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.

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.

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 : )

(Rest of post removed.)

Admin’s response:

Moon,

Yes, I apologize for not clarifying.

Your post was removed because you are recommending that people completely douse their entire beds in 91% isopropyl alcohol.

While you note that precautions should be taken when using alcohol in this way, you also suggest this as a method for travelers (citing your experience in hostels).

I don’t think this is a great method for home use (flammability and fumes are two issues), but I think it is very unsafe to create a potentially flammable situation where others may not be aware of it. If you completely douse a hostel or hotel bed in alcohol, what happens to the guy who sleeps there the next night, completely unaware of what has been done?

Because of these concerns, I did remove the post here.

If you want to post this in the forums and discuss it, you’re most welcome to and I apologize for any inconvenience: http://bedbugger.com/forum/

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.

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!

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.