I am very pleased to let you know that Bedbugger brbugfighter is now beginning to translate the FAQs into Brazilian Portuguese.

You will find the new Portuguese FAQ index here.

The FAQs linked from there are still in English, but until the various FAQs are translated, the index will help Portuguese speakers to find the relevant FAQs.

Many, many thanks to brbugfighter, and to “Traduc”, our Spanish translator, for sharing their talents and helping the Bedbugger FAQs reach so many more readers.Similar Posts:

None Found

Someone commented on an old post about this product today, and seeing much of the information was outdated, and we have so much more to say about the Packtite now, I wanted to bring it up to date.

The Packtite is a little machine into which you can place packed or unpacked luggage, stuffed animals, shoes, “unwashable” clothing, and other items. You leave your stuff in it for several hours while it heats up, killing bed bugs and eggs inside.  You need to carefully follow the instructions and monitor the temperature at the core of your items, in order to make sure 120 F is attained throughout, and then leave the Packtite running for an hour after the temperature is reached.

Although the unit was originally designed so that frequent travelers could bake their luggage when they got home from a trip — for the purpose of preventing a bed bug infestation at home, people with bed bugs quickly saw the possibilities in terms of de-bugging items in the home.

Packtite measures measures 36l x 19w x 24h inches and looks like this:

The Packtite was independently evaluated by entomologist Sean Rollo of The Bed Bug Resource, who found the Packtite did reach the required temperature of 120 F, and said “In summary, I am happy with the unit.” On our Bedbugger forums, bedbugs78 asked if the item would melt plastic bags. David James, the Packtite’s creator, responded:

I can answer the plastic question, with our newly designed unit we tested cheap thin walled plastic bags to see if we would have any melting issues, these bags were tested by tying them directly to the metal frame inside and were positioned closest to the heat source- after 4 hours of heating we did not have any plastic melting issues. The inside of this unit reaches sauna like temperatures and is a good guide to use when considering what to put inside. We are currently including a digital thermometer with each packtite so that the user can monitor temperatures of personal items placed in the unit to insure they reach killing temperatures.

As Sean notes in the same thread, “It can be used to treat anything that can be heated to 120-140F. ” And Packtite creator David notes,

… we have a long list of specific safety instructions plus we are including a digitial thermometer with every unit so that our customers can track the heating process if they like. Each unit also has a timer so that it will shut off after 4 hours.

The timer is an important safety feature. People began to use the machine to get rid of bed bugs in all kinds of stuff which was previously difficult for individuals to treat. Bedbugger forum user Overwhelmed said,

I’ve treated a pretty wide variety of stuff: purses, books, shoes, mail I need to send to my roommate who is away at grad school, the footstool and removable seat of an armchair that lives in my bedroom, the carpet attachment to my vacuum, the wood-framed mirror that hung on a wall near my bed . . .

Adele tells us she baked a loosely packed box of papers.

Mangycur had some creative ideas also, including heating empty clean-but-used Ziploc XL bags, yoga props, and a cat scratching post.  She asked here if we might compile a master list of items which could be treated in the Packtite, and David reminded us that the best practice is to learn to use the probe to monitor the temperatures, so we can judge whether any particular item has reached the correct killing temperature: David said,

The master list idea would be nice, but I think there will be just too many variables and might discourage use of the included thermometer to monitor ones progress. We could say x number of hours for sweaters, but the type of sweater, the size of the sweater and how tightly folded etc the sweater was put in would effect treatment time. I would recommend running the thermometer into the center mass of what you are heating and once it hits 120 give it another hour just to be sure. I love the different things you mentioned putting in the unit, who knew bed bugs could be into yoga?

Packtite owners must use their own judgment.  Remember you are baking an item at 120-140 F.  Even items which can usually be safely treated (such as leather shoes) may suffer effects in time.  One has to use own’s own goog judgment.

Of course, if you have an infestation of bed bugs, you have to worry that even the cloth-covered Packtite might become infested while sitting around on the floor. Not to worry, David notes here,

… if you are worried about the outside of the unit being infested, you can remove the internal frame and put the canvas bag part in a dryer.

Thinking back on a short time ago when people used to put sealed things in storage for 18 months rather than keep potentially-infested items in the home after treatment, this is really quite a revolutionary option.

For people who are infested at work, or whose children are attending a school known to be infested, this may be a way of keeping bed bugs in clothing, backpacks and purses, from coming into the home.

You can see a video of Jeff White of Bed Bug Central talking about and demonstrating the use of the Packtite below.

Note: Bedbugger has an affiliate relationship with Packtite.  If you purchase through the links here or via one of our other Packtite ads, part of the proceeds of your purchase go to help support the operating costs of Bedbugger.com, at no additional cost to you.

Similar Posts:

• Theresa Braine’s bed bug-induced trip down memory lane
• Scholastic Headquarters treated for bed bugs; update on Penguin
• Bed Bug Barrier passive bed bug monitor wins ABC’s “The New Inventors” episode
• Never assume the tenant who complains about bed bugs is the only tenant with bed bugs
• RainCity Housing’s “bed bug sauna” now active in new Vancouver building

Some readers and pest control operators claim to smell “the bed bug smell.” Many others don’t.  (Don’t be surprised if you don’t.)  I’ve heard it called “sweet” or “musty” or compared to “ripe raspberries.”

Entomologist Dr. Lou Sorkin of the American Museum of Natural History has told me he thinks bed bugs smell like coriander.

Coriander (aka Cilantro) [87]

Originally uploaded by Ken Kuhl

And he has had a lot of time to ponder this: in addition to going on bed bug calls, he has a colony of bed bugs living in a jar in his office.  A famous bed bug colony, I might add, one which features alongside Lou in the local and national news media.

Of the bed bug smell, Lou said,

I have always said that it reminds me of coriander and cilantro.  I never really thought of it as sickly sweet or really bad.

And he pointed me to this interesting document from Alberta’s Agriculture and Rural Development (which can be downloaded as an even more attractive PDF here) outlines some facts about Coriander, for those in the agriculture industry.

And the very first paragraph begins,

Coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) is an annual herb that belongs to the carrot family (Umbelliferae). The unripe fruits have a smell that has been compared to that of bedbugs.

What’s fascinating about this is it’s dated April 1998.

One wonders how many folks in Canada’s agriculture industry in 1998 associated this smell with bed bugs.

Or how many Canadians were more familiar with bed bugs in 1998 than with what the Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development folks call “the most commonly used flavoring in the world,” coriander, a.k.a cilantro, being an herb commonly found in Middle Eastern, South Asian, and Latin American dishes.

I knew from previous exchanges with Lou that one answer to “What do bed bugs smell like?” was coriander.

But I did not know that as long as ten and a half years ago, people were asking “What does coriander smell like?”  and getting the answer: “bed bugs.”

Just a reminder: do not rule out bed bugs because you do not smell coriander, or any other odor. It’s not something everyone experiences. Similar Posts:

None Found

Check it out here!

Steam information was removed from this FAQ, and it has been greatly enhanced.

Many thanks to Mangycur who wrote most of the new FAQ, and to all whose ideas are included (as many as possible are named in the FAQ itself).

If you have additional suggestions, leave a comment on the FAQ itself. Thanks!Similar Posts:

None Found

Attention! Since this FAQ was written (2/2008) many advances have been made in detecting bed bugs using active and passive bed bug monitors. Active bed bug monitors are available which did not exist when forum users suggested the methods involving hand warmers, below. Canine scent detection (bed bug dogs) are also more common every day. Please read this FAQ for the latest on detection possibilities, and consider that much of the following may be mainly of historical interest. If you want a cheap detection solution, and if the design of your bed permits, ClimbUp Insect Interceptors may be a much better use of money, time and energy than the “handwarmer method” below.

One of the biggest frustrations with bed bugs is that it is hard to know if you have them. You can be bitten quite badly for a long time before ever finding a bed bug. Bed bugs, bed bug cast skins, fecal spots and fecal specks can all be hard to find.

The best thing to do if you suspect bed bugs is to have a qualified pest control operator (PCO) search your home for them, carefully. You may have a PCO who searches and finds nothing. I assume you have already had a doctor rule out scabies, folliculitis, and other medical causes) and that your PCO has ruled out fleas and other biting pests.

While I do not recommend self-treatment for bed bugs, I do recommend trying to locate a sample yourself, especially if a pest control operator has looked but has not yet found evidence, or if the PCO wants to treat without evidence (this may seem great to you at the time, but you really should find out if bed bugs are the cause of your troubles before sinking in your money and time into getting rid of them).

We now have some ideas for bed bug traps to detect a problem. A few caveats:

• These methods are not foolproof. They could take time and having more traps out more frequently increases your odds of catching a culprit.
• This does not significantly reduce your problem, not by a long shot, and is not in itself a treatment option. But detection is the first step in solving your bed bug problem.
• This is not about capturing a live bed bug, but one for identification purposes. Live bed bug sampling can be done with what the British call a pooter, but you have to find a bed bug first. To read about these methods, see this forum thread.

The following are some do-it-yourself methods for getting a bed bug sample.

First, many Pest Control Operators will suggest or use glue traps, designed for mice, to catch bed bugs. Yes, bed bugs will be caught if they walk across them. But getting them to walk across such a trap is tricky. They could walk around it. And you may have no idea what routes they travel.

In a forum thread, PCO/Entomologist Sean, of the Bed Bug Resource, suggested adding an activated hand warmer to the center of the trap:

Take a mouse glue board (sold by pest professionals) and place an activated hot shot (hand warmer) in the centre. There are several brands of hot shots out there and to my knowledge they all should work. These give off both heat and carbon dioxide.

These are NOT 100% effective in every case.

I have never had it not work in a badly infested area, but surely there is the possibility that it may not work in a light infestation.

Keep in mind that bed bugs feed about once per week. Hot shots last about 12 hours. This means that you may have to put one out every night for a week before catching anything. Obviously multiple locations increases your odds.

Putting these traps in the room you think you’re being bitten in, at night, when you’re not (yet) there sleeping, might be good. Doing it when you are away for some reason might be even better (though we don’t recommend you sleep elsewhere in another room or building, as a general rule, since it can spread bed bugs). Remember to put them where pets can’t go, or to keep pets out of the room–they really are very, very sticky.

Hand warmers are sold under many brand names and used by outdoorspeople and people with medical problems (which should give you some idea where to find them). Glue traps are in the pest control section of a home store or available online. These are examples of glue traps and air activated hand warmers:

air-activated hand warmers:

glue boards:

Fourt, in another forum thread, described a rigged-up trap that worked:

I am setting up a crazy little trap up tonight. It’s really not a trap but rather a thing to lure them from returning to their hiding spaces. I have 2 pieces of old wood, not very large, I have drilled several shallow holes on one. Then Im going to cover the holes with the other piece of wood. Placing it close to the head of the bed. My theroy is they will check it out on their way back to where ever they are living. And decide this looks like a nice place to hang out and lay eggs. Then when they least expect it, I will lift off the top peice of wood and get them with my handy dandy garment steamer. My husband thinks I’m crazy, but I tell him to catch a bed bug you need to think like one. I will let you guys know how this works. I know I will not get rid of a infestation this way. But it may work as a monitoring tool.

And here’s the follow-up:

Well, my little wood trap worked. Found an almost mature bug bed in one of the holes. I steamed it with my garment steamer. It died in a instant. I steamed all of the wood incase there were eggs on it. I have set it up again and will wait and see what else happens.

And some tips:

The bed bug trap worked very well to catch them if they were around. If I was to do the trap all over again I would have used a slightly larger drill bit. One last thing regarding the trap. You must use real wood not plywood or MDF. Place the wood near the bed and see what happens. Make sure you have a way to catch them when checking the wood for BB. They can trot at a good clip.

Fourt’s trap reminded me of this trap idea hopelessnomo found. I was impressed by Fourt’s ingenuity, and happy it worked, though I have to stress that I think that luck plays more of a role in this method than Sean’s. There’s nothing to attract the bed bug in this case, except that it’s a form of wooden clutter with holes for hiding out, and it’s in the bed (no doubt to some degree appealing to bed bugs).

The bottom line is that Sean also has experience with his trap working again and again, and if I had to rig up a trap, I would try his glue trap/hand warmer method (and try it a number of times).

Another method of detecting (but not trapping per se) gets around the fact that bed bugs may be less likely to come towards you in bed with the lights on, and involves using red LED light to see bed bugs at night. NotSoSnug, resident “Cimex Hunter,” had great results with this. You can read about his methods here. They are effective, though their effectiveness depends on your ability to stay up (possibly most of the night) as well as your level of infestation. If you are not being bitten by lots of bed bugs, or being bitten elsewhere than the bed, or you simply would like to sleep, this is not such a great method. Since NotSoSnug was not able to sleep during this period, and did appear to have lots of bed bugs, it was very effective for him.

A red LED light was part of NotSoSnug’s toolkit for detecting bed bugs at night in bed.  They can be quite useful. Here’s a thread about this (including advice about obtaining useful red LED lights).

I welcome reports in the comments below from those who use one of these methods and find it successful.

Future prospects for bed bug traps?

My understanding is that a glue trap involving bed bug aggregate pheromones is in the works, but has been for years, and we should not hold our breath.

Simple glue traps are beginning to be marketed as bed bug traps. Don’t get excited at the simple mention of a bed bug trap for sale.

John F. Anderson at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station in New Haven is working with a rigged-together bed bug trap that is not commercially available. You can see glimpses of it near the end of this WTNH News 8 video Paula shared in the forums. We can hope something like it–or the plans for how to make one– is soon available to all of us.

Remember, too, that bed bug dogs are an option as an aid to finding a bed bug or detecting their presence. Dogs and their handlers cannot always help you find an actual sample, so if you do go this route, discuss with your landlord/PCO the necessity of a visible bed bug sample (and whether they will take the word of the bed bug dog handler), and discuss with your bed bug dog handler before hiring him/her the possibility of locating one if needed.Similar Posts:

None Found

Good news.

If you’ve looked at the FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) page recently, you probably had to strain your eyes to find what you were looking for. It was a bit of a mess. I am proud to say we now have way too many FAQs for one page, and have for some time.

So I have finally gotten around to creating seven sub-pages. The main FAQs page is still at http://bedbugger.com/faqs/ and it looks exactly like this:

Bed Bugs 101: the following two FAQs should be read by everyone:

Think you have bed bugs? Some do’s and don’ts

What do bed bugs look like? How do I know I have them? What else could be causing similar symptoms?

The remainder of our FAQs are grouped by topic as follows:

pest control, treatment, pesticides, natural remedies, etc.

who pays for bed bug treatment, and other legal issues

getting bed bugs out of your bed (and keeping them out)

eliminating bed bugs from clothes, shoes, and other stuff

bed bugs, skin, and bites

travel: how to avoid getting bed bugs or giving them to others

questions about Bedbugger.com and how to use it

The same issues come up with so many of us that I really believe most people should read most of the FAQs (saving some of the more esoteric ones like, “Is there an insect that will eat bed bugs?”)

I also want to note that I only cross-posted two of the FAQs–all the rest are only under one category. If you take part in the forums and send people to the FAQs (thank you!), you might want to familiarise yourself with how they are grouped.

But I do hope that the new structure helps people find what they’re looking for more quickly–and that it helps us send them there more quickly.

Please comment below if you have any feedback or suggestions (since commenting on this on the FAQs pages will get kind of messy).Similar Posts:

None Found

Natural methods that don’t work:

A new article in the UK’s FirstPost online magazine Thursday offers the usual warnings about travel and bed bugs, some data on the spread in the UK and the US, and the caveat that five-star hotels, too, can be infested.

Don’t think that booking into a five-star hotel will offer you protection. Earlier this year, a US lawyer sued a luxury hotel in London after he and his wife had been badly bitten.

And then this bit of misinformation:

A better – and cheaper – alternative is never to go anywhere without a lavender oil spray: apparently, it’s the one thing the little bastards can’t stand.

I can vouch for the fact that lavender oil sprayed on people and bedding will not keep bed bugs away. They may not like it (that’s possible), but hungry bed bugs will persist.

Better advice for travelers: watch the CBC video about bed bugs, which includes a demonstration of how to inspect a hotel room for bed bugs. It is about 10-15 minutes long and you will be glad you watched it. Read our FAQ on travel. Inspect your bed, keep your clothing sealed in XL ziplocs inside your suitcase, and inspect it after you come home too. While there may be bed bugs in the room that you miss on inspection, it’s unlikely to be one of those nightmare stories with 50 bites in a night. That kind of infestation, I have a hunch you’d see signs of, if you look.

And if you do have bed bugs at home, already, don’t waste your time spraying lavender, thyme, tea tree, or eucalyptus in the sheets, or sprinkling sweet rice or boric acid around your bedroom.

I always send people to find a good PCO who knows bed bugs.

Believe me, if there was evidence supporting a quick, easy, natural cure, we’d be all about it here. Bed bugs are so resilient, they can withstand 100 degree temperatures (for a while), survive a stint in your freezer, and even live through multiple pest control treatments, before finally succumbing. They can live, apparently, for a year without eating. They want to live, breed, and suck your blood. A little essential oil is not going to ward them off.

There is one thing lavender is good for, when you have bed bugs: it’s known to make you a bit sleepy. Dab some on your pillow, ask your doctor if it’s okay for you to pop a melatonin (natural sleep enhancer found where you buy vitamins), and it just might help with the bed bug-related insomnia.

Natural Methods that do kill bed bugs:

Non-chemical methods of treating bed bugs that can work (if done properly) are steam, thermal, and freezing. There is a FAQ on how to use steam to kill bed bugs here, and information on killing bed bugs with heat here

Another home remedy we’re told can work food grade diatomaceous earth, which is a mechanical killer, not a repellent. But that is unlikely to quickly clear up the entire problem. And it is not wise to start self-treating, since some PCOs won’t even treat you if there’s evidence you have.

Keep in mind it is probably not possible for you to kill your own bed bugs by freezing or heating your home. You may live in an area where professionals know how to and can employ this technology. The temperatures must be changed quickly, and this is why, for example, setting up space heaters in your home is not going to cut it (though you may spread bed bugs around the building, and you may start a fire!)Similar Posts:

None Found

Often, people are embarrassed about dealing with bed bugs, and want to deal with their own infestation quietly and discreetly. Maybe they told the landlord before, and the problem was mishandled, eliminating the bed bugs for a short time, and the person wants to deal with things properly this time. Maybe they think they brought the bed bugs in, and don’t want to trouble others or piss off the owner. Maybe they figure they can just get rid of the problem and no one has to know. They will call a good PCO and get rid of it, and don’t need to involve others.

The truth is, if your home is attached to any other homes (whether it’s a high-rise, a three-family, or a single-family row (attached) house, this is probably not a good way to go about things. It can be unethical, it can mean you are liable for spreading bed bugs to others, and it can even mean your bed bugs do not go away, because others are unknowingly sending them to you. This FAQ explains this in a bit more detail.

If (you think) you’re the “source”

If you think you brought bed bugs to a new home, then you may not want to tell neighbors you have them. Remember that you may be wrong–though your old apartment was infested, it does not mean your new building isn’t also infested. If you live in an area that has a lot of bed bugs, then this is a distinct possibility.

Even if you’re fairly certain you brought them in, you may have already spread them to others. You should tell the landlord and neighbors about the bed bugs. All adjacent units (top, bottom, and on every side) must be inspected by a PCO who knows bed bugs.

If the building mis-managed your prior infestation, and now they’re back

If this is not your first time with bed bugs, but you got rid of them and they’re back, it might be because your building mishandled the problem, eliminating the bed bugs for a short time. You might think hiring your own PCO is the best way to go, now. If you intend to move out, and you think the building is mishandling things, then it’s true that hiring your own PCO may allow you to keep bed bugs at bay long enough to move without them (though we’d recommend a treatment at the other end, to help ensure this is the case). It’s worth remembering that moving is never fool-proof, and many people think they did everything to avoid bringing bed bugs, and still did.

But if you intend to stay in your home, it is not wise to try and treat the problem without involving the management, neighbors, co-op board, condo association, etc. If you eliminated bed bugs temporarily, but they’re back, they are coming from somewhere. It’s always possible you are reinfesting yourself (via your job as a flight attendant, say, or as manager of a homeless shelter). But it’s more likely someone else in the building has bed bugs and they are coming back to you. Treating on your own, without telling others, means this will undoubtedly keep happening.

With bed bugs, knowledge (education) is power!

It is not pleasant to have to tell neighbors, building management, or landlords that you have this situation, but chances are someone else has them too. They may not even know they have them, and you may have to educate the neighbors and/or management about how people can have bed bugs, be bitten, and not see or feel bites. They may not notice other evidence until an infestation is advanced.

If the situation is that the prior treatment was ineffective, you need to get others to understand this. It could have been done by a PCO that does not know how to treat bed bugs, or it could be that other infested tenants either did not get treatment at all, or did not fully cooperate with treatment, or did not follow up on the continued presence of bed bugs (remember, they may not even know they have them).

If you live in a rental situation, you can try discussing the recurrence with the landlord. Hopefully the landlord will get a good PCO in to inspect all adjacent units and treat properly, you may have to take further action, for example, in NYC you might call 311 to report the infestation to the Housing and Preservation Dept. (as per our FAQ on tenants and landlords). This would not likely be your first move, since it might antagonize the landlord to have a housing violation recorded, but it is a recourse if they really don’t take effective action.

If you’re in a co-op or condo, it may take some educating to get people to see the need for nipping this problem in the bud, and doing it right, and doing it right now.

You should read the helpful articles about bed bugs in co-ops and condos from Habitat Magazine.  Start with “Bedbugs and Boards,” and consider also “How to rid your building of bed bugs,” though keep in mind the methods may be different (and more expensive) than those your co-op or condo needs to go with. If you’re battling bed bugs in a co-op or condo, check out the other articles in the Habitat Magazine archives, searching for keyword Pests.

You might point to recent press about Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz’s building, which was infested for two years–one tenant had treatment, but the problem popped up in other units. If you can fill in the blanks for your neighbors on how easily this happens, they will probably see it’s likely you are not the only one, nor necessarily the “source.”

If you live in a single-family attached house, or row house

If you are in an attached single-family unit, and your infested neighbor does not notice their infestation or (gasp!) does not care. If they do not notice, then it might help for you and your PCO (maybe) to talk with the neighbor about how stealthy bed bugs can be. They probably don’t notice and certainly deserve to be warned.

Perhaps the most difficult situation is when it becomes apparent that the attached neighbor does not care. I think that it is truly rare for people to know and not care, truly rare. I have heard of it happening in at least one case where a neighbor had bed bugs crawling on them and obviously did not mind. If this truly is the case, it’s likely the person has other issues, and you might see if there are relatives or friends or visiting social workers who help the person (as is likely if mental illness or senility is present), who you could approach. Again, I think this scenario is very extreme and unlikely.

In the row house (attached house) scenario, your PCO may be able to drill some holes in the wall and strategically place a form of DE plus pyrethrin pesticides, so that bed bugs are less likely to cross from one unit to another (this is sometimes done in multi-unit buildings too).

The best scenario is to get the other infested residents to seek treatment. If you’ve been doing your research, share what you’ve learned. Remember how many misconceptions you had before you were unfortunately forced to learn more about bed bugs. Try to remain civil, and use information to convince others. Above all, be calm. Homeowners, co-op owners, landlords should all be concerned about property values, and it should not be hard to convince them that this problem needs swift and thorough treatment.

It is almost impossible to keep bed bugs away permanently if they are living in an attached unit, so as much as you’d like to just deal with this discreetly, it probably isn’t ethical or smart. You may spread the bugs, and they may also come back to you. With bed bugs, it’s best to disclose.Similar Posts:

None Found

I just revised the Tenants and Landlords FAQ. I hope everyone who uses this site or the forums will re-read the NYC information (long as it is) because it corrects some misconceptions a lot of us have about the law here.

While the FAQ has always been clear that there are cases in which tenants may be responsible for paying for treatment in NYC, we’ve all kind of gotten forgotten that, and gotten into the habit of saying “the landlord pays for treatment” (myself included). I want to stress that no one has yet reported that they are renting and were forced to pay, but I do think we need to be more careful about sending people to the FAQ for guidance on where to look for advice, rather than saying “landlords are responsible,” which isn’t strictly always the case. I do hope that no one was confused o inconvenienced by this. I hope everyone will have a look at the FAQ as it is now.

I have now prefaced the entire Tenants and Landlords FAQ with this disclaimer:

If you are a tenant, find out the laws in your area about the responsibility of landlords vs. renters to eliminate a bedbug problem. A local tenants’ rights organization probably exists in your city, and they’re probably the best free source of information regarding landlords’ responsibility to pay for treatment. Remember that you also have responsibilities, like reporting infestations promptly (doing so in writing protects you legally), and complying with treatment. Responsibility is not always a clear-cut matter, so please use this FAQ as a starting point, and realize that you may need to figure out how the local laws define your dwelling, your status, and who is required to pay.

I think it’s important for us all to be a bit more circumspect when telling others about local laws. I myself have said many times “the landlord is responsible for paying in New York City.” Well, yes, in most cases. You’d be forgiven for thinking it was all cases, as this Real Estate article from the New York Times (last October) implies. I want to stress that the FAQ has always stated clearly that there are exceptions (such as buildings with 3 or fewer units) where tenants may be responsible. To be honest, we’re not sure about where those exceptions occur, but it seems to hinge on whether you’re defined in some cases as an “occupant in charge of the dwelling” (which tenants in larger buildings apparently are not).

It appears to be true, according to the information below, that landlords must arrange and pay for elimination of bed bugs if you are a renting tenant, AND:
1. Your apartment building has 3 or more rental units, OR
2. You live in NYC-owned housing.

Anyone else may be responsible for treatment, and everyone should therefore consult their lease (if any), and seek advice from Met Council on Housing, or a lawyer.

Please click here to review the revised FAQ (besides New York and Chicago, little has changed.)

If anyone has further additions or corrections, please leave a comment, with links to relevant information.Similar Posts:

None Found

¡No prepare demasiado para una visita de inspección previa al tratamiento! Su exterminador (llamado “PCO” en Estados Unidos, profesional de control de plagas) debe poder inspeccionar su casa tal cual, lo que hace mas fácil observar las chinches y las muestras de chinches. Usted no debe aspirar ni cambiar las sabanas antes de que llegue el exterminador a inspeccionar, o se perderán señales obvias de las chinches. También usted no debe mover ni tirar las cosas, ya que puede esparcir las chinches de esta manera. Trate de que el exterminador venga cuanto antes, obviamente, y acuérdese de no comenzar a dormir en otra parte. Lea que hacer y que no hacer para entender por que no.

Una vez el tratamiento haya sido acordado, su exterminador deberá darle instrucciones escritas (o en li­nea) para preparar antes del tratamiento. Estas instrucciones son esenciales y deben ser seguidas al pie de la letra. Si no le dan instrucciones, esto es una señal de aviso que usted posiblemente no tiene un exterminador que sabe como exterminar las chinches.

El requisito universal que los exterminadores solicitan es de preparar su ropa / ropa blanca / ropa de cama antes del tratamiento. La preparación usual es de sacar la ropa dentro de bolsas plásticas selladas, lavarla toda en agua caliente y secarla en temperatura bien caliente por un largo tiempo, digamos 90 minutos, y después meterla dentro de bolsas selladas como las gigantes bolsas Ziploc XL o bolsas Ziploc de dos galones (o bolsas de basura que usted cierre de manera hermética, lo cual no es fácil).

Estos arti­culos de ropa deben mantenerse sellados hasta ser usados, y no deben ser regresados a los cajones u otros lugares de almacenamiento que no sean herméticos hasta que las chinches desparezcan por seguro (yo recomiendo que esto sea por lo menos un mes después de usted sentir una picada o ver señas de chinches). Algunos de nosotros nos damos cuenta de que sirve utilizar una selección mas pequeña de ropa durante este tiempo, para no estar lidiando con muchas bolsas grandes. La ropa puede ser lavada en seco, pero usted debe indicarle a la tintorería que los arti­culos pueden haber sido expuestos a las chinches, llevarlos bien sellados (aunque algunas tintorerías se rehusaran a encargarse de esta ropa). La ropa de la tintorería debe ser sellada cuando regrese a casa (y es casi imposible mantenerla en buen orden y luciendo bien).

Proteger la cama con una cubierta que selle el colchón contra las chinches también es algo bastante universal (y necesario aun para los que no sufren todavía de chinches, como prevención) pero preguntele a su exterminador cuando debe hacerlo. Puede que ellos quieran inspeccionar y tratar los colchones primero—así­ que pregunte antes de cubrir. Compre la mejor cubierta a su alcance, las mejores tienen tela afuera y vinilo adentro (lo cual las hace mas cómodas y menos propensas a rasgarse). Cubra el colchón y el tambor o colchón de resortes (box spring) si lo tiene y el exterminador le recomienda que los conserve (recomendación que haran en la mayorí­a de los casos). El exterminador puede que venda cubiertas de colchón que pueden o no ser mejores que las que usted pueda comprar por su parte.

Otras instrucciones pueden incluir mover ciertos muebles, eliminar el desorden (usted probablemente no tendra mucho tiempo, pero haga lo posible), y pasar la aspiradora.

Es posible que tambien le recomienden inspeccionar y meter en bolsas selladas el resto de sus pertenencias. Ya que no son lavables, estos artí­culos pueden albergar chinches y huevos. La idea, para los exterminadores que le piden que haga esto, parece ser el mantener las cosas guardadas y fuera del camino, para que las chinches no puedan huir de los insecticidas y esconderse en sus cosas.

El inconveniente es que las chinches que si­ logren huir y esconderse dentro de sus contenedores o bolsas podran ocultarse hasta ser liberadas.

Los exterminadores tienen distintos protocolos en cuanto a los artí­culos fuera de la ropa.

Algunos exterminadores proponen que, por ejemplo, “selle todas sus cosas en preparación, ábralas después de que el tratamiento comience” (cuando, dependerá del exterminador, puede ser inmediatamente o después de varios tratamientos); algunos dicen “selle las cosas en preparación y manténgalas selladas por 18 meses,” y otros dicen “no selle nada.” Entiendo que por lo menos un exterminador bien conocido en Nueva York le pide a sus clientes que sellen todo durante el tratamiento, pero no sé por cuanto tiempo. Si­ le piden a sus clientes que limpien cuidadosamente e inspeccionen los artículos como los libros y CDs antes de guardarlos, pero algunas chinches estan seguras de meterse y esconderse. Y ya que el sistema es, según nos cuentan sus clientes, el no exponer las cosas a los pesticidas durante el tratamiento, y las chinches pueden albergarse dentro, me imagino que la idea es de guardarlo todo sellado por 18 meses.

No he oi­do de ningún exterminador que no le diga que debe lavar y sellar su ropa, ropa blanca, ropa de cama. Estas deben ser lavadas al caliente y secadas al caliente y selladas en bolsas donde se lavan, asi­ que no deben permanecer infestadas.

Si el exterminador le dice que debe guardar todas sus cosas, puede que sea dentro de bolsas selladas dentro de cajas plásticas del tipo Rubbermaid, para apilarlas fácilmente (no utilice cajas de cartón, ya que las chinches pueden esconderse dentro del cartón). Las bolsas pueden ser selladas y dejadas en el centro de la habitación, pero asegúrese de que las bolsas esten selladas herméticamente. Las bolsas Ziploc XL pueden abrirse.

Asegúrese de averiguar desde el principio cuando va a “liberar” sus cosas (no la ropa, ya que, recuerde, esta se lava en agua caliente y se sella hasta que todo termine). Si el exterminador quiere que sus cosas sean expuestas poco después del tratamiento, es para que las chinches salgan y encuentren los venenos y se mueran.

Si le piden que no selle sus cosas, es la misma lógica: las chinches expuestas al veneno se mueren.

Los exterminadores que quieren que usted selle sus cosas por 18 meses operan bajo otro principio: se sabe que las chinches pueden vivir hasta 18 meses sin comer (picar y chupar sangre), y usted quiere asegurarse de que las chinches estén muertas. No sabemos cuanto tiempo pueden vivir sin aire fresco, pero baste con decir, un buen rato.

Asegúrese de saber cuando los contrate cual método es utilizado por su exterminador. No importa el protocolo que use el exterminador, no importa las instrucciones, usted debe seguirlas al pie de la letra. ¡Conocemos personas que han tenido éxito con estas tres propuestas! Pero el mezclarlas no funciona. Averigüe lo que su exterminador pretende y haga preguntas. Si lo que le piden le parece particularmente difícil, preguntele a otro exterminador calificado. Matar a las chinches no es facil, pero hay variaciones dentro de los buenos métodos.

(Nota a los lectores: ya que hay muchas propuestas, ¡yo necesito que me alerten a alguna que no conozco o que me corrijan cuando estoy equivocada! Mencionen las preparaciones que estoy olvidando. Una pregunta frecuente sobre las mudanzas esta en desarrollo; sera MUY tentativa. Manténgase en sintoní­a.)

[Nota del traductor: Bienvenido a Bedbugger. Nos encantarí­a recibir correo. Enví­e un email a Nobugsonme arroba yahoo punto com. Nobugsonme es la Fundadora y Editora de Bedbugger. Nobugsonme, y este traductor, esperamos que estas traducciones sean de utilidad y servicio para usted. Si usted tiene preguntas o comentarios acerca de un problema de chinches, puede escribirnos y haremos lo posible por ayudarle. ]Similar Posts:

None Found