Comments on: FAQ: I am not in the US. Can you tell me where to buy XL ziplocs, or what mattress covers are called in my country? http://bedbugger.com/2007/04/22/faq-i-am-not-in-the-us-can-you-tell-me-where-to-buy-xl-ziplocs-or-what-mattress-covers-are-called-in-my-country/ bed bug news, information, activism, and support Sun, 06 Jul 2008 17:41:55 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: willow-the-wisp http://bedbugger.com/2007/04/22/faq-i-am-not-in-the-us-can-you-tell-me-where-to-buy-xl-ziplocs-or-what-mattress-covers-are-called-in-my-country/#comment-2402 willow-the-wisp Mon, 23 Apr 2007 19:59:11 +0000 http://bedbugger.com/2007/04/22/faq-i-am-not-in-the-us-can-you-tell-me-where-to-buy-xl-ziplocs-or-what-mattress-covers-are-called-in-my-country/#comment-2402 Being from San Francisco is almost like being in another country compared to living in NYC. I'm "GLAD" this topic came up just over-all, down right "GLAD"! Being from San Francisco is almost like being in another country compared to living in NYC. I’m “GLAD” this topic came up just over-all, down right “GLAD”!

]]> By: Fedupandparanoid http://bedbugger.com/2007/04/22/faq-i-am-not-in-the-us-can-you-tell-me-where-to-buy-xl-ziplocs-or-what-mattress-covers-are-called-in-my-country/#comment-2395 Fedupandparanoid Mon, 23 Apr 2007 09:18:43 +0000 http://bedbugger.com/2007/04/22/faq-i-am-not-in-the-us-can-you-tell-me-where-to-buy-xl-ziplocs-or-what-mattress-covers-are-called-in-my-country/#comment-2395 Totally agree about sharing creative solutions Nobugs the problems are far more complex than just where to buy Ziploc bags, which incidentally are available in this country via the internet from the manufaturers but the shipping costs are exorbitant so if anyone is either making them or selling them direct in the UK I would love to know I found a plastic bag supplier that sent me really strong large plastic bags good for sealing stuff prior to disposal and giant but less thick plastic bags that I have used for clothing and washing. If you don't fill them too full, you can twist the neck and then tie in a knot which my PCO recommended. There are manufacturers making anti allergy dustmite proof all encasing mattress covers in the UK. Not too many seem to actually market them as bedbug proof but I worked on the premise that if they keep out dustmites they will keep out (or in!) bb's and there are lots of suggestions in the FAQ's for sealing the end of the zip. (NB ignore this bit this is a test travel and personal) Totally agree about sharing creative solutions Nobugs the problems are far more complex than just where to buy Ziploc bags, which incidentally are available in this country via the internet from the manufaturers but the shipping costs are exorbitant so if anyone is either making them or selling them direct in the UK I would love to know I found a plastic bag supplier that sent me really strong large plastic bags good for sealing stuff prior to disposal and giant but less thick plastic bags that I have used for clothing and washing. If you don’t fill them too full, you can twist the neck and then tie in a knot which my PCO recommended. There are manufacturers making anti allergy dustmite proof all encasing mattress covers in the UK. Not too many seem to actually market them as bedbug proof but I worked on the premise that if they keep out dustmites they will keep out (or in!) bb’s and
there are lots of suggestions in the FAQ’s for sealing the end of the zip.

(NB ignore this bit this is a test travel and personal)

]]> By: nobugsonme http://bedbugger.com/2007/04/22/faq-i-am-not-in-the-us-can-you-tell-me-where-to-buy-xl-ziplocs-or-what-mattress-covers-are-called-in-my-country/#comment-2390 nobugsonme Sun, 22 Apr 2007 21:29:40 +0000 http://bedbugger.com/2007/04/22/faq-i-am-not-in-the-us-can-you-tell-me-where-to-buy-xl-ziplocs-or-what-mattress-covers-are-called-in-my-country/#comment-2390 Thanks FedUp. The problem is not just where to buy XL ziploc bags, but that people need to find creative solutions for fighting bed bugs, and share them here with others. You may find that there is no equivalent of large resealable bags in your country. (I'd caution anyone against making such a claim without really trying hard to find an equivalent, though they may not be made by the same company, or at all). People can also email manufacturers. You can google ziploc XL and find the manufacturer's site and email them and ask them if they sell in your country. Ultimately, you may need to post to the FAQs that this option just is not available and that you are doing something different. You can help people figure out what works there. I know FedUp got good suggestions from a local PCO. Ultimately, some PCOs may not even know anything about certain techniques (like washing and drying on hot and bagging clothes), but they may know and they may have suggestions to help. Others have said mattress protectors are unavailable. Well, this may be true in lots of places, but in Europe and Australia, they probably are. They're often used for protection against allergens like dust mites. <a href="http://www.natlallergy.com/search.asp?ss=bed+bugs&eid=INTBB&sid=INTBB" rel="nofollow">National Allergy (this link gives you a discount)</a> will probably ship overseas. It's not the best plan, but it is an option in the absence of others. Thanks FedUp. The problem is not just where to buy XL ziploc bags, but that people need to find creative solutions for fighting bed bugs, and share them here with others.

You may find that there is no equivalent of large resealable bags in your country. (I’d caution anyone against making such a claim without really trying hard to find an equivalent, though they may not be made by the same company, or at all).

People can also email manufacturers. You can google ziploc XL and find the manufacturer’s site and email them and ask them if they sell in your country.

Ultimately, you may need to post to the FAQs that this option just is not available and that you are doing something different. You can help people figure out what works there. I know FedUp got good suggestions from a local PCO. Ultimately, some PCOs may not even know anything about certain techniques (like washing and drying on hot and bagging clothes), but they may know and they may have suggestions to help.

Others have said mattress protectors are unavailable. Well, this may be true in lots of places, but in Europe and Australia, they probably are. They’re often used for protection against allergens like dust mites. National Allergy (this link gives you a discount) will probably ship overseas. It’s not the best plan, but it is an option in the absence of others.

]]> By: Fedupandparanoid http://bedbugger.com/2007/04/22/faq-i-am-not-in-the-us-can-you-tell-me-where-to-buy-xl-ziplocs-or-what-mattress-covers-are-called-in-my-country/#comment-2389 Fedupandparanoid Sun, 22 Apr 2007 20:00:46 +0000 http://bedbugger.com/2007/04/22/faq-i-am-not-in-the-us-can-you-tell-me-where-to-buy-xl-ziplocs-or-what-mattress-covers-are-called-in-my-country/#comment-2389 I am really pleased that you are prepared to do this Nobugs and I think it will make an already excellent resource even better, (at least for those of us not from the US). I have actually been preparing some information pertinent to the UK to post but obviously I can only speak from my own personal experience so any other UK'ers who can provide information the better for us all. Obviously most of the information is relevant to all but there are one or two things that are not. Inability to buy Klean Free or Sterifab unless it is marketed under a different name which I don't know and I can't find a source of XL ziplocs although WMSB suggested Chinatown is a possibility which I haven't managed to explore further yet. Thanks (also the more we can all do to post this information takes some of the pressure off you - I know you put an enormous amount of your own time into all this and it is very much appreciated. I am really pleased that you are prepared to do this Nobugs and I think it will make an already excellent resource even better, (at least for those of us not from the US). I have actually been preparing some information pertinent to the UK to post but obviously I can only speak from my own personal experience so any other UK’ers who can provide information the better for us all. Obviously most of the information is relevant to all but there are one or two things that are not. Inability to buy Klean Free or Sterifab unless it is marketed under a different name which I don’t know and I can’t find a source of XL ziplocs although WMSB suggested Chinatown is a possibility which I haven’t managed to explore further yet.
Thanks (also the more we can all do to post this information takes some of the pressure off you - I know you put an enormous amount of your own time into all this and it is very much appreciated.

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