Comments on: Bed Bug Success Stories: Collette and a professional steamer

By: Ihatebug

Ihatebug — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 17:49:40 +0000

I have begbugs problem for almost 4 months.I have had exterminator came 2 times.I bought vinyl sheet cover my mattress.I bought a steamer.I wash my clothes and put in the bag and afraid to pull them off the bag.
I don’t want anybody in my house.I don’t want them to get infected.It makes me not want to be socialize.I haven’t gone out for the past few months.And I can’t share the story with my friends.They will disgust me(I guess).I’m fighting all alone and tired.
I think I ‘m going to move and leave all my furnitures and start a new life.I want my life back.I’m so desperate.

By: nobugsonme

nobugsonme — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 03:10:37 +0000

I have not seen any good suggestions for where to rent a good dry vapor steamer.

By: indenial

indenial — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 17:39:29 +0000

I’m 99% sure I have bedbugs. I don’t have a reaction to the bites, but my boyfriend (who has them at his apartment) has been bitten at my place. Since purchasing a steamer is quite expensive, does anyone know of a company where you can rent one?

By: bbnutz

bbnutz — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 14:38:34 +0000

I could have written Collette’s story. Steam has really helped us with the WAR. We are going to have a pro come in and treat, though, while we are on vacation. These &%$# bugs have cost us a fortune!

By: nobugsonme

nobugsonme — Thu, 29 May 2008 22:22:39 +0000

bedbugvictim,

Click on the blue forums button above and use the search box to find “success” in the forums. More stories there.

By: bugvictim

bugvictim — Mon, 26 May 2008 02:29:50 +0000

It’s really nice to hear about success stories. I am sometimes sorry we have the internet and so much information at our fingertips because worst cases are always easy to find and the success stories not so easy. I found my infestation 2 weeks ago and have already resolved that I am in for a long battle. I will not lie, I am, mentally, not handling this situation well. I am really freaking out and have already spend $1100 on three different exterminators who I feel didn’t do anything spectacular. It’s now two weeks since the first exterminator and all I am finding is really little ones. I guess some eggs hatched and they are hungry. DISGUSTING NASTY THOUGHT. I would love to hear some more success stories. I really need some chin up encouragement if I am going to survive this.

By: nobugsonme

nobugsonme — Mon, 12 May 2008 16:07:05 +0000

Armani,

I know you are busy with your dissertation, but the best thing would be to get a professional who knows bed bugs to treat your home. Depending on the local laws, your landlord (if any) may be responsible for paying. Even if they’re not, getting a pest control operator in is your best bet.

It is not about cleaning your home. People don’t have bed bugs because their homes are dirty, and no amount of cleaning will kill them if they are able to hide out in cracks, rather than being hit head-on.

Steam can be a useful tool, but only if it hits bed bugs directly.

Throwing out your belongings is not necessary and won’t actually solve the problem.

Please read the FAQs and get a professional in as soon as you can.

By: Armani

Armani — Mon, 12 May 2008 08:12:39 +0000

Thanks Collette for your write up. You have cheered me up as really distressed about bugs.. as I’ve been really bitten and allergic to them. Right in the middle of finishing my dissertation for Uni and get eaten alive by bugs. A while ago I saw a beetle looking thing (which I now know is a bed bug) and I crushed it at the time thinking it was a ‘one of’. I wasn’t bitten at all so didn’t investigate further and didn’t notice any other signs of bug life. I just stripped the bed, hoovered it and washed the bedding etc.. However a month later (closer to my deadline) I get bitten all over at night. I couldn’t believe it. I checked the mattress and couldn’t find anything and then I noticed tiny black things. I found a spray and sprayed it, boiled the sheets, hoovered 90 times a day, but still got bitten. I chucked the mattress and the bed two days ago and all my bedding and stuff which was in the draws! Materialism went out the window. I didn’t care except getting rid of whatever was biting me. My son wasn’t getting bitten, only me. And nasty. I even slept in the bath so they couldn’t get me, and put cleanly washed towels over me because I was too scared to use any old duvet (which I chucked thinking I had bed mites or something). I bought a wet steamer not knowing there was dry steamers for £40 and steamed everywhere. I’m really distraught. I’ve declared war and going for a second batch of steaming. I am NOT buying a bed until I know they are all gone! My sofa is so expensive and just pray the steam gets them. Each night before I squash myself into my dry bath to sleep I spray downstairs and hope that in the morning they are all dead. Since chucking the bed only been bitten a couple of times so will declare war on the sofa with the steamer… and then only a few hours left to hand my dissertation in. Kill the bugs or finish the essay….. can’t concentrate until they are radicated!!!! BUGS YOUR DEAD!!!!! I too was an animal loving person until these bites!!!

Thanks again for your story. My pride had been so pierced but you have really cheered me up. THANKS!!!

Managed to get an extension (for other reasons). So tired though. Don’t sleep well in the bath! but too scared to sleep on the sofa or anywhere else.

If you bleach the floor do you think that would help to kill any that come lurking out the cracks? I’ve disinfected and steamed by kitchen floor…. the house seems cleanest it has ever been.

Will best get on….. dissertaion looming and bugs to steam to their grave!!

By: nobugsonme

nobugsonme — Mon, 12 May 2008 03:14:25 +0000

People should do research before attempting to do their own pest control. It sounds like you did just that and I am glad you had a good experience.

We’ve heard many reports of people misusing dusts and it can’t be said often enough that you need to know what you’re doing, apply them sparingly and in the right places, and not disturb them, walk on them, or let children and pets get near them.

Never use anything outside of the labeling instructions, and seriously consider the fact that in most cases, a licensed experienced PCO will have an easier and quicker time of getting rid of your bed bugs.

By: kev w

kev w — Sun, 11 May 2008 02:29:37 +0000

thanks for the advice nobugsonme, but actually the drione dust has worked to perfection. knock on wood. it’s been a month. literally the day after i applied the dust, the bitings stopped. knock on wood. they could be hiding and just waiting for me to get complacent, who knows, and i’m sure they’re not all dead but rather hiding in cracks or crevices or underneath the carpet (my apt actually has carpet that had simply been laid on top or semi-stapled into the flooring - it actually looks professional but provides ample hiding places for bedbugs). i’m a little afraid to brag as i’m a bit superstitious about these things and lest the bedbug Gods decide to punish me again, but i highly recommend the drione dust. apply it liberally to basically where the wall meets the carpet and any crevices or wherever you suspect the bedbugs might be. there is literally what looks like a line of cocaine surrouding the entire perimeter of the carpet. if you live in nyc, i highly recommend you purchase some dust asap (bug off pest control at 1085 saint nicholas in washington heights sells some, about $30 more than on ebay, but you get it immediately - and i feel the faster you knock ‘em down, the better). i also purchased an aerosal spray of pyrethrins (same active ingredient as in the drione dust - chrysanthamum seed extract) with supposed six month residual action and have sprayed that on all the bed frames, mattresses, futon frames, etc. But I think it’s the dust that’s really doing the trick. The landlord still hasn’t even done squat, but that’s ok, problem solved for now. The dust is non-toxic as it is made from chrysamthemum seed extract and apparently can even be put on pets to repel fleas etc. Aesthetically, it looks silly to have this line of powdered sugar looking stuff near the walls, but i think that’s a small price to pay for a good night’s rest. I hope this is of some help to future readers. Good luck…and sleep tight.