Comments on: Letter from a reader: 4 months after exposure and two treatments, bites persist

By: FreeAtLast

FreeAtLast — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 10:31:13 +0000

I forgot to mention that we also daily laundered every piece of cloth and clothing in the home in scalding hot water with borax and dried them in a hellishly hot dryer. Also, the infestation lasted for 2 hellish months, which, from what I have read, is a short time, relatively to most.

By: FreeAtLast

FreeAtLast — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 10:28:31 +0000

Also, the notion that cleanliness has nothing to do with bed bugs is a bit over-stated. I understand the temptation to want to “soften the blow” to those who are infested. It is the most filthy, degrading feeling in the world to not be able to sleep without being used as food for these vermin–why let anyone feel worse than they already do, i.e. guilty about how this infestation is somehow their fault? However, I think it is more kind to help them get rid of them than to pat them on the head. Therefore, I would refine the notion to state that cleanliness has nothing to do with getting a bed bug infestation but has EVERYTHING to do with getting rid of one [versus not].

By: FreeAtLast

FreeAtLast — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 10:19:26 +0000

Once I realized we had this horrid nightmare problem, I became an AVID researcher. I was dismayed not to find more “this is how I got rid of them” posts. Well, I got rid of them and I am going to add my experience for what it’s worth.

First, we cleaned, removed ALL carpeting, treated with Bayer SC and IGR and the DE clay/dust. Don’t waste your time or money on the DE. It does NOT work and is a health hazzard, despite what they say. Also, Delta Dust has limited effectiveness. We threw away the bed frame, removed all of the books to air tight containers. Vacuumed every other day and then sealed with wood putty and caulk. Why wood putty, you may wonder—well, our home has wood floors and ceilings with millions of places for the insects from hades to hide. We also ACTIVELY sought and found and destroyed them, one by one. The interesting place they were hidden was under torchiere floor lamps, so all of those were thrown out. By the by, you must KILL them when you find them, not simply throw out the infested item. THEY CAN COME BACK INTO YOUR HOME IF YOU SIMPLY THROW OUT INFESTED ITEMS.

Now, the delightful thing to note is that, after all of that, I WAS STILL GETTING BITTEN.

Obviously, modern techniques do not work.

I began to research more folk and 19th century exterminators techniques. What finally worked was KEROSENE as a carrier for the Bayer SC. Please do not ninny and whine that it’s flammable….yes, it is. That is why one must either possess sufficient intelligence to use this liquid with care or avoid using it altogether. Water is now used as a carrier for insecticides. In the 19th century and in India to this day it is kerosene.

By: nobugsonme

nobugsonme — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 06:13:21 +0000

fran,

Please post your message in the forums:

http://bedbugger.com/forum/

You will get more responses there.

By: fran

fran — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 20:21:02 +0000

infestion of bed bugs from Sleepy’s mattress and box springs, of course they are denying that infestion was from their merchandise. Any suggestions. House has been fumigation and have been told that bed bugs were liimited to the mattress and box spring

By: nobugsonme

nobugsonme — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 03:09:31 +0000

Nathan,

fightorflight participates in the forum, and others there may also have similar experiences to you.

I suggest you post a message there, and consider PMing fightorflight (PM = Private Message system in the forums):

http://bedbugger.com/forum/

By: Nathan

Nathan — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 18:38:28 +0000

fightorflight,
if you read this, please send me an email at nay3k@hotmail.com, I would like to discuss a similar situation.

By: nobugsonme

nobugsonme — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 04:03:02 +0000

I would strongly encourage you to get a professional to treat your home for bed bugs. You will not be able to kill all the bed bugs (probably not even most of them) manually. They are designed to hide well.

They are probably hiding in the mattress and bed frame but also in the room itself and other furniture (chairs, sofas, dressers, desks, and so on).

If you want to discuss this further, please click the “forums” button above and post in our forums where you will get more responses.

By: Buda-BedBugs

Buda-BedBugs — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 03:06:05 +0000

I had recently been getting several bites every couple of nights, nasty red swelling & itchy the following day. I have a stick of witch-hazel (made by witch-stick i think) its amazing at soothing the itch. Try not to scratch too much when you discover the bites, & rub lots of the witch hazel in… then very little scarring. Also dont let the sun get onto any of the bites. The skin stretches & gets more of a tan when the bite-site is swollen.. then when the swelling goes away – you have a darker brown spot on your skin. I have just realised this week that my bites were not mosquitos as I felt one bedbug tickling on the back of my head, found it (and squished it in the process) & just found a second one scuttling across my pillow nearly an hour ago,, he has also been “taken care of” hence I’m up researching how to “nuke” the buggers… no sleep for me tonight. I have already wrapped the legs of my bed in double sided sticky tape – moved the bed away from the wall, & will give a good vacuum in the morning.. am thinking about dismantling my bed to look for them – any more advice?

By: nobugsonme

nobugsonme — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 13:19:26 +0000

cantbelieveit,

If the problem is bed bugs (Cimex lectularius) then washing thoroughly in a normal shower with soap or shampoo, and putting on clean clothes (which have been washed and dried on hot and stored securely in a sealed bag) should certainly remove them.

At least one person has gotten help from a doctor with scarring once bed bugs are gone, however, I hope you are getting good professional help to deal with the bed bug problem.