We didn’t have bites for a full YEAR and then they started again. Of course, I didnt think
bb’s at first (it was my kids getting bit this time) but finally found the little buggers after
about 2 months of bites that started out random and then kept increasing in number.

We got rid of the wooden bedframe, isolated the new metal bedframe with double stick
tape around the legs, washed and dried EVERYTHING, boiled all their toys, dusted DE all
around the floor edges, caulked every crack, bought mattress covers, dry vapor steamed
all the cracks, removed the door casings and dry steamed in there (there were a lot hiding
in there), cleaned up clutter, and continued searching the bbs out night after night. It has
now been 4 nights in a row that we have not found any bbs. Prior to using the steamer,
we were finding one or two every night. BUt after steaming the door frame, we have not
found any! We did not use a PCO this time – I have a theory that the bbs stayed away
while the chemical was active and came back out when it was safe. Of course i could be
wrong, but I have more confidence in preventative measures then I do in chemicals now.
Remember, if the bugs can’t eat, they can’t breed and they can’t lay eggs. They can live a
long time, but at least they can’t spread in the meantime!

I’m sure it helps that we are in a single family home so we can control where the bed bugs
go to some degree. I think I would feel completely helpless if we were in a multi-unit
structure – never knowing if they were feeding somewhere else and they would come back
through the walls. God bless those of you in apartments – I don’t envy you!

I guess the moral is – do your research and be methodical! It took us 4 weekends to
complete all the tasks, but we knew it had to be everything and didn’t want to miss a step.
GET A DRY VAPOR STEAMER – they really do work and the money that you spend you can
save in cleaning products as you don’t need anything else to clean almost everything in
your house – they are very versatile. Mine also was about $400.
Good luck to you all in fighting these things. But also TAKE HEART and HAVE HOPE – you
can win the battle. I was so stressed for awhile because all I ever saw on all the posts was
doom and gloom – so I want to give you hope that it is a winnable battle.

Please re-post your query in the forums:

http://bedbugger.com/forum/

You will get more responses there and it is kind of off-topic here.

I think it is important to share it was 5pm and I was taking a nap with the shades closed. So…they don’t just come at 3am. Also a majority of my bites are on my fingers and arms. I have a temperpedic like mattress I got off overstock.com I don’t know how to treat my mattress, I am assuming it will be different then your average mattress. I noticed the fecal spots all over my head board not too much that I could see but there are plenty of places in that wood fixture they could have been hiding.

I never found any other evidence of bed bugs in my actual mattress or box spring but I did get rid of and label it and it looks like the super cleaned the garbage area down and disposed of it. I brought a product from my hard ware store called Spray Away (sprayaway.com) which is supposed to be all natural and could be used on mattresses and fabric. I have a cooperative landlord who referred me to an exterminator, but I am totally afraid that since my problem at least seems to have been small that I am getting them from a neighbor.

I have at least generally looked at my nearest dressers lights electronics and little rug by my bed. Anyone with a lot of knowledge of bed bugs no the likely hood that any of my other rooms are infected if no one has experience bites. Do I need to do the same vigorous process for the living room and my partner’s bed room? I really really hope not! Can I just search and spray and vacuum….
Also if I have showered and washed all the clothes I wear then shouldn’t there be virtually no risk of spreading the bugs to friends or another sleeping spot? I don’t want to be afraid all the time especially since I read that re-infestation is so likely?

Any advice is welcome especially the hand out for the rest of the building.

Are you able to post some (or all) of the handout you created for your building?

We just had our 1st treatment yesterday and I’ve been thinking about doing the same thing to help educated my building.

I appreciate you writing to share, but your recommendations contradict much of what we know about bed bugs. I would not say this with confidence except I have now taken the combined knowledge of hundreds and hundreds of people with bed bugs (as well as professionals who study and treat them).

1/ identifying the bites based on appearance does not work (see page of bite photos).

2/ washing in hot water is not necessarily good (many of us find makes bed bug bites itch WORSE).

3-5/ sleeping elsewhere is a good way to SPREAD bed bugs around your home, which makes them harder to treat, and sleeping elsewhere is a good way to spread them to others (surely this is bad karma?)

4/ Please do NOT burn ANYTHING anywhere in your home, especially not under your bed.

6 -7/ Freezing in your refrigerator will probably not be cold enough (and may not be long enough) to kill bed bugs (see our FAQS on dealing with clothing and other items).

8/ Burning ones bed is a dangerous practice. It must not be done in or near homes, but it also may release toxic fumes. It is not necessary. It can be carefully bagged and labelled.

I am intrigued by the idea in your “Lesson” but most of the rest is dangerous advice and I beg readers to read the FAQs. They are longer and more complicated than our friend Sridhar’s comment, and this is because bed bugs are not simple to deal with. It is easy, however, to make your bed bug problems worse.

1. know that they are indeed bed bug bites…search web for bedbug appearances images

2. wash those bites hottest water you can bear with preferably with neem soap or antispetic soap…touch wipe with a clean towel…dont scratch.Apply ointment bought from a near by pharmacy story ex:benydine can be one. if you cant access them get coconut oil and mix camphorin to it by mashing it . Apply it ont eh affected areas as well as surroundings preferably thru out the day you need to wear them ( you may need to wear socks ) I assure you you will enjoy good return on your effort. Still better if you can use an antibiotic for itching.

During this itchy time u will realise that scratching can also give you orgasm. bcos YOU R STRONGLY ADVISED NOT SCRATCH.

3. once the bed bug itch subsides now lets prevent them from attacking us once again.

4. Dont sleep on the same bed. get green neem leaves…put them in owl and burn them undeer the bed where suspect the bugs… if you can and let the smoke of these leaves be kept thru out the night. or Buy one rentokil spray and spray it on all nooks and corners …

5. Abandon the rooom for a day or two.. enter the room sleep on the bed …swithc off the light but dont sleep for 15 minutes…after 15-20 minutes or more just jump out of it in jerk and watch for those bugs near you ..if they are not found send me consultancy fees by sending ny titling me as the Bug Buster of the Century.

6. You found them or not ; take a fresh bag in your vacuum cleaner and suction out nooksand corners of that room…take out the bag and freeze it. those poorbugs can t enjoy the chill weather they will die along with their eggs

7. deeper crisis? wash clothes and put them in the freezer and later anywhere else you want …

8.still deeper: cremate that beautiful bed please dont dump them on the road. take room by room in your home

Lesson : In this life or your last life or previous to that you have been bat which was not bitten by bed bug. so you’re finishing your duty now. and stop bugging your rest of the citizens.

** EDITOR’S NOTE: Much of what is described in this comment is dangerous and/or may make bed bug problems worse. I am not deleting it because these are common misconceptions about bed bugs. Please read my response below and see the FAQs for solid bed bug advice many have contributed to. –Nobugsonme **