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2nd PCO visit tomorrow - unbag afterwards?
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coopbugged
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Posted 2 years ago
Mon May 21 2007 20:53:13
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It's been 3 weeks since first visit, and our place will be sprayed again tomorrow. I'm torn about un-bagging. For instance, our suitcases have been bagged for 3 weeks - should we unbag them after this treatment so if any are in there they will come out and hit pesticide and die? What about clothes? Toys? And of course -- the hundreds of books!
I haven't been bitten in a month, since we got rid of the bed (in which 10 bugs were found). At least I don't think I have... occasional random itchy spots, but not clusters, and they don't itch and swell up like the bb bites did.
My PCO is a bag-it-up-for-18-months guy, but I know other PCOs are unbaggers... any insights appreciated!
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nyjammin
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Posted 2 years ago
Tue May 22 2007 5:24:49
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Coop: nobugs mentioned something about this on the "cleaning clutter" post. Maybe you should read what she says. Good luck!
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coopbugged
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Posted 2 years ago
Tue May 22 2007 7:53:25
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Thanks NYJ -- I am really torn about this! I know we will start to unbag eventually, I just don't know if it should be done sooner rather than later. I feel safer with everything bagged up, but we can't live like that forever. It's already been a month and it is starting to feel normal, but it's insane to live like this. I'm afraid if I wait too long to unbag (or at least open bags) there won't be enough residual to kill any that come out, and if I do it too soon, bugs seeking new, untreated places to hide will find refuge inside my stuff.
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wantmyskinback
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Posted 2 years ago
Tue May 22 2007 8:09:22
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I WOULD NOT UNBAG YET ! I did it after the frist 3 weeks and got bitten like crazy shortly afterward. Just wait if you can. It's worth it. You can keep small amounts of things in lots of bags if it's easier for you to find stuff...that's how I do it...even still...all my belongings that go in my chest of drawers are kept in zip locks.
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nyjammin
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Posted 2 years ago
Tue May 22 2007 8:21:56
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coop: Definitely know how you feel. WMSB's suggestion seems to be ok. I bagged a lot of my stuff in little ziplocks and put them all in a bin and open them when I need them, of course checking as I do so. Like my checkbook and perfume powders and the such. Your last sentence is exactly how I feel. Too soon then the bbs will find new places to hide in your things and then they are in there. Too late and then there will be no residue left. What I was thinking is this. Like I said, I have all of my bags in a bin, but it's in the closet. Maybe you can do the same. All the bags you have put in a bin in your closet. Then create a barrier on the outside and spread DE all around the base of the bin so if you do open the bag and then close it and some bbs get out, they would have to cross the de and die. But, you must open the bags and search for your paperwork in the bins to do this.
Believe me, I know how you feel. This is a ridiculous way to live. I feel like a neurotic bag lady. But, try to think, coop, that you are not the only one. There are lots and lots of people out there who are going through this and you don't even know it. And sometimes I feel that I cannot live the way my mother brought me up, this is, unfortunately, the "new" way of living. At least until the government or whathaveyou's get it together and come up with some sort of eradication method that everyone can live with and then we can get on with our lives. I truly, truly believe this situation will get worse (not yours coop, but the situation in general). You said that you feel safer with everything bagged up. OK! Do that then, even if it seems "not normal". You need to do whatever it takes to protect your beautiful child and your family. Bags is the way, coop. Don't give up! Good luck today with your pco!
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coopbugged
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Posted 2 years ago
Tue May 22 2007 8:47:44
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Thanks WMSB and NYJ -- I think perhaps 3 weeks to bag opening is too long to wait (little residual left). I think with my suitcase I will open that up tonight and spray with Kleen Free and leave it on the floor. I actually need my suitcase this weekend (I am going to - gasp! - a hotel for 1 night... I know this is risky but I really, really need a break, I really need to get out of this apartment for one night, and of course i will take all precautions to prevent spread and avoid picking up any new ones that might be at the hotel... packing stuff inside ziplocks inside suitcase, bringing along my Kleen-Free, inspecting hotel room and not putting bag on bed etc).
I dunno, I just can't stand living like a refugee. I want a real bed, I want to put my clothes in drawers and on hangers like a normal person. My PCO offers a 3 month guarantee so I have 2 months left if they come back... and I've done the whole drill before so I could do it again if necessary.
But like that person who everyone thought was posting an add for mitebusters... if I let them take over my life, the little terrorists win!
Of course by tonight, I may have totally changed my mind :)
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wantmyskinback
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Posted 2 years ago
Tue May 22 2007 9:07:59
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Coopbugged: I know exactly how you feel. And I totally relate to it...I couldn't wait to de-bag. It was right before Christmas and I had friends coming over. I had no idea I wasn't supposed to de-bag and put my things away.... but I did. And I got bit right after NEw YEars...BIG TIME. Please try and wait...Please be patient. It feels awful living like a refugee...but it would be worse if bugs came back to breed in your home....
Put things IN your closets if you want...but IN the bags.... that is what I do... STILL !!!
I have very few clothes now...and I'm a shopper. Come on...all these stores in the east 70's??? But... I have been very good about wearing only a few things over and over...that are washable.
Anyway.... have a great time at the HOTEL. I don't blame you ONE BIT. Bite. Bit. Forget it ! :) -
willow-the-wisp
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Posted 2 years ago
Tue May 22 2007 9:54:00
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This is not an all or nothing deal coop. You can un-bag a few important things ... but I would not leave it on a stripped wood floor! I'd definitely want to make sure the PCO sprayed something all around it--then I'd open it, some of it. And--you have to remember that different PCO's use different methods, so I'd definitely ask my PCO FIRST.
But I'd ask in a what if we did this sort of a way, not just a cut and dry yes or no answer.
A suitcase might be best bagged and opened up elsewhere ... sorted thru ... and re-bagged. Say like in the tub?Take it for what it's worth. Having 20 books out and scrutinized while the poison is fresh, is … better than no books and probably better than 100’s of books.
Overall—I’d say wait for six weeks or eight weeks, but since there is poison being laid out …
Bugalina’s “roll of the dice quote here†… This is gambling at its worst as in possible Russian Roullette!! -
coop,
PEST AWAY is the only company I know of who tell people to bag everything for 18 months. I know their methods do work if you follow them to a T. But I also know other companies get success without telling people to bag everything.
Once bagged, though, you either have to wait that 18 months or let stuff out during treatment. If you chose the latter, think carefully--their warranty may be dependent on you following their instructions to bag for 18 months (you might want to check on that).
on the other hand, opening a box of stuff or a suitcase should not be a big deal as willow says.
good luck in your decision.
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coopbugged
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Posted 2 years ago
Tue May 22 2007 10:10:39
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Thanks WTW - that's what I'm thinking as well. I think things that are used often (and scrutinized carefully) may come out and play sooner rather than later.
WMSB - thanks for the validation on the hotel thing! I'm not a shopper but I do need to shop now, since I've lost quite a bit of weight with the aggravation (I probably should just toss more of my current clothes which don't really fit, but I'll probably gain back some weight when this is over). Currently I have just one pair of jeans that really fit, and just keep washing them over and over! And of course I've spent so much on the stupid BB's that I haven't much $$s left for "extra" shopping.
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wantmyskinback
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Posted 2 years ago
Tue May 22 2007 11:46:02
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All good sound advice. Take a few items you need (that's what I did) and keep them separate of the others. Throw out more clothes you actually will never wear anyway. Less is more right now... and you'll feel so much better.
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willow-the-wisp
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Posted 2 years ago
Tue May 22 2007 12:32:12
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I continued my rant but I deleted it--that's how scary my situation is! Insead let me say:
Bed bugs and how they are actually being used to invoke fear in the poor is the absolute biggist "tick off" I have ever seen in all my born days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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nightshirt
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Posted 2 years ago
Wed May 23 2007 16:04:44
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after the third treatment of my dresser I put clothes in the drawers. my pco said to do this and if anything was in the clothes (which were laundered clean and in ziplocks) the chemicals would kill the bug.
i still have ziplocked clothes in my platform bed drawers though. im not that brave. i had everything bagged for 5 months, living out of my diningroom. thats where the bags resided. it was a drag but you cant go 3/4 the distance and then ruin it. you gotta go 100%. it is too much effort to do again. so keep bagged.
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nightshirt
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Posted 2 years ago
Wed May 23 2007 16:05:04
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after the third treatment of my dresser I put clothes in the drawers. my pco said to do this and if anything was in the clothes (which were laundered clean and in ziplocks) the chemicals would kill the bug.
i still have ziplocked clothes in my platform bed drawers though. im not that brave. i had everything bagged for 5 months, living out of my diningroom. thats where the bags resided. it was a drag but you cant go 3/4 the distance and then ruin it. you gotta go 100%. it is too much effort to do again. so keep bagged.
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nyjammin
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Posted 2 years ago
Fri May 25 2007 7:09:58
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Why do some things have to be bagged for 18 months and others don't? For example, things that I don't plan to use or can't go through like some paperwork or cds I can live without get bagged for 18 months. But what if I left those things out? Would the bbs come and then die from the pcos pesticide or will they remain dormant and not come out for awhile and thereby reinfestation. Also, what if you bagged something for 18 months and then, for some reason, had to go in that bag to get some paperwork? For example, when my new apartment management asked for some paperwork that I did not use for years, I had to get that out to show them, but I was so scared. What if there was a nymph in there? Also, if the eggs hatch and they don't have a blood meal because of isolation, like being bagged up, does that mean that they don't become adults thereby being ever so hard to see?
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If you are bagging for 18 months, the idea is that you do not take things out. Taking stuff out AFTER the period of treatment would be a problem: if a bug gets out, it might start a new infestation.
I prefer PCOs who do not have people bag for 18 months, because I think the other way works. Like I said, PEst away is the ONLY company i know of that does this. I do think it works, but when they say 18 months, they mean it--they don't mean going in and grabbing stuff.
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nightshirt
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Posted 2 years ago
Fri May 25 2007 9:09:09
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great questions but i have no clue. i will be interested to read the answers tho.
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willow-the-wisp
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Posted 2 years ago
Fri May 25 2007 20:07:00
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This was copied from what coop wrote 15 or so threads above:
Thanks NYJ -- I am really torn about this! I know we will start to unbag eventually, I just don't know if it should be done sooner rather than later. I feel safer with everything bagged up, but we can't live like that forever. It's already been a month and it is starting to feel normal, but it's insane to live like this. I'm afraid if I wait too long to unbag (or at least open bags) there won't be enough residual to kill any that come out, and if I do it too soon, bugs seeking new, untreated places to hide will find refuge inside my stuff.
My reply to this:
You have some advantage of knowing that the bugs (if even any bugs are in the most important bags) must be starving. If you do it--do it now--but only for the stuff you know you must have. Do it over the poison surrounded by plain DE.
This is just for a few days ... leave it surrounded by the poison and I'll bet the bug if any--will cross it and die. Also, any eggs that could have hatched, well those little bb's will be so hungry if not dead--they'll cross it too!
It's now or never for up to but not more than 1/3 of it--my suggestion. I suggest an area lie a six foot circle De or SOME extra poison that eill not repell them away from crossing it.
I think for real--any few bugs to cross over and it and die.The rest is this to the tune of G.G.'s, "I will Survive!"
and they will die,
they will not bite nor stay alive!and so Coop’s back
from outer space
I just wrote coop to find this perplexed rather happy puzzled face
she said she found her bathing suit that bagged bugs take too long to suit
her new life style...
they have to die--and so I'll try:)
under 1/3 of it ... just a suggestion and anyway--you need to restrict your kid for a while from some certain areas right now--so why not now.
Pick the bags least likely to have bugs in them and most likely to enrich your life.PS Nothing came out of any of my bags, and boxes and when I bagged I was farily sure no bugs were in them to begin with same as you were.
So what did you do ... you still have time to do it if you have not!
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TThelp
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Joined: Aug '09
Posts: 36
Posted 3 months ago
Tue Aug 18 2009 13:14:39
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bumping up b/c the song part is hilarious and I needed a laugh! alsob/c I'm totally confused on this issue. When do we get to safely unbag? I'm not there yet. just had second spraying.
willow-the-wisp - 2 years ago »
This was copied from what coop wrote 15 or so threads above:
Thanks NYJ -- I am really torn about this! I know we will start to unbag eventually, I just don't know if it should be done sooner rather than later. I feel safer with everything bagged up, but we can't live like that forever. It's already been a month and it is starting to feel normal, but it's insane to live like this. I'm afraid if I wait too long to unbag (or at least open bags) there won't be enough residual to kill any that come out, and if I do it too soon, bugs seeking new, untreated places to hide will find refuge inside my stuff.
My reply to this:
You have some advantage of knowing that the bugs (if even any bugs are in the most important bags) must be starving. If you do it--do it now--but only for the stuff you know you must have. Do it over the poison surrounded by plain DE.
This is just for a few days ... leave it surrounded by the poison and I'll bet the bug if any--will cross it and die. Also, any eggs that could have hatched, well those little bb's will be so hungry if not dead--they'll cross it too!
It's now or never for up to but not more than 1/3 of it--my suggestion. I suggest an area lie a six foot circle De or SOME extra poison that eill not repell them away from crossing it.
I think for real--any few bugs to cross over and it and die.
The rest is this to the tune of G.G.'s, "I will Survive!"
and they will die,
they will not bite nor stay alive!
and so Coop’s back
from outer space
I just wrote coop to find this perplexed rather happy puzzled face
she said she found her bathing suit that bagged bugs take too long to suit
her new life style...
they have to die--and so I'll try
:)
under 1/3 of it ... just a suggestion and anyway--you need to restrict your kid for a while from some certain areas right now--so why not now.
Pick the bags least likely to have bugs in them and most likely to enrich your life.
PS Nothing came out of any of my bags, and boxes and when I bagged I was farily sure no bugs were in them to begin with same as you were.
So what did you do ... you still have time to do it if you have not!
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