been to your home or in your car, which may mean you may have brought them home before you were being so cautious?)
Please come to the forums if you want to discuss this (or anything else) further (you’ll get more responses):
http://bedbugger.com/forum/
dear nobugsonme,
i started my own topic in the forums section entitled “can you carry bedbugs on your person?”
in my despair last night i didnt know exactly what i was doing. i would appreciate it if you would read the posts in that forum. thank you. you’ve been so helpful.
hi,i have seen small tiny walking,colourless insects,very small walking on walls at nite…
n 3 months back i saw a bug big red one which was in my home as i viusited a bug infrcted relatives home..
so would that be a bed bug?these r in every room and have very very tiny wings…n antennas
help!!
riya,
Bed bugs do not have wings. See this page for help identifying one. Catch your bugs on clear tape and get a pest control operator or university extension office to ID them so you can get treatment.
i just moved to washington state..my husband is in the service soour furniture was moved with a moving company..three days ago i woke up with 6 bite on my lower back up but cheek….i am preganant so i only sleep on my sides…the next day i found 2 more.. the next day i found non…this morning i woke up to one on my ankle.. all the other ones were in the same area…my husband is very hairy and has no bump…i have yet to see any bugs but i am certain its something in my mattress…i am going to buy another mattress but is there a way for me to isolate them just to my mattress and not through out my appartment….my apartment has new carpet thru out…i have a sleigh bed which is wood and all around my head board and foot board has leather interior…help i need a solution so it doesnt spread to my eight year olds room….the military mom who husband thinks shes crazy
Carmena,
LOTS of people do not react. Entomologists suggest they may even be in the majority. Your husband is probably one.
If your furniture was moved and you have nothing new, it could be from the moving truck.
It could also be from a new item like new mattress, if applicable.
OR it could be in your new home.
You need professional pest control treatment from a company with experience killing lots of bed bugs. You also need to contact the moving company AND your landlord or seller (if you just bought the home). Because the bed bugs could have come from either source.
If you need more advice or want information, please come to the forums:
http://bedbugger.com/forum/
5 days ago I woke up with around 100 bites on my trunk area plus a few on my arms & legs. They are very itchy and some are very sore. I went and got a bi-opsy today and will know in a week if I have bed bugs, in the mean while what can i do? I also have 2 dogs that sleep at the foot of my bed (one does sleep under the covers, the other on top) could there be a chance that I have been bitten by fleas? My dogs have never had a ‘bug problem, this is something very new for us, any advise??
I encase my mattress and have taped the zipper opening, but I have a wool underblanket wrapped around the encased mattress, and a foam pad on top of that. My current encasement isn’t tall enough to fit them all within it. Any thoughts on this being a problem? I’m guessing it is, but I don’t know.
BTW, I’m doing all of this as a prevention. I don’t currently have a bed bug problem.
HI prevention!
The idea of a bed bug proof encasement is that it keeps you from having to throw out your mattress should your home become infested with bed bugs.
(They can also be used to allow you to salvage a mattress once an infestation has begun.)
Having an encasement does not protect anything outside the encasement, and you should regularly look around to make sure you do not have signs of bed bugs on bedding or the outside of the encasement. (Treat encasements with care, though– they can rip pretty easily, even the good ones.)
I moved into my first home just 5 months ago and its been hell. I have scars on my arms from the bed bug bites and my scratching them. I am pregnant and I cant get any sleep. At this point getting a pest control agent over wont do, they wont work inmy home because Im preggos and my son is asthmatic. anyway, what else can I do besides your 101 tips.
Buggy Preggo
Buggy Preggo,
Sorry you’re going through this.
There are experienced pest control pros who can use a variety of techniques including steam or thermal heat.
Thermal is probably more expensive but should be a one-shot deal. Steam is sometimes used along with dusts and must be done repeatedly in most cases.
I would not advise waiting, since having a baby and an asthmatic child won’t make treatment any easier.
If you need advice or support or PCO recommendations, please come to the forums:
http://bedbugger.com/forum/
We just found out that we have bed bugs. I’m pretty sure my mom can’t afford a PCO and I have been gettin bites since at least August. At first i thought i was allergic to the new soap my bought but i saw them on my bed. Unfortunately, I took my comforter and ran to my brothers room. Now he has them too:( I don’t know what we’re going to do. We moved in late august and we don’t know where they are coming from. Our stuff was in a storage…could that be where they hitched a ride? PLEASE HELP! I AM LITERALLY BEING EATEN ALIVE! THERE’S NOT ONE PLACE ON MY BODY WHERE THERE ISN’T A BITE! THIS SUCKS
I have bedbugs, live in an apartment, and have been fighting them a long long time. I am battle scarred and weary from our bedbug war.
A brief history for you: moved into my apt in the late 90s, started having bed bug problems in the 2003-2004 range. My husband fought them on his own because our crappy landlord would not, then the building changed hands, and the new landlord started fighting them, but uses a company that does not fix the problem (at least, they have not fixed it in my apartment).
When the landlord started paying attention to our infestation, we did it all! I did copious amounts of online research to get ready for the treatment. Then, We laundered all our clothes, microwaved our books and papers, put all the dryclean only stuff into the cleaners, moved all the furniture, supervised the spraying of the rooms we thought wwer infested, threw out irredeemable furniture, sprayed in drawers, in molding, light fixtures (pretty much every surface in our bedroom)and encased our brand new mattress, and taped up our plastic wrapped brand new box spring, and my husband thought we had it beat.
I was not so sure. . . unfortunately, I turned out to be right. Personally, I blame it on our landlord not using good people to treat the problem. I tried to convince him to spend the money to get a better trained bedbug pro in here, (not just a guy who’s earned a certificate and dictates to untrained staff what they should do in our apartment) but he doesn’t want to lay out the money.
Moerover, I would’ve called in a bedbug expert PCO many times over, but my husband has insisted on fighting them on his own because he cannot yet admit that they have him beat, and he doesn’t want to lay out the $, even though he agrees the landlord’s guys aren’t doing it.
Also, we have only treated our bedroom, because my husband thinks that is the only place they could be. I disagree, I think they could be anywhere in the apartment where things from our bed have lain or rested. Am I right? If so, our bbaby’s unused crib may have bedbugs just lying dormant, waiting for a host. What are the chances of bb’s just hanging out in the very little human used rooms, just waiting for the opportunity to get some blood and reinfest us?
Well, finally, we are outgrowing our apt. space and moving into a new place. I desperately want to leave this problem in this apartment and not transfer it to our new place.
I can get brand new mattresses,furniture, pillows, and all the replaceable items, including my baby’s crib with move-out money from my landlord, and I can wash and/or dryclean all of my and my family’s clothes.
However, what am I going to do about the possibility of bed bugs living in my photo albums, my paperwork filing system in the less used room, my CDs, my HDTV, my photo frames, my mementos, and my books (all of which are in my bedroom currently)?
I don’t want to throw these things out, as they are mostly irreplaceable. How can I save these things?
Hi R. Davidge,
One option when moving is to have a truck full of your stuff sealed and treated with Vikane (TM) gas (sulfuryl fluoride). This is not available everywhere, though in some places other types of gas fumigation can be done for bed bugs.
Please copy and repost your message in the forums. You will get many more responses there, and it’s kind of off the topic of this FAQ.
Click here: http://bedbugger.com/forum/
I just began renting a house, and because I couldn’t afford a new one, I bought a used mattress and bedspring that was donated to a thrift shop from local hotels, that really are know to be very clean. So, last week I moved in and I awoke with swollen bites all over one arm, and my boyfriend had not one. We went away for a day, and the night we came back, we didn’t get biten, but in the morning I noticed a wierd bug on the wall, and we jumped up to notice there was about three of them. I knew that was what bit me, so I’ve been wearing pants and long sleeved shirts to bed, and only a couple of bites. I went to Lowes and bought abug cleaner, and I cleaned the carpet under the bed and mattress with bleach and water. We didn’t find any in the mattress at all, not even where it has a small rip. We didn’t get bites at all that night.Well last night by bf decided to sleep in just his underwear and in the middle of the night he jumps up with over 12. We captured one and showed it to the landlord, who confirmed it was bed bug. He gave me some DE, and a fogger, and told me to get rid of the mattress, because no one had been living there all winter long, and he put down brand new carpet, and never saw a thing. He even asked the old renters, who said they never had a problem. I dont want to spend money, is there something I can inject in the mattress, and encase it? Is it also necessary to encase the box spring? How effective is alcohol or bleach in killing them? Should I throw out my comforter?
yabiten,
You could have gotten bed bugs several ways:
From the mattress,
From the thrift shop (which may have had them and then they crawled on the mattress),
From the house itself (and former tenants CAN have had bed bugs and not have reacted),
or from the moving truck.
There are other possibilities.
You must not assume they are only in the mattress. Encasing alone is not sufficient, though a good encasement can seal the ones in the mattress in.
Foggers are a BAD idea where bed bugs are concerned. DO NOT use it if you haven’t yet.
Please read additional FAQS: http://bedbugger.com/faqs/
And then post any questions you have in our forums where you will get many more responses: http://bedbugger.com/forum/
Hi. I don’t know if we have bedbugs for sure or not, but every morning I awake with a new itchy spot. At first I thought it was some kind of allergic reaction to something, but new spots keep showing up every morning.
I searched extensively for bedbugs in my mattress and could find nothing. I am going to next search the box springs. I looked in my wooden frame, and it appears there MAY be some bugs there so I am going to collect them and show them to a professional.
So, here’s my question: can you give me a ballpark figure as to the cost of getting a treatment? I’ve only noticed them in my own bed for about a week now (We’ve had this mattress/box springs for 3 years but the actual furniture for about 1 year). I have 4 kids, one more on the way, and haven’t noticed anyone with any bites. Do you think I’ll need my whole home treated or just my bedroom?
Thanks!
Hi Texan Mama,
Price of treatment can vary a great deal depending on where you live and also what kind of treatment is done. Price does not necessarily correlate to the quality of the job or the effectiveness.
Some one-shot solutions are available which tend to cost more (thermal treatment is one, another is Vikane– or sulfuryl fluoride– gas fumigation). If the price is within your range, these can be good options; thermal may be particularly attractive if you may be pregnant or have small children. Remember these methods will not help you long-term if you are being re-exposed to bed bugs (someone is bringing them home from an unknown source).
Often spray treatments cost less, but they may have to be repeated a few or even many times. (Steam is another option which can cut down treatments, though, coupled with dusts and sprays, will likely have to be repeated, perhaps multiple times.)
Some PCOs may inspect carefully. A detailed search may take hours. Those PCOs will probably have some sense of where bed bugs are and which areas need treatment.
Some PCOs will NOT inspect or will inspect only briefly. I would tend to trust them less as to where bed bugs are located. Remember some family members may react to bed bug bites, but many people do not react. This is not really a reliable indicator.
Canine scent detection (bed bug k9s, bed bug dogs) are also an option but the quality matters. A good team may be able to help find evidence; if you can see bed bugs, then you may not need this.
Please come to the Forums if you need support or have questions!
Today, I adjusted the styles of headers (and added alert boxes) to make the FAQ easier to read. I also updated a lot of the information based on current theories and available tools.
I added a third option (“do not encase”) to the other options (“protecting” and “isolating” the bed) to reflect an additional theory which is against encasing mattresses. The proponent of this theory that we’re aware of is David Cain of Bed Bugs Limited. If David was my PCO, and he told me not to, I would not encase! However, I do note that most PCOs do recommend good encasements, and most probably use different methods from David.
I further highlighted the controversial aspects of “isolating the bed,” which many including myself would not now recommend.
I changed the “isolating” directions to recommend the use of Climbup Interceptors under bed legs instead of cups with oil, vaseline, and double-sided tape, because the passive bed bug monitor (Climbup) allows you to trap samples, whereas the other methods may simply deter bed bugs. Would you rather stop bed bugs and have evidence? Or just deter them? I think it’s a no-brainer!
However, I did leave information from Dee’s original FAQ on isolating with cups and mineral or tea tree oil, and double-sides tape / vaseline, in case people insist on isolating but cannot get Climbup Interceptors in their country. I still don’t like the isolating idea, but I realize some people will do this anyway, so I am choosing to provide the information alongside the warnings against it, so people will have all the information.
If you have additional suggestions, please note them below!
one day i was gettn ready to get in bed when i notice a little black bug on my bed and then about a week later i seen another one i was wondering if they were bed bugs? i work at a group home where they have bed bugs what should i do?
Hi nobugs, Listing Climbup interceptors under “protecting” in the first paragraph and under “steps for everyone” is a little confusing to me.
If the interceptors perform as advertised, then using them would mean that the bed’s been isolated (as opposed to merely protected under this FAQ’s definitions). For the specific purpose of acting as a barrier, they’d function similarly to the bowls filled with oil. The difference being that the interceptors reveal the direction of the bedbugs.
Or is it that bedbugs are assumed to be less likely deterred from trying to cross the path of these interceptors ( as opposed to mineral oil, vaseline, etc.)? Even if that’s the case, the bed is still being isolated.
If someone doesn’t isolate the bed, they’d be forced to vacuum/inspect/clean their bedframe a lot more frequently. The mattress and boxspring would have to be moved and handled a lot more, risking tears to the encasements. Cleaning the bedframe once doesn’t preclude them bedbugs setting up shop in them again if the frame isn’t isolated.
Relying on blood spots on the sheets to tell whether you’re being bitten in bed seems touch and go to me. During my months-long bout with them, I had dozens & dozens & dozens of bites but only two or three blood/fecal markings on my bed. Yet, sleeping in bed was where I was getting bit, because I didn’t spend a lot of time at home back then.
If double-sided tape doesn’t work well, then maybe it should no longer be included. Maybe reconsider recommending it (?), since there’s so much to do already when it comes to treating bedbugs.
Compliments to you, nobugs, on managing and editing these FAQs. I marvel at it.
helpplease, look carefully at the photos here of bed bugs at different life stages. Try to determine if you saw a bed bug. Of course, it’s possible to have bed bugs even if you saw a different kind of bug, but bed bugs are not black. Hope that helps. You may want to take some basic precautions to try not to bring them home from work. Please come to the forums if you would like advice on that!
Persona-non-bugga, Thanks for your response and kind words.
You’re right! I can see that it is confusing — the advice about the Climbup Interceptors. I do think they should be used instead of true isolation (cups of oil, vaseline, tape) because I do think trapping is much preferable to deterring bed bugs, which I think the oil, vaseline, etc. may simply do.
I replaced my statement about vaseline and tape being controversial with this, at step 9 in “isolating”:
Some people have traditionally recommended placing a row of vaseline and a separate row of double sided tape around the bed legs, above the mineral oil cups. I am not sure of the value of this if you are using cups of mineral oil. People tell us double sided tape does not often catch bed bugs. However, if you are using Climbup TM Interceptors as recommended, do not place vaseline or double sided tape on the bed legs. You want bed bugs to walk into the Climbup discs and be trapped; you do not want them to be deterred by barriers.
Is that better?
You’re right that “protecting” is tricky and requires subsequent inspections and that visual inspections are not sufficient. My idea is that trapping bugs going onto or off of the bed is not a bad idea for anyone to try, if they have access to this product. (I may be wrong.) People who “only encase,” the bed do also need repeated treatments and inspections. This is one of the problems of encasements — the good ones, sealed and untorn, work well. But moving them repeatedly makes them prone to tearing. So what do we recommend, then? I am not sure and am open to suggestions. Some will say “isolate;” true isolation — with cups of oil — makes bed bugs move around.
But “isolation” with Climbup TM should not do so, so should there instead be one set of directions, not two?
Or — ? I welcome all input on how to make this FAQ clearer and more useful. Thanks again!!!
Oh, I think trapping bugs is great too! Detecting is better than deterring, for sure.
I just think interceptors – if they really do act as barriers – in addition to functioning as detectors – qualify as tools for isolating the bed. They may not have the drawbacks of some of the other methods of isolation, but they still are intended (in part) to keep bedbugs from getting on or off the furniture. And they may work better as isolators than double-sided tape or drippy vaseline.
So, as a reader (and it may just be me) the distinction between protecting and isolating gets muddled in my mind, and I get insecure about whether I’m comprehending the entire FAQ properly.
Maybe make two subcategories of isolating the bed –
“isolating the bed with interceptors”
“isolating the bed without interceptors”
This is just some feedback of my impressions. I wouldn’t even call them suggestions. Goes without saying.
My studio has bedbugs and the whole unit was treated today–first treatment. The Terminix guy will return next week for another treatement. I’ve been sleeping on the carpet due to my bad back instead of the Murphy bed provided by the landlord. When I asked the Terminix guy whether I should continue sleeping on the floor, he said it’d be ok but I should place some plastic on top of the carpet. Since I discarded my blanket, I decided to buy a cheap sleeping bag and use it unitl the full treatment is complete. Is it a good idea? Some people say it’s a bad idea to have a sleeping bag, so I don’t know what to do and I should sleep from now on? Also, the Terminix guy said It would be ok to continue using my wooden chair, TV stand, but not the upsph0tered chair and the Murphy bed. This afternoon my landlord will be removing the chair, the bed and the box springs out of my studio. I’m really terrified to the point of having a nervous breakdown. I cannot afford to move out since I live in SF and the rent here is outrageously high. To continue living here, i wonnder how I can sleep on the carpeted floor safely and what kind of blanket I should use? Any advice you may have would be most welcome! Thanks in advance
Hi V,
The problem with the upholstered chair and the Murphy Bed is that if bed bugs are nesting in them, they can keep feeding on you, and multiplying.
If they are not nesting in your bed or chair, they may need to cross the room to feed on you — this is good, since this means they may cross poison and die.
So the sleeping bag poses the same problem as the bed and chair — they can live in it, and feed on you.
I would recommend sheets and a washable cotton blanket, which you could wash and dry on hot weekly. That way, bed bugs may nest in your bedding, but you’ll at least wipe them out on a weekly basis. (Some people would advise washing more often, but in my experience, it gets to be too much work.) This is not feasible with the sleeping bag, since we really do not know how long to dry a sleeping bag to be assured it is bed bug-free. Thick items like this are tricky.
Some people would recommend an aero bed (inflatable mattress) for comfort, but unless you have a regular bed frame and choose to isolate the bed, bed bugs will crawl up on your sleeping area and bite you.
Plastic may help, in a minor way, but is probably not much of a deterrent. Some people surround this kind of sleeping arrangement with double-sided tape, but it will not necessarily catch bed bugs.
This is unpleasant, but remember — if the Terminix guy knows his stuff, they will be crossing poison on the way to each meal, as long as you are not hosting them in your bed itself.
If you want more feedback (or feedback from more people), please post in our forums! http://bedbugger.com/forum/
I recently moved out of an apartment in which my neighbor had bed bugs. While still at the apartment I had an exterminator come and check for them after my neighbor confessed to having them. The exterminator said that I was free and clear but when I got to my new place welts started appearing on my kids. I found that I had an infestation in my couch so in complete horror, I threw it out (which I have heard is a bad idea after researching the issue). I also had my kids start sleeping elsewhere because the couch was in thier room. I had an exterminator come out and he has treated once was some kind of gas. Now, even after treatment, I have found them in another couch in the playroom and in the couch in my living room. I need to know if gas treatment is even effective and why are they still spreading? What can I do to start getting rid of them on my own and keep them from spreading inbetween now and the next treatment? I would also like to know if it was even possible to bring them with me from my old apartment even though the exterminator said we “absolutely didn’t have them” and if so why did we only start getting bit after the move? Please help me!!! I am ready to pull my hair out!
JustCantDeal,
We do not know what your exterminator used. Do you? He should tell you.
Vikane gas is sometimes used, but the entire structure has to be tented, so you would know if this was done. If it is done properly, it should eliminate all bed bugs in one shot.
If this is not what was used, try to find out. You can ask questions about it on our Forums.
a friend of mine has gotten bed bugs after purchasing a NEW mattress… althought she can not prove it…. she bacame infested right after… i am now getting a new mattress… how can i avoid the same thing happening to me?….. what can you do to make sure you don’t get bugs from the store or the delivery truck used? Please let me know.
Hi robin,
It is impossible to be absolutely sure. I suspect many companies are becoming more clued in about this. I really hope so, anyway.
You should call the corporate number (don’t just ask a floor salesperson) and ask what the company’s policy is on carting away used mattresses. Many retailers deliver new mattresses and offer to take away old ones. Some put those in the truck and drive off. Bed bugs can spread this way!
Another thing to consider is whether the mattress is sealed or wrapped in plastic. A mattress sealed in an airtight manner is a good sign, though I know some companies wrap mattresses more loosely.
Another question you might ask is whether the company uses contractors for deliveries. This can mean trucks are used for other purposes at other times — which can mean exposure to bed bugs even if the company does not take away mattresses.
Keep in mind that learning the signs of bed bugs and inspecting the new mattress thoroughly may help you avoid an infestation.
Please let us know how it goes. Consider posting on the Bedbugger Forums to ask others what companies they ordered from, but remember, service and procedures may vary from place to place. Good luck!
I’m a little confused about the differences between protecting the bed and isolating it. The note after step (7) under “Steps for everyone” suggests using Climbup Interecptors. If a person protecting their bed decides to do this, the only other differences between the two methods is that isolating the bed requires vacuuming again (step 9) and not letting your sheets touch the ground (step 10). Is that really much of a difference (especially if the person protecting the bed vacuums everyday anyway and their sheets naturally don’t touch the ground)?
You’re right, bitebedbugsback. It is confusing. I apologize for that — they USED to be very different processes, before ClimbUps were available. I was trying to edit the page to reflect the availability in many places of the ClimbUp Interceptors, and the increasing doubt in my mind that isolation with cups of oil around the bed legs is still a good idea. (I don’t think it is.)
That said, for people who can’t use ClimbUp Interceptors (for example because they live where these cannot be obtained easily), and who feel they must isolate the bed somehow (for example, because they have a horrific number of bed bugs or an extreme bite reaction), I wanted to make sure they had the old “isolation” suggestions available.
That said, when I have time, I will try and rework it again to make it more straightforward — putting the protection advice together, and then offering the isolation alternative only for those who cannot use ClimbUps.
Was my comment removed? Strange…. I posted a method that I’ve learned to recommend over the course of speaking to many different hostel managers, etc. and posted it — but it seemed to have been deleted. Some of the info overlapped with info on this site (which is actually a coincidence!) but it was still a very relevant comment to the subject nonetheless. I’ll post it again with a few edits… If there is a more appropriate place to post, please let me know!
(Rest of post removed.)
Admin’s response:
Ok,
There probably was a misunderstanding but, nonetheless, I respect your concern! Alcohol can indeed be extremely dangerous to use which was why I included in the post a sound method that one could go through to literally witness this level of danger with their own eyes — albeit in a safer controlled environment. Too many people are setting their homes, apartments, etc. on fire because of this lack of understanding beforehand (i.e. smoking a cigarette, etc.)! But I didn’t think it was necessary to remove the post altogether as I clearly had included far more ideas, approaches, and relevant details than just using alcohol (the using of red LED nightvision lights to search out bugs at night, for example is relatively new — this information is not yet available elsewhere)! Not just this, but I had every intention of adding on to the comment with more details should a misunderstanding had arisen. I’ll post in the forum : )
But I did want to point out that I didn’t recommend people to ‘douse’ or ‘drench’ their beds in alcohol and apologize if it could have been interpreted that way. That, in itself, would not only be dangerous in the long run (it would take a really long time to dry, as you pointed out, and would be flammable the entire time!) but such a drenching would also be unnecessary and wasteful as well! 99% Isopropyl alcohol, for example, dries in a matter of minutes when ’sprayed’ (as in misted). And the small bit about using a “high-quality spray bottle” was actually none other than to ensure a proper mist (because cheaper spray bottles can do a very poor job of properly ‘misting’, will often run off the sides, drip, etc. — it’s better to spend the extra $1 on a quality bottle and/or to get rid of a bottle that is of inferior quality)! I think I see where the ‘dousing’ impression could have been given though — esp. with regard to the use of alcohol being recommended alongside or in the same paragraph as using boiling water. *apologies — this will be corrected! But there were plenty of other details in there that a reader could have made use of!
I also apologize for writing in a way where it could have been interpreted that I recommended to do the same meticulous “bed isolation” method to hotel beds or while traveling — as this simply was not the case of intention : ) With regard to traveling, I was only referring to the placement of one’s clothes in a white bag and sitting it next to the bed before going to sleep — a technique that is also appropriate and beneficial in hotels. This prevents bed bugs from getting into or onto your clothes in the middle of the night (whether in home or at a hotel) and also prevents bed bugs from getting out of your clothes overnight while you sleep [which is good for both the traveler and the hotel]! You can see this was my intention if you reread the post [but hey! you deleted it!] but there perhaps was a bit of ambiguity to it. I’ll try to correct this in the forum : )
It would probably take a few days to rewrite in an even more complete manner to address your concerns! Another thing I noticed after the fact was the strange similarity of the layout of my post to the article itself on this site — which is, literally, a coincidence! Please know that I didn’t read the article before making the post! I quickly searched on the internet a place where I could share my personal experience in successfully dealing with bed bugs and first found the bed isolation section on this site to be most appropriate!
But you didn’t have to remove/delete/eliminate such a long and carefully written post altogether! You could have just moved it elsewhere to the forum : ) The internet is a very beautiful thing in that it is possible get information out rapidly. The ‘alcohol’ idea is one that the majority of people are already finding out about or have heard of! My intention was to include details that helped to make use of such a flammable liquid safer (i.e. the buckets of water, controlled flame test, etc.)! I tried to do that but will try harder : )
Moon,
I am sorry you are disappointed, but you should understand how easily people do misunderstand even carefully worded suggestions. Yours was pretty clearly telling people to spray a flammable liquid (which emits a pretty strong fume) all over their beds and mattresses — even though the next night someone might come along and light up a cigarette and drop some ashes.
Incidentally, have you tested the flammability of the bed once the alcohol dries? It doesn’t matter how cognizant you are of the flammability of this bed if someone else comes in the next day and starts a fire.
You also gave suggestions for using diatomaceous earth — which actually requires a lot more thought and care. That’s not my opinion, but that of many. We have a DE FAQ and I would recommend it to others over a sentence or two about using this product.
I don’t mind that your post had a similar layout to one of our FAQs, but I would suggest in the interest of saving your time and our readers’ time, perhaps instead of giving your own detailed procedures, you might simply comment on our FAQs as to where you disagree or would add a step? That would seem to be most efficient for all involved. Of course, if I see a recommendation which seems dangerous to me, I may delete it.
You are welcome to post your comments on the forums, as I said. I am sorry there is no easy way for me to move a post there, or I would have done so.
nobugsonme,
I definitely have the right to be disappointed in this case! : ) I’m really surprised (and still am!) that you deleted my post! I wasn’t expecting it — esp. not within a general comments sections. You’re describing standard isopropyl rubbing alcohol as if it were a strange, mysterious or unknown flammable liquid that people are not familiar with. Most people are hearing of the fact that isopropyl alochol is a superior contact kill for bed bugs (as even exterminators have told me this many times — esp. when they were not liable to it’s consequences). You seem to be speaking as if you’re not familiar with alcohol. You’re also speaking as if the idea to spray an infected mattress with rubbing alcohol is any different to the actions you would have otherwise expected a person to take if they were suggested to try killing bed bugs using isopropyl alcohol. I’ve done it with a high degree of success many times and know of many others who have used it! It doesn’t mean that it is the best method for all people, of course not — only that it works. Vikane gas also works but I wouldn’t want to be caught a mile away from the stuff.
My impression of your response is that you’re saying you would delete any comment that describes a successful treatment using alcohol — which has sort of put me on alert. Or that you would delete any comment that described in detail the ridding of bed bugs using the cheapest and most relatively non-toxic substance available — avoiding the need to pay for an exterminator over and over or avoiding the need to overreact and purchase overly expensive items (such as double-sided tape, etc. — when it makes much more dispensable sense to use $1 duct tape curled over on itself with the sticky side out, for example). I strongly disagree with your logic in this case but still appreciate the site nonetheless. I’m grateful for it.
You asked me if I tested the flammability of the bed once the alcohol dries which leads me to believe that you are intrinsically against the use of regular rubbing alcohol in general to kill off bed bugs — despite the fact that it is known to be extremely effective (of course, with a real potential risk of fire if not carefully handled). This doesn’t mean that the truth should be redacted simply because you disagree with it! Of course, a bed is no longer flammable once the alcohol dries (which is usually in only a matter of minutes unless puddled)! And keeping two 5-gallon buckets of water nearby also goes a long way in increasing the safety of using rubbing alcohol since diluted alcohol is quickly weakened and much tougher to ignite (try lighting 50%, for example). The vast majority of people setting their homes on fire were not cognizant of alcohol’s flammability! And the actual risk of igniting the resultant fumes is relatively low as far as I know (because I certainly have NOT had success in igniting the fumes within a crock-pot but would be interested if someone were to come forward with sources saying otherwise).
You also seem to want to demonize my suggestion of using diatomaceous earth — which I felt unfair towards DE in general. Much of what is written in the DE FAQ on this site is actually on the label of the diatomaceous earth package itself — instructions for how to use it, etc. I suggested using it as a simple passive killer on a bare floor (i.e. not carpet) around an isolated bed to help kill off bed bugs that would attempt to crawl back up a newly disinfected bed. But I also included brief reference to other powders such as the wettable deltamethrin powders, etc. Of course, I wasn’t intending to write a manual on DE or powder for that matter — only to point out yet another case of my reasonable experience of having used the product (DE) and nothing else in conjunction with alcohol to success. Having tried basically every recommended method and pesticide available to deal with bed bugs, I see nothing wrong with coming to the conclusion (through considerable tried and tested experience in multiple households) that most of the expensive resorts often recommended for combating them are unnecessary (…often ineffective attempts at overkill) and that it is possible to get rid of an infestation using just alcohol, a passive killing powder (whether DE or deltamethrin, etc.), and a thorough, intricate methodology to uproot them and leave bed bugs with no place to live peacefully. A methodology of sorts that a person would be required to do either way eventually — with or without a professional anyway (or they’ll simply be calling the PCO back to pay him thousands as the vast majority of people have done so). It’s very possible to leave the PCO out of the picture altogether.
I see you as having deleted the methodology — not the suggestion to use alcohol (which is an extremely common suggestion, by the way). But I think I see that you’ll disagree either way and am reluctant to even post in your forum now : ( Because, if you don’t want me to post on this particular site, I won’t.
You’ve hurt my feelings!
And, for the record, I don’t disagree with your FAQ : ) And can barely understand why you’d want me to contend with it. I simply wanted to share my experience here (also pointing out the use of red LED nightvision lights over standard flashlights in the middle of the night, etc. — a suggestion I’m sure will eventually make it on your site) but realized it was necessary to write up a quick step-by-step process to express it.
You seem to not want that experience posted here. I’m hurt and rejected.
← Previous Comments