If you think you have bed bugs, these are the essential dos and don’ts.
If you suspect there are bed bugs where you sleep, don’t begin sleeping in another bed, on the sofa. Do not go to stay with someone else. The bugs may follow you to your guest room or sofa, and then it will be much harder to get rid of them. They may hitch a ride to your relative’s home, and you can cause them to become infested. (All of these situations have happened to Bedbuggers we know.) Also, staying outside of your home means the bugs may become dormant. We’re told they may live without feeding for up to 18 months. When you come back, they can begin biting you again. So staying in your home during treatment, and sleeping in your usual bed, is the way to kill bed bugs. Read our FAQs, isolate your bed, and sleep there while you’re getting a Pest Control Operator (PCO) to treat your home. Once you are being treated, you must remain in the bed–you are the bait, attracting bugs to the poison and their deaths. If you isolate the bed, they need not bite you.
Do save any bed bugs you find. Do not part with these– you may need to show them to landlords, pest control professionals, and so on. Entomologists at colleges or science museums in your town may identify these, and a pest control company can too. Pick it up with clear packing tape, and tape it to an index card. Don’t assume you’ll see lots of them, some people don’t.
Do rule out other possible conditions, like folliculitis, scabies, and bites from other insects. The FAQs may help. Be warned, though, that many of us are told by doctors that we do not have bed bugs, and later find they are wrong. Many of them have never seen bed bug bites, or have seen only some patients with them. Bites can range from large welts to small red bumps, to scabby pimple-type bumps. See the photos in the left sidebar links on the blog (even Caryn’s bites look different on different areas of her body).
Don’t start throwing your bed and other furniture out. As per the FAQs, you can cover and isolate the bed. (You may wish to wait until a PCO has started treating before covering the mattress in an encasement.) Most furniture, including mattresses and sofas, can be treated by a PCO, and you can ask the PCO if throwing them out is a good idea. And he or she can help you do it safely, so as not to spread the bugs around your home or building, and so that others do not pick up infested items.
Don’t start buying a load of chemicals and treating yourself. We have FAQs about choosing a good PCO and about why doing your own pest control in lieu of a PCO is not a good idea. Yes, sometimes supplementing a PCO’s work makes sense, but only if you know what they’re doing, and what you should do. Remember, pesticides have different qualities (repellents, contact killers, residual killers, growth regulators, etc.) Bed bugs are probably the most complicated pests you’ve ever encountered at home. If you start spraying pesticides, you may disperse the bugs, and the professionals may have trouble treating them. You may spread them around your home. Get good professional help and follow instructions.
Do not, absolutely do not release a fogger or bug bomb. Do not allow your landlord to do so. Do not allow a so-called exterminator to do so. Bug bombs / foggers do not work for bed bugs, and in fact, will spread them. Your problem will be magnified. Trust me!
Don’t start bagging everything you own. With the exception of washed and dried clothing (according to specific instructions below and in the FAQs), do not seal up everything you own in bags. Some PCOs will want you to inspect, vacuum, and seal all your posessions in bags. Most won’t. Following their advice is crucial, since they know what they’re using on your problem. If you decide to bag things, you may be sealing away bed bugs– and this is only a way of dealing with the problem if you put these items in storage for 18 months, unopened. Instead, most PCOs will vigorously fight your problem, and bed bugs will be attracted out of your posessions and towards poisons which will kill them.
Do start dealing with your clothing and linens. Though you should not simply seal your posessions in bags (as above), it is probably a good idea to start working on clothing and bedding, since the PCO is going to tell you to do this, and it takes time. You should take clothing and other items, wash them in a machine on hot, dry them on hot for 1-2 hours. Remember, driers vary as to their strength and how long they take with what size of load. My personal method is that items should at least be dried on hot for 20 minutes after they appear to be fully dry and very hot. If you want to be cautious, go for two hours on hot. Dry cleaning is okay too. Keep in mind that pillows, comforters, down coats, and other thick items may take longer. Here’s the key: after washing and drying, bag items in sealed, airtight bags, and do not remove them until use. Our FAQs give more explicit suggestions.
Don’t assume bed bugs are only in your bed. While bed frames and mattresses and headboards are the most likely location for bed bugs, they can and do often hide out in sofas and other soft furniture, electrical sockets (behind plates), light fixtures, baseboards, floor crevices, and other crevices in the bedroom and living room. Bed bugs are occasionally found in kitchens and bathrooms. This should not make you panic: most cases, especially smaller ones, are quite concentrated, usually 10-20 feet from where people sleep (or where they sit for extended periods). However, if a PCO tells you bed bugs are not found in living rooms, realize that many Bedbuggers have infested sofas, computer chairs, and so on. Don’t believe that bed bugs only bite at night. They prefer a sleeping, stationary host who is fast asleep. But if they’re hungry, they’ll take what they can get. You can be bitten while in a chair, awake.
Once you get a PCO treating your place, don’t assume this will be solved overnight. If your PCO treats and you are still being bitten, this is normal. The bites should decrease and eventually disappear. If you see bed bugs or are bitten, do have another treatment within 10-14 days of the first. Do insist the PCO repeat treatment every two weeks until you feel no more bites, and see no live bedbugs or new signs of bed bugs (like bed bug feces stains in the bed). Do not assume you have a bad PCO because it takes three or four treatments to solve your problem. This, unfortunately, is common, even if you follow all the advice. However, do ask questions, from the first treatment on, and take notes: what is the PCO using? What does each substance do? Make a note of where each substance is applied, and how long the process takes. If a few treatments go by and you are suspicious, post a question here with these details– experienced Bedbuggers and reputable PCOs read this site and may be able to offer advice as to whether you’re getting good service or not. Stay on top of what’s happening, but be honest with the PCO about what you’re doing, and ask what you can do to support treatment. If they are good, they will welcome your involvement. Vacuuming every day in some cases is a good idea, in others, it may sabotage the work of certain substances left down to kill bed bugs. The same is true of bagging everything you own, as above. Never assume that you should do what someone online is doing, since they may be working with a different pest control protocol.
The following two suggestions came from Geof Day:
Do consider posting your infestation on The Bedbug Registry.
Do read “Can Information Spread Faster than BedBugs?” Add to it if you would like. (Note: you can add to it by signing up for the Yahoo bedbugger group at that link, and replying to that message.)
Editor’s note: Thanks Geof!
Comments for this page are now closed. Please post a message on our Bedbugger Forums if you have questions or need support. If you have suggestions for improving this FAQ, or other comments, please contact me.
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I have a question…. In the past i have witnessed the odd flea in my house. It is no longer flea season and i am finding bites all over my 3 year old child, but my husband nor myself have any bites on us and i can’t distingwish a flea bite to a bed bug bite and i can’t find anything. I have ripped his room apart and like i said… nothing! And what do i do if i can not afford a a PCO?
There is hope. I had bed bugs until about 6 months ago, but now (I’m hesitant to say) they are gone -only ever saw 2 actual bugs, but had about 100 to 200 bites total; and I know there were many more of the little buggers. My problem was not a major/highly developed infestation, but none the less it was extremely unpleasant. They were biting me for at least two months before I realized what the issue was. The first sign I remember was blood spots on my lightly colored sheets. I thought I had a bloody nose or scratched a scab in my sleep. When I finally connected my issue to bed bugs I told my landlord who brought in an exterminator specifically for bed bugs that cost about $790 for the entire 3 family house in NY. The exterminator sprayed two combined products –one that kills the buggers and one that stops them from reproducing. Our report of continued bits motivated the exterminator who came in 3 times total –two to three weeks between each application even though they originally said they would only come back within 1 month’s time (30 days). They sprayed around the baseboards, doorframes, and recessed lighting. I watched them to ensure they covered all applicable areas –e.g. behind items along the walls. I wrapped my mattress in a plastic drop cloth, taped it, and threw it out. I washed and dried all my clothing, some pieces twice. I dried my pillows on high for a total of 90 minutes (2 cycles). I also bought bed bug proof pillowcases and slept on an air mattress on top of a metal bed frame. Vacuuming and steaming my carpet -with a commercial grade-clothing steamer multiple times took patients and many of my evenings. ..used large Ziploc bags and tied trash bags for my laundry incase they were in the clothes I wore during the day. I wanted to wear clothing more than once so I kept the particular items in a separate Ziploc bag and steamed them before I put them on again. I took two to three showers a day –showering and changing immediately when I got home and before changing in the morning. If I went to the movies or out in public, I showered and changed when I got home. You could say it was like having OCD. I had to use lotion after showering or I would itch not from bits, but from overly dry skin. I double washed, double dried, bagged, and stored clothing that I did not need in the trunk of my car –keeping only a minimum amount of clothing in my apartment. I threw out everything –clothing, furniture, and a few books –I did not care about keeping, but I did keep most of my belongings. To avoid spreading the buggers to other locations and rooms –even during the day they sometime feed or move about –I sat on my bed when I was at home reading, eating, drawing, or watching TV. Always being in bed when I was at home was not enjoyable, but probably helped me contain the problem. It was one of the worst experiences of my life and I have a scar from scratching a bite mound on my back, but I’m still in the same apartment and things seem to be back to normal (for past 6 months). I find that I vacuum more frequently and continue to use Ziploc bags to contain my dirty laundry. I also usually take a shower when I get home from being out in crowded environments or at work; and I carefully clean and check items I bring back with me. I give my landlord credit for having had the entire building sprayed even though my place was the only reported problem.
If you have bedbugs please help, contain the buggers by taking significant steps to prevent spreading them to others. Shower and change into clean clothes every time before you go out. The clothes need to have been dried past the point of being dry on high -this may ruin some clothing -and kept in a sealed plastic bag. Avoid sleeping anywhere except your normal sleeping location. Don’t bring others into your residence. If you move before your buggers are gone then someone else will probably inherit your problem and you might bring the problem with you. Save others from this pain and it may reduce your chances of having a continued bugger problem. Get a professional and keep up you debugger routine. Save yourself from a ‘full-blown’ infestation and GET PROFESSIONAL HELP NOW! It is worth every cent.
I am not a professional, but simply a victim. The above is information that help me and should not be substituted for professional advice. I’m not responsible for any of your ‘bugger’ prevention actions or issues.
Dear Bug up Nort:
You have to deep freeze the house for 2 weeks straight and I don’t believe you will be able to drop all areas in the house including books, nooks, blankets, and electrical devices to a low enough deep freeze temperature in WI for a solid two weeks. Get a true professional that will come back every two to three weeks if you call and report more bug bits. It’s worth it. Don’t wait! The company that sprayed my appartment used two combined products -one killed them through their nervous system and the other prevented them from successfully reproducing. They told me some ’stories’ about major infestations…lets just say you don’t want that problem. Get a pro!
Lee,
I noticed that light colored clothing and sheets allowed me to see the rust-red color blood spots that can be a tell tail sign of bed bugs. Get a pro. if you have them!
None professional advice
Prevent yourself from developing a psycological complex – remeber that they only bugs and deal with the problem by getting a professional.
Many states (not NY) allow you to apply a bedbug pesticide yourself, but if you don’t do it correctly or use the wrong products you may worsen the problem. Through my research I’ve found that most home remedies and bug bombs worsen the problem.
Check out or have someone else check out
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bedbugs
for some additional information on bedbugs.
WARNING: This site is not for those that may develop a bedbug complex or those that have a problem viewing “gross bugs” some of the pictures are magnified -I won’t say any more.
I have a friend who has a bed bug problem, and he’s coming over for Thanksgiving dinner. I’m afraid he’ll bring the bugs with him and cause an infestation in my apartment. Any suggestions?
Help!
Got a professional, but two weeks later you got bit again?
According to my professional, bedbugs feed in cycles and sometimes it takes time before they feed again. Keep on it! My pro came 3 times with 2 to 3 weeks between applications. Get a pro that will come back for at least 30 days to do one follow up spraying and see if you call and report bites shorty after that time period if they will come again without additional cost. I did not have a major infestation (meaing that I saw very few bugs but was bitten at least every other or every third night).
Alfalfa:
My NONE professional advice is to have your friend shower very well before he gets to your place and change into clothes that are bug free. If he spends time in his place before he comes over in his clean clothes they won’t necessarily be bug free. Have him bring nothing into your home except bug free clothing -remeber luggage can carry bugs. Clothes have to be dried on high and very dry to be “bug free” and then sealed in a plastic bag.
It’s difficult to welcome him and not treat him like a leper, but hopefully he will understand.
He shouldn’t spend to much time away from his place or the bugs may spread in search of another host.
Alfalfa,
We have FAQs about how not to spread bed bugs, and some will apply to your visitor. See the FAQs here.
GetRidofThem,
Thanks for your comments, and I am glad your bed bug problem is gone. Many of your suggestions are also included in our FAQs.
crystal,
You should use a plug-in flea trap to rule out fleas (which can infest homes at any time of year).
If you think you have bed bugs, you need to confirm this. If you are renting, depending where you live, the landlord may be liable for treatment.
Even if they’re not, your adjacent neighbors will need professional inspections and treatment if necesary, since it is not possible to rid your home of bed bugs if neighbors have them.
My advice would be to try and rule out fleas quickly, then come to the forums for more advice. Also, read the FAQs which cover the basics.
Removing the bed is not a bad idea if you can afford it. Beds are actually more complex than they might initially seem. There are so many places for bed bugs to hide in the bed seams and the box spring, as well as the frame. But what this FAQ sheet does not mention is that if you throw out your bed, you must mark is with a big fat X to indicate that is it not for reuse.
Another comment: It is ok to fog. On this I firmly disagree with the author, but fogging should be done as part of a larger application process involving a fix of approaches. Fogging alone would be a bad idea. At my company, we mix in an insect growth regular to the fogging agent. This stops the development of mature adults that can reproduce.
Gerry,
Unfortunately, marking a bed with an X is not enough to stop mattress scavengers (who may be your neighbors or mattress resellers). Nothing short of destruction is. This figures into my advice. If you wish to remove the mattress, make sure it goes away with a waste removal company right away, sealed in a bag. Preferably cut up and bagged. I agree this is not a bad idea if you can afford it but you need to ensure this mattress is not going to a neighbor or to be resold.
If you leave it on the curb or near a dumpster, your neighbors may pick it up. Or it may be picked up and resold for $15 to a “refurbisher” as is the norm in NYC. It will then be spritzed with a contact kill and resold to some poor person who really does not need bed bugs. Just thinking practically.
We know there are certain kinds of foggers that PCOs who know bed bugs will use. We are not advising against this.
Over-the-counter bug bombs (also known as foggers) which many consumers will try out on their bed bugs, are a bad idea and can spread the problem or send bed bugs deep into walls. I don’t think OTC bombs are what you’re recommending, Gerry, but it is what most consumers think of when they hear “fogger” or “bomb.” And this FAQ is aimed at the general public. Bug bombs are a bad idea for bed bugs, based on the advice of many entomologists and PCOS (not simply my own opinion)
I have seen several bed bugs in different locations in my apartment over the past few months. I have never noticed any bites on my body. I found one bug in teh fold of one of my pillows, the others have been dead on teh floors of my bathroom and kitchen. I live in an efficiency apartment where I know infestations have been a problem in the past (from what gossip I have heard from neighbors) I will go home and check every crevice of my mattress after reading through the information on this site, but what if I don’t find any more? Is it possible that there are just a few getting into my apartment from neighboring apartments? If I see one does that mean I need to prepare for total infestation of my apartment? I want to take control before its too late, but I saw the first one a few months ago (I didnt know what it was til today) and I have never had a bite.
You all seem to be pretty knowledgeable. Please give me any information you know.
Thank you so much!!
well I spoke with my landlord this morning and he came in and inspected my apartment. He said they have been treating in other areas of the building so maybe the dead bugs I’ve found were trying to escape from those other apartments. He and I could find no signs of infestation – I didnt even find one little bug and neither did he, so I guess i’m fine.
catlover,
I hope you come back and see this: it is really hard to find actual bed bugs. Since you have found them in your bed, I would assume you have bed bugs in your home.
With bed bugs, an infestation isn’t defined by seeing lots of bed bugs. And even though your landlord inspected, it is possible for him not to see signs. I would get your home treated and make sure all adjacent neighbors are inspected and treated by a pro (not the landlord!)
hi i live in canada and i just moved out of my place where every couple months they were spraying the building and now im in a new place and when i moved i did not bring my couch and most of my furniture the only thing i brought with me is my kids beds (plastic toddler beds) and a playpen and a mattress and i have been living here for 2 months now and one day my i kept noticing my baby kept waking up with a rash all over her body and i couldnt figure out why but then one day i noticed in her playpen there was dried blood marks and i then noticed evidence of bedbugs i threw out the playpen and i just recently bought new couches and i was just ripped the baseboards off and i noticed alot of dead bedbugs they are clear and then some dark spots which im guessing are dead eggs… my landlord told me i was responsible cause i brought them in but now he has changed his mind when i ripped the baseboards off and showed him……but my kids have alot of toys and stuff and im wondering what to do with them i was thinking of bagging them but i dont want to do that is there any other suggestions i could do about stuff like toys?…………
Hi fed up,
The eggs are not black but there could be dark spots on the baseboards from fecal matter. The landlord will need to professionally inspect all attached units and have them treated if a professional finds evidence of bed bugs there too.
Please repost this in the forums, where you will get many more responses:
http://bedbugger.com/forum/
Hi! I recently started getting bites and finding bugs in my room. (I live in NYC, so it’s not a shock.) Fortunately, I was already planning on moving in a couple of months. I’ve moved up my move date a month to be able to isolate all my stuff and put it in storage so it can be treated, but my roommates have decided they don’t want me to treat the room AT ALL until they find a new roommate, and don’t plan on telling the new roomie about the bug problem until she’s already moved in.
I have two concerns: first, I think it is totally unethical not to tell the new roomie. They’ve even gone so far as to hide my bed bug spray in the bathroom so that the new people don’t see it.
Secondly, I’ve asked repeatedly for them to call the landlord and get a fumigation, but they refuse, and since I’m not on the lease, I don’t have any direct contact with the landlords.
What should I do? I’m going to treat everything as best I can with spray and powder, but I’m genuinely afraid of taking the critters with me.
Any advice?
Thanks!
hi Scout!
Yes, it is unethical. They need professional treatment, but many people do not react to bites and so are resistant. Your landlord is most likely responsible for treatment (in most NYC rental situations, they are).
You could warn prospective tenants via http://bedbugregistry.com
I am not sure what else you can do. This may piss off your roomies or landlord, but you may decide it is worth it to warn others.
Please repost this question in the forums. I am just about the only one reading this, it seems, whereas you will get lots of feedback there:
http://bedbugger.com/forum/
Five days ago I had recovered from strep throat and lying in bed for 7 days. I changed sheets and blanket. Woke up next a.m. with big red welt on side of neck. Next morning two more under chin. Then nothing for one day. This a.m. another on neck (all front or side of neck) and forearm.
Cannot find good pics with measurements of bedbug bites. My dogs do NOT have fleas; neither do my cats. I have 13 rooms, full of art and stuff, and am really hoping this isn’t bedbugs. Why would they appear out of the blue just because I changed the bedding? Arghhhhh!!!
About 4 days ago, I started noticing bug bites on my body while I was visiting family in Texas. It began very mildly, and at first I thought it was just mosquito bites and didn’t think anything of it. Approximately 2 days later (one day after I returned home from Texas), I noticed bites all over my body. After researching, these bites look extremely similar to all the pictures posted on this website. I went to the doctor the next day who immediately refered me to a dermotologist. The dermotologist said she didn’t think the bites were from bed bugs, and she ruled out scabies as well. She said it looked as though my body was having an allergic reaction to a single bug bite, and my stress and itching caused spreading. She also told me to bring in a bug specimen if I happen to find one. The next day I saw 3 tiny bugs on the wall; one was near the bed, two were still in the bedroom but adjacent to the bed. A body scale from the same looking bug was found at the end of my mattress. These bugs seem similar to the pictures of the young bed bugs on this website; however, they had many more legs. I immediately put the bugs in a zip-loc baggie and took them to the dermotologists office. A 2nd dermotologist assured me that they weren’t bed bugs, but couldn’t really identify them and suggested I have a PCO inspect my apartment. I am having that done in a few days (earliest appointment available), but I am freaking out in the mean time. I am beyond paranoid that I have bed bugs in my apartment. I have not seen any blood or fecal (rust colored, etc.) spotting on the sheets, and that one bug scale was the only thing I’ve found. In addition, my husband, who was on the trip to Texas with me, has nothing on his body to speak of. Does this sound like bed bugs? Also, can pets show signs of bites? I have a cat, who also seems to be uneffected. Again, I am completely freaking out and checking my mattress and inspecting the walls constantly. I know not to sleep on the couch or at a friend’s but I can’t shake the feeling that I have bed bugs. Does it sound like that is the case? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
hi everyone – this site has been unbelievably helpful, not just for the information but the blogging which has become a great source of emotional support. Just knowing there are others out there dealing with the same problem has moved me from panic/fear/disgust to action.
Here are my questions – my roommate told me and my other roommate Thursday night that she has bedbugs – she confirming seeing actual bugs on the surface of her bed. Her bed was completely infested – eggs everywhere, and when she packed the mattress and box spring in plastic and moved it out of the apartment, bugs were visibly crawling around on her bed and on the apartment floor/walls (even though she packed it in plastic) as she dragged it through to dispose. She told me she just noticed the bites 2 weeks ago, but I feel like she MUST have had the bugs for a much longer period in order to have that level of infestation in her bed, which also makes me believe she may have been in denial for a while. Am I correct in suspecting this? We also found out the apartment on first floor had bedbugs a month ago, got treated, and so far so food – they only washed/bagged their clothes and bought mattress covers.
Bud bug experienced PCO came Sat morning and sprayed down EVERYTHING – the couches, the walls, inside every dresser drawer, and our mattresses completely. He said he had treated bedbugs more than 100 times in NYC and that he has never had to treat a place twice – which I thought was odd after reading everything posted here – am I right? We told him we wanted him to come back in 2-3 weeks to redo. He said he used “Demand”. He told us to wait until the poison dried, and not to sleep on the mattress until we have mattress covers, but that everything else he sprayed would be fine to touch, unless we were touching it for a long period of time (like reading a sprayed book), in which case we should wash our hands often and not touch our faces/eyes. Is this true? I am worried the poison might be more toxic than he let on – my eyes are already burning a little bit after spending some time back in my room on Sunday. Also – I am in the middle of writing essays for grad school apps so I need to be in my room/at my desk – i.e. in the space that was sprayed down. I am concerned about possible toxicity issues. Should I be worried?
Finally – neither myself nor the third roommate has seen bugs/been bitten and we want to know how vigilant we need to be. I bagged all my clothes, have mattress covers arriving tomorrow, and bagged all my other stuff like books, etc. but now I am thinking none of that makes sense because 1) I didn’t wash all my stuff, just bagged it 2) doesn’t make sense to isolate objects because I might just be protecting them from the poison 3) stuff in my closet is not completed sealed. That said, no bugs and no bites. Is it possible we have not been infected and that the thorough spraying of our rooms will be sufficient?
My plan is to stay here in this flat the problem has been solved via PCO treatment, however I need to move out of this apartment in the next month or two – which is not enough time to confirm that an infestation is gone. Not sure how to orchestrate the move in such a way to ensure no bed bug transfer – any suggestions?
Thanks!
barkinglips, nyc bug, and Paranoid:
We have a super active forum on this website. Please click here, or go to the URL below, and then copy and paste your post in a new thread there. I can help if you have questions about how to do that.
I am just about the only one reading this, it seems, whereas you will get lots of feedback there:
http://bedbugger.com/forum/
My family and I seen bed bugs and are trying to get rid of them now. living here is my mother, brother, son and myself. we have a lot of things all though the house i guess u can say clutter. we are having a PCO come out to the house on saturday my son’s only 14months so i want to get rid of them as fast as i can. i think they are dirty and hate them, i try to sleep but i will wake up and hop out of bed, i cant sleep with them. its 3 in the morning righ tnow and i have to be up at eight and from what i have read there is no where for me to go get away from them. i have a few questions will bed bugs go in your mouth? your ears? can they live in your hair? if u have food such as fruit sitting out and the bed bug lays eggs on it and it was eatten will that harm you? that would mean that they would hatch inside you and thats kind of gross. one more if you are pregnant can bedbugs effect you any differently?
Hi Jennavieve,
Bed bugs mostly do not want to hang around. They come along, bite you (which takes 3-10 minutes) and then hightail it out of there, to hide somewhere quiet.
They are inclined to feed as easily as possible, and I don’t think they would seek out the inside of your mouth or your hair.
Their eggs are visible and unlikely to appear on food. I do not think it would harm you in the unlikely event you ingested one.
If you are pregnant, you might want to mention the bed bug problem to your doctor. But the most important thing is prompt, good treatment. Make sure the pest control operator knows you’re pregnant too in case it affects their choice of treatment actions.
Please read the FAQs and come to our forums if you want to discuss this further.
FAQs about bed bugs:
http://bedbugger.com/faqs/
Bedbugger forums:
http://bedbugger.com/forum/
I just finished bombing my apartment when I read this and now know I might have made the situation worse!! I found bedbugs in my daughters bed six months ago. We went through everything, threw out her bed, blankets, stuffed animals. I bought a spray at Walmart that said it was for bedbugs and sprayed the whole room. I even did other rooms in the house and the couches. Now I just found more bugs in my sons bed! I took all of his blankets outside (it’s about 15 degrees right now) and let off bombs in the house, but this morning I still saw some bugs on his matress. I was thinking of putting the whole bed outside for about a week (it’s supposed to get really cold this week) and possibly renting a steam cleaner. Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I feel itchy all the time, don’t know if its all in my head because i know we have this problem or if I actually have bugs on me. ANother thing is I like in an apartment building with 5 other units besides mine, does this mean that no matter what I do they will keep coming back if the neighbors have them?
Nicole,
Please, please read the FAQs thoroughly and also come to the forum and ask questions before you do anything else.
Putting the bed outside for a week is unlikely to help de-bug the bed, and this FAQ goes into why. Not only do temps have to be cold enough, they have to stay consistently cold enough. Moreover, getting bed bugs out of the bed probably is not going to solve the problem, which also is in your home.
The best thing I can recommend is that you get good help from a professional who is experienced with bed bugs. If you are renting, it may be so that the landlord pays for treatment, depending where you live.
Yes, unfortunately, if your neighbors are infested, they need treatment too. Dealing with the landlord means you have a better chance of making this happen.
Thanks for this site, lot’s of helpful info. I am living in Mexico and I think I am being bit by bed bugs. They don’t itch as much as mosquito bites, but the welts are a little bigger. They only bite me and not my husband? Why do you think? Also if we sleep with the light on will that help?
Thanks.
Hi Lina,
Thanks for your comments.
You can’t diagnose bed bugs solely by the appearance of bites, but they can be large welts or small, or anything in between. Many people are bitten and get no reaction and this may be what your husband is experiencing. Sleeping with the light on will not keep bed bugs from biting. You should seek the best help you can get. Only aggressive treatment will get rid of bed bugs. Please read the FAQs and come to the forums if you have questions.
The building management informed me two days ago that an apartment right next to me has bedbugs and the exterminator needs to come in to do some precautionary treatment. which he did. he put white powder in all of the outlets of the apartment. (Except for the bathroom and kitchen) He couldn’t ell me which neighbor, but I’m guessing it’s the neighbor above me because I heard lots of furniture being moved right before the exterminator came to me.
After he left, i started researching bed bugs and now I’m freaking out! Everyone insists on tis site that if the neighbor has them, then I will too. The exterminator claimed the neighbor no longer has them. It seems he did all our apartments at the same time. But, unless he treated her apartment at an earlier time, then how could he get rid of the bed bugs in one treatment/ And, are the outlets the only way they can travel into my apartment? What about the heaters?
What do I do? Do I hire another exterminator to inspect my apartment? Do I ask the management to arrange that? Should I buy some bed bug killer treatments and put them around my apartment? What is the best bed bug killer? The DE got bad reviews on here as being ineffective. I’ve been putting lavender and basil oil around my front door every night. I’m officially freaking out! Help!
Sam,
It’s quite absurd to call DE ineffective and yet put lavender oil by your door. (I am not trying to give you a hard time; I did stranger things myself!) I would suggest you read our FAQs both on DE and on “natural solutions” like lavender oil.
You might try caulking and sealing, or getting your super to do so if possible. This can help prevent them coming over. Unfortunately, they can come via any gaps in the walls (where pipes go, heaters, etc.). You can’t guarantee they won’t walk over. But you also can’t be sure they will.
One thing I’d be concerned about is that if you or other neighbors don’t react to bites, you may not know if you have them.
Please re-post your query in the forums to get more perspectives: http://bedbugger.com/forum
Thanks for responding nobugsonme. I’ve decided, unless I get further info, to call my building management tomorrow to find out what they can do in terms of sealing up cracks, etc. I’m also going to find out what the treatment was. I’m assuming it was DE, but not positive. The lavender oil is just for now until I decide on what the best treatment is. The DE reviews on this site were disappointing. But, if others have had success with it….please tell me.
After I declutter and seal up as much as possible….I may splurge on one of those dog sniffers. I’m feeling very paranoid right now, but after reading everyone’s horrible nightmare stories, I’m not sure if I’m over reacting.
Was just treated by PCO with Gentrol for first time. Bugs were very bad for about 12 hours after treatment, then they seem to have died or retreated. Took a while for landlord to get on board but giving him info from here was very helpful. And I was able to talk to PCO intelligently. I understand I need to have the treatment again in two weeks. I’m doing the wash and bag and use just minimum of what I need to get by for a few months. As a temporary measure I use just regular old rubbing alochol 70 percent in a fine spray mist on my sheets, blankets and pillows 1 hour before bed. Provides some relief between washings but make sure you have an open window nearby to avoid fumes. I also put 1/2 cup of pine cleaner in the wash. Seems to kill or repel better or it could just be wishful thinking. I tossed my cheap mattress and feel psychologically much better using an air mattress. At least I can clean it when I change the sheets. I need help, though, from you all. I got the bed bugs from an elderly woman who I ran errands for. Sometimes I would sit with her since she was lonely. She has the “hoarders” OCD thing. Can’t throw anything away. After several months I finally noticed the blood smears all over her walls. They were bad. I mean too numerous to count. That’s what I get for helping out a stranger, I guess. Since she is impossible to deal with, I informed the landlord but he won’t do anything unless she complains. Even if he did do anything, I think she would put up a fuss. She loves to file junk lawsuits and knows just how to manipulate the system. She is so attached to everything, even the junkiest stuff she has found and brought in off the street. Called adult services but they won’t “interfere.” They whole situation is just sickening. I can no longer speak to her because I’m still pretty upset. She lives just next door to my apt. Even though I don’t visit her anymore, I’m afraid that they bugs crawl through the walls or I track them in via the hallway outside our apts. What more can I do to protect myself and get rid of the bugs I already have?
Thanks nobugsonme!
So after weeks of searching, in the middle of the nigh I was dreaming of mosquitos and begbuggs bitting me. I woke up, to find a bedbug on my wall! I caught it with tape. Now I don’t know what to do, think we are moving out soon! The manager said he will fumigate our room with raid, don’t think that will work, we live a a complex with 20 other rooms. Thanks again!
Lina,
Raid will not work, nor will treating one unit.
I suggest trying to find out the local laws re: pests in rental units. In some locations, it is illegal for someone not licensed to apply pesticides to do so in your home. A tenants’ organization or local library reference desk should be able to help you find out the local laws re: landlords, tenants, and pests.
Also, please read the FAQs and come to the forums if you would like support or have more questions. You will get lots of support and feedback (from me and many others).
Please help!
The exterminators have come 3 times already. The first time I had baking soda every where b/c I read some where that would kill them so I guess the chemical got absorbed by the baking soda.
My room is extremely small, almost the size of a closet and I have a lot of clothes and books here b/c I am a student. The exterminators told me to leave the clothes in the closet and they’ve sprayed my bed, bed frame so many times. I went without any bites for 2 days and now, after the 3rd treatment, they are back already. I got one particularly after putting on a scarf from the closet. They told me to dry everything for 15 minutes but it seems like everyone is saying 1 hr. However, my dryer stops after 15 minutes b/c it senses that it is too hot inside. Now I am drying everything for 15 minutes and putting them inside bags. B/c the room is so small, all the bags are stacked on top of another. I took some of my clothes to the dry cleaners (only 6 things and it cost $70). As a student, I can’t bag all of my books b/c I need them.
PLEASE HELP!
3 times sprayed,
Please repost your question in our forums. People are unlikely to see it here. Click here to go to the forums.
I cannot comment on the baking soda except that I have not heard this to be a useful tactic with bed bugs. It may well be sabotaging your spraying as you describe, I do not know.
In addition to removing the baking soda and having a knowledgeable PCO treat, all units connected to yours (above, below, sides) must be professionally inspected. Has this been done?
Again, please do post this in the forums.
My girlfriend’s mother has bed bugs in her apartment. She stays with me during the week and so she carries clothing and other peronal items such as bags and shoes to my apartment. Is there anything I can do to stop the bugs from infesting my place. Should I buy the sprays and dusters and ask her to treat the stuff she carries with her? She knows she has been bitten while at her mother’s apartment, but so far it doesn’t appear that they’re in place yet. I have boric powder, is it a good idea to dust the door to my bedroom as a means of preventing them from leaving the room if they are indeed in there? I am going to recommend that we both take our clothing over the laundrymat and put it in the dryer on high for 20 minutes. This is crazy…its in the newspaper today abut huge infestations in central brooklyn. The NY State Authorities should be looking into this thing…people could really spread this thing and then start a panic. NY is clutter…the city is filled with close quarters and small connected apartments. Not to mention the subway.
Hi Gizmo,
Your girlfriend’s mother needs to take precautions to avoid spreading bed bugs to your home, to public places, her workplace, etc.
The travel FAQs include advice on how to avoid taking bed bugs from one place to another.
Boric acid is not very useful for bed bugs. It works for roaches because they ingest it; bed bugs don’t lick their feet as roaches do. However, food grade diatomaceous earth can be carefully applied to places it will not be made contact with, see this FAQ as a starting point. Do your research and do be careful: dusts in general are not good for lungs.
Your best bet, as you’re already aware, is avoiding them being brought into your home in the first place.
Please come to the forums if you want to discuss strategies further! http://bedbugger.com/forum/
Hey Nobugsonme…thank you so much for responding. I am encouraging them to get help. She called 311 to report to NYC DOH. She also informed her landlord who promised to send his PCO. I am concerned that the LL’s PCO will have very litle experience with BB’s. I’ve told them to suggest that he seek a specialist (one of the PCO’s listed here), but there is no gurantee that the LL will do this since their inhouse PCO’s are really a dime a dozen. I think another forumite said that the LL’s don’t have to undertake “extraordinary” eausres to meet their legal obligations regarding exterimating pests, but I’ll certainly encourage them to insist if they can. I am not sure what help NY DOH offers via 311, but I am sure its best to inform them so they can trace the route of the infestation for any broader progam the City may undertake.
As for my apartment, I haven’t seen any signs yet but its been less than two months sine my Girlfriend had her first bite and started to move back and forth between her mother’s apartment and my apartment. She says she inspects her clothes and bags, but gets defensive if I point out that her inspections are probably not very effective. I tried to do some de-cluttering, checked the matrass, keep a flashlight beside the bed ect. So far neither of us has been bitten here. I keep feeling that creepy crawly feeling but show no display of bites so far. When bitten she shows right away, but she doesn’t have any new bites while staying here. She goes back home and then get new bites…comes back here and complains. I feel like I am playing Russian Rulet, but she is my fiance what can I do?
I decided I am going to buy Sterifab and spray my room thoroughly. I am hoping to stop it before it starts. I tried to confine our movement to my bedroom and I was wondering if there was a way to set up a border at my room door with the sterifab. I realize they can crawl on the walls or ceiling, but if I can pre-empt the infestation and limit the scope of my exposure then maybe my PCO bill wont bankrupt me.
If your girlfriend is complaining AFTER coming to your home, it is fully possible they are in your home biting her and biting you, but that you are not allergic. I just want to throw that out there as a possibility. It’s common for people to not have any reaction to bed bug bites.
I am not a PCO, but my understanding is that Steri-fab has very little residual. As such, setting up a “barrier” of Steri-fab is not going to do much.
Definitely read the travel FAQ about how not to spread bed bugs to others, which should help you and your girlfriend prevent moving them from place to place.
Hi, I’m a college student and I’m just about to move out of my dorm apartment next week. I’m going home for 4 months and then I’m moving into an entirely different apartment. For the last month or so, my roommate has been getting crazy bedbug bites, while i’ve barely gotten any. We’ve had some pest guys come and they say that it’s probably a small infestation. They’ve sprayed three times so far, once a week.
We’ve bagged everything. But I’m really worried about bringing it back home. Most of my things are away from the bed area and packed in cardboard boxes, with every single opening taped up, even the sides, but I’m worried that the bugs might actually be living in the cardboard. My roommate says that they can do that, and I’ve been getting mixded reports about it. Is this true? the boxes are going into storage for the summer, and I don’t want the bugs (if there are any) to stew in there for 4 months before attacking as soon as I open the boxes.
Also, I’m worried about the things that are bagged. I’m not worried about my bags or clothes as I plan on washing them right before I leave and packing them away from my room, but I’m worried about my other things that are bagged (movies, stereo, shoes, etc). These are all things that I can neither microwave or freeze. I can’t just blast the temp. in my room as we don’t have a thermostat. What can I do with them?
P.S. if someone could tell me what the hottest setting on the washer and dryer are, that’d be appreciated. I’m not sure as the washer/dryer that I use in my apartment only lists the options of delicates, whites/colors, and permanent press. I usually use permanent press, but should I use something else?
newx94022
Sorry I forgot to add that seeing as it is a college dorm, the bed and mattress are pretty much made to avoid such infestations. the mattress is protected by plastic and the bed frame is specially made to prevent infestation by bed bugs. the only thing is that the floor is made of carpet. I want to vacuum only I don’t have one on hand that is bagless and that’s what I’d prefer. Hopefully the pest guy can help with that. And all our furniture is made the same way, or with plastic/metal. So the only thing that I’m really worried about are my personal possessions that can’t be microwaved or frozen.
newx94022
newx94022
newx94022,
First, if you have additional questions, PLEASE post them to our forums, where you will likely get more, and quicker responses.
Bed bugs can easily be moved. They can harbor in boxes, and spread from there to the storage facility (and other people) OR hang out in your stuff to eventually be moved again.
They can obviously also be stored in sealed bags.
It is essential to try and kill them.
I would not personally use a microwave on belongings. Some readers have used a Packtite to heat items.
Clothing/linens/etc. can be heated in a dryer but we cannot tell you the heat YOUR dryer will reach. Usually the hot setting is hot enough if done for long enough. But it may vary.
If you and friends have a lot of stuff, it can be put in a truck and treated with Vikane Gas (depending where you are). This is pricey.
And I would store with care after doing this: others may have improperly wrapped stuff in storage, waiting to spread bed bugs back to you.
I hope this helps. If you want to discuss further, please come to the forums.
Can someone help me? My husband believes we have bed bugs, he has several 12-15 bites on 1 leg, in the same area. Pictures posted on the web look similar to what he has. However, he doesnt have bites anywhere else, and I sleep next to him… no bites on me. My daughter often sleeps in both beds, ours and hers across the hall – no bites. Is it possible to have bed bugs? (no other criteria match other than him waking w/ bites, not travel, ect.) help! He’s driving me crazy!
It is possible. Many people do not react and this may be the case with you and daughter.
You should rule out other possible causes like mosquitos, fleas, folliculitis, and scabies.
In an early stage of bed bug infestation there may be few bed bugs. They may only have bitten him and then only on his leg.
You should keep in mind he could have been bitten in a public place, but it is also possible you have bed bugs at home.
Please come to the forums if you need more support: http://bedbugger.com/forum/
im freakin out idk if i have them or not but ppl im freakin out
Hi Guys – Wow I was reading thru the postings from the top and its a wealth of information. You guys have been doing this for 2 yrs now. Ok now coming to my problem I got some furnitures from my friends place and also got some bugs. I did not know there were bugs in it. I have just moved in to a new appartment and got the first bite yesterday while sitting on the sofa in the living room. I got up and searched and saw a bug on the sofa “Welcome to the bug world”. I took it and killed it. I am scared now because I am afraid all the furnitures I brought from there could be infected. It has been in my apartment for less than a week now. Do you guys think it would have spread by now? Please advice. I am very upset with this buggy thing. Please advice at the earliest.
Yes– they may well have spread. If you were to toss out the sofa they may spread even further. PLEASE get a pest control operator with lots of experience killing bed bugs to help.
If you want to discuss further, please come to our forums: http://bedbugger.com/forum/
Hi Everyone,
So I’m a little freaked out. I just moved into an apartment 3 weeks ago. The lease that the management company put together had a disclosure letter stating that “no cases of bed bugs have occurred in the building to date”. I signed it acknowledging that I read it and figured I was fine. BUT today I found out from someone who no longer lives in the building that they infact had bed bugs, AND it was in the unit right above mine. How can I prevent them? And why would the lease have that letter if there were infact bed bugs? Was the old tenant mistaken or is the management company being tricky? Also is there any law requiring them to disclose a situation like bed bugs or were they just throwing that out there to cover their butt?
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