Comments on: FAQ: dry cleaners and bed bugs http://bedbugger.com/2007/06/26/dry-cleaners-and-bed-bugs/ bed bug news, information, activism, and support Sun, 06 Jul 2008 14:16:19 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: nobugsonme http://bedbugger.com/2007/06/26/dry-cleaners-and-bed-bugs/#comment-10042 nobugsonme Sun, 15 Jun 2008 04:11:53 +0000 http://bedbugger.com/2007/06/26/dry-cleaners-and-bed-bugs/#comment-10042 The yogurt cups idea you mention is an attempt to "isolate the bed" (meaning that you completely remove bed bugs from the frame, encase the mattress to keep any bed bugs inside the encasement, and try to prevent bed bugs coming onto the bed via barriers such as mineral oil in yogurt cups under the legs. We have a FAQ on this which is currently down for revision. I think that isolating the bed can be useful for those who are suffering terribly from bites and can't get any sleep. However, it is not necessary to isolate the bed in order to fight bed bugs. It can be hard to do in many cases. With a wooden bed frame, esp. a flat one, you will have a hard time. Whether you choose to "isolate" or not, you must ensure no bed bugs are hiding in the frame. Is it a solid piece of wood or does it have pieces joined together (slats, screws, etc.)? If the latter, bed bugs can hide where there is the tiniest gap. You must dissemble the entire thing as far as is possible, and have all bed bugs and eggs removed. The frame must be sprayed by a pest control operator. That doesn't get your flat frame off the floor, however. If you want to "isolate", you'll probably need a frame with legs. It might be better just to carefully disassemble and clean the frame, get a PCO to treat it and the home, and then encase the mattress. The yogurt cups idea you mention is an attempt to “isolate the bed” (meaning that you completely remove bed bugs from the frame, encase the mattress to keep any bed bugs inside the encasement, and try to prevent bed bugs coming onto the bed via barriers such as mineral oil in yogurt cups under the legs.

We have a FAQ on this which is currently down for revision.

I think that isolating the bed can be useful for those who are suffering terribly from bites and can’t get any sleep.

However, it is not necessary to isolate the bed in order to fight bed bugs. It can be hard to do in many cases.

With a wooden bed frame, esp. a flat one, you will have a hard time.

Whether you choose to “isolate” or not, you must ensure no bed bugs are hiding in the frame. Is it a solid piece of wood or does it have pieces joined together (slats, screws, etc.)? If the latter, bed bugs can hide where there is the tiniest gap. You must dissemble the entire thing as far as is possible, and have all bed bugs and eggs removed. The frame must be sprayed by a pest control operator.

That doesn’t get your flat frame off the floor, however. If you want to “isolate”, you’ll probably need a frame with legs.

It might be better just to carefully disassemble and clean the frame, get a PCO to treat it and the home, and then encase the mattress.

]]> By: Jean Pak http://bedbugger.com/2007/06/26/dry-cleaners-and-bed-bugs/#comment-10034 Jean Pak Sat, 14 Jun 2008 15:12:51 +0000 http://bedbugger.com/2007/06/26/dry-cleaners-and-bed-bugs/#comment-10034 does anyone have suggestions for cleaning a wooden bed frame? its the kind that doesnt have wheels but lays flat so it's hard to put yogurt cups with tape over them like a metal frame (which is what i saw one person on another blog do). thanks does anyone have suggestions for cleaning a wooden bed frame? its the kind that doesnt have wheels but lays flat so it’s hard to put yogurt cups with tape over them like a metal frame (which is what i saw one person on another blog do).

thanks

]]> By: douggienyc http://bedbugger.com/2007/06/26/dry-cleaners-and-bed-bugs/#comment-9286 douggienyc Mon, 14 Apr 2008 14:51:29 +0000 http://bedbugger.com/2007/06/26/dry-cleaners-and-bed-bugs/#comment-9286 This place is such a great resource. I found an ad link to a place here that picked up my dry cleaning and laundry from my apartment. The place was Iris Cleaners you can google it for more information. They really seem to know what they were talking about unlike some other places i called. Luckily my landlord is paying for the cleaning because I have a lot of clothes and the bill for dy cleanig it all was more than i could afford. Unlike the previous posters experience, they actually charged more for the treatment because they claim that my clothes were processed sepratley and not mixed with anyone elses. In the end, i was most comfortable with them because their experince dealing with bedbugs and the guy on the phone kind of put me at ease about the whole situation. This place is such a great resource. I found an ad link to a place here that picked up my dry cleaning and laundry from my apartment. The place was Iris Cleaners you can google it for more information. They really seem to know what they were talking about unlike some other places i called. Luckily my landlord is paying for the cleaning because I have a lot of clothes and the bill for dy cleanig it all was more than i could afford. Unlike the previous posters experience, they actually charged more for the treatment because they claim that my clothes were processed sepratley and not mixed with anyone elses. In the end, i was most comfortable with them because their experince dealing with bedbugs and the guy on the phone kind of put me at ease about the whole situation.

]]> By: laundry, steaming, vacuuming, & “leaving stuff out” http://bedbugger.com/2007/06/26/dry-cleaners-and-bed-bugs/#comment-8063 laundry, steaming, vacuuming, & “leaving stuff out” Thu, 20 Dec 2007 12:01:31 +0000 http://bedbugger.com/2007/06/26/dry-cleaners-and-bed-bugs/#comment-8063 [...] you are thinking of using a dry cleaner for some or all of your clothing, read this FAQ first! SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "laundry, steaming, vacuuming, & “leaving stuff [...] […] you are thinking of using a dry cleaner for some or all of your clothing, read this FAQ first! SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: “laundry, steaming, vacuuming, & “leaving stuff […]

]]> By: nobugsonme http://bedbugger.com/2007/06/26/dry-cleaners-and-bed-bugs/#comment-8062 nobugsonme Thu, 20 Dec 2007 11:52:49 +0000 http://bedbugger.com/2007/06/26/dry-cleaners-and-bed-bugs/#comment-8062 Updated to include Doug's warning about "green" PERC-free dry cleaning, as well as other dry cleaning concerns. Also upgraded to FAQ. Updated to include Doug’s warning about “green” PERC-free dry cleaning, as well as other dry cleaning concerns. Also upgraded to FAQ.

]]> By: nobugsonme http://bedbugger.com/2007/06/26/dry-cleaners-and-bed-bugs/#comment-8061 nobugsonme Thu, 20 Dec 2007 11:52:12 +0000 http://bedbugger.com/2007/06/26/dry-cleaners-and-bed-bugs/#comment-8061 shergil, he probably was burned already by someone careless; or he knows another dry cleaner who was. shergil, he probably was burned already by someone careless; or he knows another dry cleaner who was.

]]> By: shergil http://bedbugger.com/2007/06/26/dry-cleaners-and-bed-bugs/#comment-8058 shergil Thu, 20 Dec 2007 08:41:03 +0000 http://bedbugger.com/2007/06/26/dry-cleaners-and-bed-bugs/#comment-8058 I was turned down by a dry cleaner in Clinton Hill area in Brookyln NY. He said he definately wouldn't service me. I was turned down by a dry cleaner in Clinton Hill area in Brookyln NY. He said he definately wouldn’t service me.

]]> By: Bugparanoid http://bedbugger.com/2007/06/26/dry-cleaners-and-bed-bugs/#comment-6541 Bugparanoid Wed, 24 Oct 2007 04:30:40 +0000 http://bedbugger.com/2007/06/26/dry-cleaners-and-bed-bugs/#comment-6541 I shipped some of my friend's clothes home in my car trunk, her bed was infested with bedbugs. I doubled bagged the clothes, still I'm paranoid that some bugs could have gone out. Feeling paranoid that my car trunk can be infested if one got out of the bag. Can they live survive and follow us home when I drive? Is it possible for them to die in the car? I took the clothes to wash and dry with hot water but no detergent or bleach just water alone. Should it work? I never had bedbugs. Should I steam my car trunk by renting a steam machine, will it work? I shipped some of my friend’s clothes home in my car trunk, her bed was infested with bedbugs. I doubled bagged the clothes, still I’m paranoid that some bugs could have gone out. Feeling paranoid that my car trunk can be infested if one got out of the bag. Can they live survive and follow us home when I drive? Is it possible for them to die in the car?

I took the clothes to wash and dry with hot water but no detergent or bleach just water alone. Should it work? I never had bedbugs.

Should I steam my car trunk by renting a steam machine, will it work?

]]> By: hotwater http://bedbugger.com/2007/06/26/dry-cleaners-and-bed-bugs/#comment-6043 hotwater Tue, 18 Sep 2007 14:59:34 +0000 http://bedbugger.com/2007/06/26/dry-cleaners-and-bed-bugs/#comment-6043 I need my suit cleaned tomorrow for a job interview. The dry cleaner told me this morning 10;10 that the workers said they will not do my suit and they only do a large amount from the same person so they don't infect the others and can't run my suit seperately. I brought it in last night and the owner was nice and didn't notify me until this morning. This sucks. I need now a dry cleaner that will do it immediately, I don't want to keep it a secret or by a new suit. I need a reccomendation. I live in NYC. I need my suit cleaned tomorrow for a job interview. The dry cleaner told me this morning 10;10 that the workers said they will not do my suit and they only do a large amount from the same person so they don’t infect the others and can’t run my suit seperately. I brought it in last night and the owner was nice and didn’t notify me until this morning. This sucks. I need now a dry cleaner that will do it immediately, I don’t want to keep it a secret or by a new suit. I need a reccomendation. I live in NYC.

]]> By: nobugsonme http://bedbugger.com/2007/06/26/dry-cleaners-and-bed-bugs/#comment-4151 nobugsonme Mon, 02 Jul 2007 03:21:19 +0000 http://bedbugger.com/2007/06/26/dry-cleaners-and-bed-bugs/#comment-4151 thanks happydays, much appreciated. and glad you're having happier days! thanks happydays, much appreciated.

and glad you’re having happier days!

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