Got Bed Bugs? Bedbugger Forums » Reader questions (do not fit into other categories)
Am I doing everything I can to prevent a migration???
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runaway
newbite
Joined: Jul '10
Posts: 1offline
Posted 2 years ago
Fri Jul 16 2010 11:22:53
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I live in the basement apartment in a three story house. The people who live on the main floor recently told me they discovered bedbugs in one of their three bedrooms. I of course have been hammering them with any research I can find since then on how to help control the population, and as far as I know they have been vacuuming the entire room every single day and washing all the fabrics in the room often. The other two roommates up there have not been bitten yet or seen signs of the bugs moving into other areas of their apartment.
I don't have a bedframe, so I've started sleeping on the couch, which is now pulled away from any walls and has carpet (two-sided) tape around all the legs. I have put packing tape over my heating vents, light switch and plug plates, over any plugs I'm not using, and as many cracks and crevices in the walls I can find, especially in my living room which is right underneath the affected area upstairs. I have not had any bites or seen any bugs stuck on the tape. I’ve flipped my couch over and inspected the underside and cushions with my new dangerously bright bedbug-searching flashlight (it actually says you can damage your eyes if you look directly at the bulb). I’ve found nothing.
I found out that the landlords told the neighbours that since it was their fault for getting bedbugs in the first place that they have to take care of the problem. After knowing about this for more than a week and not even notifying me there was a problem, I gave my notice that I’m moving out. I’m trying to pack up my stuff ASAP before this problem becomes mine, and I’m treating everything as though it could be infested regardless – super heating, vacuuming all items with a brand new vacuum cleaner, wiping down with glass cleaner and visually inspecting every item before it goes into a brand new Rubbermaid-type container, which is then sealed with packing tape.
I want to know – is there anything else I can do to monitor my place??? If I do end up getting the bugs before I get my things packed up, I definitely want to know about it!
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buggedout16
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Joined: Oct '08
Posts: 193offline
Posted 2 years ago
Fri Jul 16 2010 12:57:32
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You may not want to hear this right now, but if there are any BBs in your apartment (and unfortunately there is a good chance there MAY be), it is very difficult to move without taking them in the midst of an active infestation. (I waited several months after I had seen the one bug I saw and took extreme precautions that I won't bore you with, and that was after a couple of PCO treatments, although they were not great treatments.) Getting rid of these bugs almost always takes PCO treatment (vacuuming, laundry etc is good but usually won't completely rid you of the problem).
I know you also may not want to spend a lot of money on things right now, as expensive as moving in itself is; but the Climb-up traps are pretty cheap if they will fit on your couch legs, to get some idea of if you do have a problem and if so, how much of one; and also to place on your bed if you get a new one, when you move. I would also recommend getting the Packtite as soon as it comes off of backorder; that was a lifesaver to me when I moved- I wouldn't have been able to save as many things and be sure of their bug-free-ness, without it.
If you do end up deciding to move, don't rush into it. Take a breath, read through some of the "moving" threads on this forum, and make a careful plan.
Good luck.
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