Comments on: extreme temperatures: steaming, laundry, vacuuming, & “leaving stuff out”

By: Desperate

Desperate — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 02:01:44 +0000

Will the normal home washer and dryer will be efficient in killing of the bug?

By: jorge

jorge — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 18:35:09 +0000

My wife is suffering so much right now- so I am going to get a steamer that way if they return we can take action. I saw a steam fast max steam cleaner sf275 that I want to buy. Will this help me with my bedbug problems? Here are the specs thanks everybody.

1500 Watts of Steaming Power.
Convenient 12 Ft. Cord.
Fill to 50 Ounce of Maximum Steaming.
Lighted On/Off Switch.
Combination of Wheels and Casters for Easy Movement.
Utility Brush Storage Compartment.
Specifications:

Unit Dimension: 17.52 x 11.42 x 9.25
Unit Weight: 13 Lbs.
Presure: 44 PSI
Temperature: 220 F.
Runing time: 1 OZ / 1 minute. Max: 50 OZ for 50 minutes

We all know that bathrooms are the worst places in the house to clean, right? No problem! Let the powerful 1500 Watts SteamMax Cleaner do the dirty work in your house. SteamMax Cleaner will clean your entire house from the bathroom to your car’s engine; nothing escapes the power of SteamMax Cleaner! Ready to use in minutes, SteamMax eliminates dust mites and other allergens. You can steam clean, mop and sanitize your floor with no chemicals needed. The SteamMax Cleaner reduces smoke and other odors as well as allergens such as dust mites and pet dander. A combination of wheels and casters allows for easy movement while you clean. SteamMax Cleaner also offers you a free Bonus Package with 4 utility brushes, a scrub pad, and a brass BBQ grill brush.

Features:

Kitchen Cleaning.
Windows Cleaning.
Bathroom Cleaning.
Furniture Cleaning.
Floor Cleaning.
Car Cleaning.
Eliminate Dust Mites and Allergens in carpet and bedroom.
Last for 1 hour before refilling.
1500 Watts of Steaming Power.
Convenient 12 Ft. Cord.
Fill to 50 Ounce of Maximum Steaming.
Lighted On/Off Switch.
Combination of Wheels and Casters for Easy Movement.
Utility Brush Storage Compartment.
Specifications:

Unit Dimension: 17.52 x 11.42 x 9.25
Unit Weight: 13 Lbs.
Presure: 44 PSI
Temperature: 220 F.
Runing time: 1 OZ / 1 minute. Max: 50 OZ for 50 minutes
Accessories:

1 Floor brush
2 extension wand (4 feet long total)
2 Short Nylon Utility Brushes
2 Long Nylon Utility Brushes
1 Brass Brush
1 Scrub Pad (This accessory is handy)
1 Angle jet nozzle
1 Triangle brush
1 funnel
1 Measuring Cup
1 Squeegee
1 Cloth Cover (Installed on the Floor Brush)

By: nobugsonme

nobugsonme — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 19:31:50 +0000

fightorflight,

And as I say above, Potter’s test was done on socks. It stands to reason larger or thicker items require more time, so no one here should be assuming that 5 minutes would be enough for a pair of jeans or another larger item.

However, I think an hour on dry items that are not thick (ie normal clothing–shirts, jeans, etc.) is probably overkill, and may damage them. If it doesn’t, and makes you feel better, then why not? But there’s a difference between something that reassures you, and something that is the best advice for everyone.

When it comes to stuffed animals, comforters, pillows, etc. the jury is out and I am not sure I’d trust them even after a long spin.

For what it’s worth, a dryer cycle at three of the NYC laundromats near me, is 10 or 12 minutes.

By: fightorflight

fightorflight — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 10:44:51 +0000

I shouldn’t have said “promulgated,” I should have said, “reported.” Michael Potter is doing great research.

By: fightorflight

fightorflight — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 10:30:45 +0000

I have been advised by our site’s excellent moderators to post my opinion on this subject here:

About the “5-minute” findings, promulgated I believe by Dr. Michael Potter at U of Kentucky: I have reasons to suspect that I spread the bugs to a good friend because I did not keep the clothes on my back, including coat and sneakers, in the dryer long enough. I spoke with a representative of a sniffer dog company in NYC, who seemed pretty knowledgeable, and he strongly recommended 3 dryer cycles. That has to be at least an hour. I did about 50 minutes with my already dry stuff and, like I said, I think something lived.

My strong, strong recommendation: In the real world, 5 minutes is not enough - for anything!! I mean, I thought I was going above and beyond with 50 minutes. With these beasts, you want to act like building contractors do - comply with code and then go another 40%, something like that. Do not do anything near the minimum. I say, 1 hour minimum.

Whew, now I feel better.

By: nobugsonme

nobugsonme — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 02:02:04 +0000

Yes, Battleofthebugs, another reader said they found bed bugs in their apartment building laundry room’s lint trap. In this case, since they had apparently not used that machine yet, it was taken as a sign that others in the building had bed bugs.

—

Update: added NotSoSnug’s book suggestion to FAQ.

By: Battleofthebugs

Battleofthebugs — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 01:24:36 +0000

Thought I’d share my dryer experience today. I put a load in the dryer that had first been washed on hot first. Our dryer’s highest setting is “regular heat.” We do the more dry to less dry cycle, which takes about an hour. I have gotten into the habit of inspecting the dryer lint, and today was no exception. In the lint I found a small bed bug nymph, totally dried out. I have been concerned about whether our dryer was hot enough, and felt this was a good find.

Has any one else found a bed bug in their washing machine or dryer?

By: nobugsonme

nobugsonme — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 23:53:06 +0000

natalia, can you tell us what city you are renting in? The landlord may be liable to provide treatment. If so, it probably has to be professional treatment, by law.

By: natalia

natalia — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 19:18:50 +0000

My bf was at my apt, in my room, watching tv for a few hours when I wasn’t home. When I arrived he showed me two bites next to eachother on his forearm and asked me if i had bedbugs. I said, “No. I’ve seen little brown spider around and even on my bed, so it’s probably them.” Over a two week period he experienced three more single bites on his arms. One weekend we slept at his place, and then the following Monday I slept at home alone. Tuesday I woke up with eight bites in a circle on my left arm and five scattered across my mid section. I freaked out and talked to my roommates you said they’ve seen some and been treating their rooms themselves. I asked if they informed the landlord or extermintor and they responded by saying they feel there treatments have been effective. Without wasting a single mintue I called for an extermintor to checkout the entire apt. One roommate appeared to have thrown out everything he owned with a single sleeping bag on the floor. The extermintor immediately spot a bug in his room. The second roommate had everything she owned in plastic and when the exterminator held a flashlight to her plastic covered mattress he accidentally smashed a bug with his finger, which was then stained with blood. I freaked out. Called the landlord and demanded immediate treatment and didn’t spend another night there until I eventually moved out. I washed and dried all ym clothing on high heat and put it all in a rented storage unit. There was a launry facility next door and i would keep a clean towel there (in a plastic bag) and use it to wrap myself while I washed the clothes I was wearing before I went anywhere else. I through out everything I owned beside books and shoes which I’ve put in ziplocks and plastic storage containers that now sit on my new backporch. I’ve brought only my clothes from the storage unit where they sat tightly knotted in plastic bags for a month. Over two weeks I’ve woken up on two separate occasions with a single red welt on my mid section. After the first time, I stripped my new bed, left the bedding in a tightly knotted double plastic bag on the freezing back porch (it’s been 20 degrees and snowing everyday). I’m so paranoid I want to have the apt prof. sprayed for bed bugs, but unfortunately, I was fired the same tuesday I initially woke up with bites, have have zero dollars in my bank account. I want to cry wishing I threw my clothes away too. What should I do?

By: nobugsonme

nobugsonme — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 08:15:14 +0000

The FAQ above is all I know, randi. That and the linked article from Michael Potter. Good luck! At this point, though it is not ideal, try to seal up things that need to be dealt with similarly (eg clothes to wash, clothes that must be dry cleaned, shoes to be dried or frozen or sprayed, etc.) since you won’t have time to do more than that tonight. Good luck and come to the forums if you have more questions! (Blue forum button at top right.)