bed bugs taveling, about to return home... « Got Bed Bugs? Bedbugger Forums

Got Bed Bugs? Bedbugger Forums » Bed Bug Treatment

bed bugs taveling, about to return home...

(15 posts)

Tags:

itchyinbrazil

newbite
Joined: Nov '10
Posts: 3
offline

Posted 2 years ago
Sat Nov 27 2010 11:33:49
#

Login to Send PM

I am traveling in Brazil and pretty sure I have bedbugs (look like mosquito bites but in big city with no mosquitoes, itchy, new ones every night, boyfriend has no bites at all, etc). We return home in 3 days and I need to know what to do with our clothes and luggage. I am temped to throw out all my clothes that I have traveled with, which would be a huge bummer. But drying them on high will ruin most of them anyway too. And what about our luggage? Toss it? And our computer bags? And cosmetic bags? Where should I draw the line?

Thanks!
SearchandDestroy

senior member
Joined: Sep '10
Posts: 452
offline

Posted 2 years ago
Sat Nov 27 2010 11:41:25
#

Login to Send PM

You would need a packtite to heat treat everything...but if you don't have one then, you could put everything in large black trash bags BEFORE you put them in your car, seal them up, order a packtite ($300) and wait to treat the items.

or throw everything in the dryer on high.

or toss them.

Treatment is expensive and time consuming.
soscared

senior member
Joined: Sep '09
Posts: 429
offline

Posted 2 years ago
Sat Nov 27 2010 11:56:35
#

Login to Send PM

Buy a brand new outfit (incl shoes) to wear into the house back home. Seal EVERYTHING else by double bagging in airtight bags BEFORE you enter the house. That includes keys, wallet, phone. You could douse keys and phone with 91% alcohol and then use them.
DougSummersMS

oldtimer
Joined: May '07
Posts: 1,970
offline

Posted 2 years ago
Sat Nov 27 2010 12:07:29
#

Login to Send PM

You might want to look into vault fumigation with Vikane gas... No need to trash your clothing or luggage.

Isolate all of your luggage in sealed garbage bags until you can either treat or inspect each item.

Heat treatment is an alternative.... Running your luggage through a Packtite should allow you decon your luggage in a cost effective manner.

Dry cleaning with PERC will kill bugs and eggs, but you need to find a cooperative dry cleaning company.

Weigh the cost of replacement vs treatment... Read the FAQs and check out the Resources page on this site for additional information.

You are taking the right action by asking questions now... Isolating your luggage can save you a lot of money & future headaches... Bagging everything will give you time to carefully evaluate your options.
buggedinbrooklyn

member
Joined: Mar '07
Posts: 139
offline

Posted 2 years ago
Sat Nov 27 2010 12:12:44
#

Login to Send PM

soscared - 9 minutes ago »
Buy a brand new outfit (incl shoes) to wear into the house back home. Seal EVERYTHING else by double bagging in airtight bags BEFORE you enter the house. That includes keys, wallet, phone. You could douse keys and phone with 91% alcohol and then use them.

I agree with everything but the cell phone. such treatment should not work and I don't advise it.

sadly, I don't have much time to post and must leave my home now. but goto the gap or other cheap store, buy all new outfits the go into the dressing room and change. after you leave the store toss everything out. I found microscopic nymphs even on my car keys one time. toss it all out I say or you are looking at hitchhikers that can be even on a credit card.
the cost at this time for such an inconvienance is nothing compared to what you face if just one gravid (aka: prego) female enters your home.
please don't enter your car with anything if possible...please toss it all away.

I wish you luck,
the "original" Buggedinbrooklyn
itchyinbrazil

newbite
Joined: Nov '10
Posts: 3
offline

Posted 2 years ago
Sat Nov 27 2010 12:52:24
#

Login to Send PM

How about decontaminating myself and my boyfriend? Can they lay eggs on my body, or is changing and showering enough?
SearchandDestroy

senior member
Joined: Sep '10
Posts: 452
offline

Posted 2 years ago
Sat Nov 27 2010 13:18:16
#

Login to Send PM

From what I understand, changing and showering is enough. Buy a new outfit and put it in sealed ziplocs, seal up contaminated clothes and items, shower..put on clean outfit and then leave the hotel room. You can spray your shoes with 91% alcohol.
itchyinbrazil

newbite
Joined: Nov '10
Posts: 3
offline

Posted 2 years ago
Sat Nov 27 2010 13:20:18
#

Login to Send PM

Great! Thanks so much for all this info. I am trying to get a packtite and I have our house sitter getting garbage bags and alcohol for our return.
Ohmygawd

newbite
Joined: Nov '10
Posts: 19
offline

Posted 2 years ago
Sat Nov 27 2010 16:13:24
#

Login to Send PM

Such great advice. I travel once or twice a year and I'm thinking a packtite might put my mind at ease. Maybe I can find one cheap.

Good luck itchy inbrazil.
cilecto

oldtimer
Joined: Aug '08
Posts: 3,869
offline

Posted 2 years ago
Sat Nov 27 2010 22:25:05
#

Login to Send PM

> You would need a packtite to heat treat everything...but if you don't have one then, you could put everything in large black trash bags BEFORE you put them in your car, seal them up, order a packtite ($300) and wait to treat the items.

Plastic bags can be any color and type, as long as they seal securely and are protected from tearing.

Visually inspect the phone & other electronics, damp wipe with water or perhaps detergent, do not spray any liquids directly on or in it. You can also vacuum it (hard tools only). Electronics are rarely infested, our experts tell us.

Soap/detergent can be substituted for alcohol in most cases. Use what's most appropriate for the surface you're treating. Note that all of these are "contact killers". They will kill bugs that you directly drench with it. They will not kill bugs that hide from your spray. They will not kill bugs that walk over the surface after you sprayed. Contact killers do not kill eggs.

Unlike lice and other parasites, BB tend to avoid "hosts" (you & me) when they're not feeding, they try and get back to a "safe" place.

For things like keys (not the electronic kind), you can pour youself a cup of hot water from a coffee urn and drop in for a few minutes.

A clothes dryer is very useful. BB die quickly at about 115-125F. For items that do not require washing (or can't be washed), you can toss them directly in the dryer. (Dirty items should be washed to prevent lock in of odors and stains). Here's a link to a thread on heat with guidelines and caviats. http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/how-hot-how-long-how-dead A lot of people here counsel to dry "hot". I'm not an expert, but believe that it's better to run longer, but a little cooler. Less likely to ruin your stuff and more time to heat evenly.
soscared

senior member
Joined: Sep '09
Posts: 429
offline

Posted 2 years ago
Sun Nov 28 2010 0:23:33
#

Login to Send PM

Why wouldn't spraying your phone with alcohol work? I've done this dozens of times, and I've had no problems with the phone (iPhone, not the latest model). I spray it all over the phone, including the holes and areas for plugging cables in.
Oh well, the poster can decide what to do herself. To me, spraying the phone is sufficient and unharmful.
BB Traveler

newbite
Joined: Dec '10
Posts: 1
offline

Posted 2 years ago
Tue Nov 30 2010 21:50:29
#

Login to Send PM

I travel a lot for work and picked them up in NYC in October, causing me a month from hell and a nice chunk of change. Consequently, my traveling habits are now a bit different.

1) Plastic bags are your best friend. Duct tape is a close runner up. Bag all "contaminated" items until you can wash/dry or buy a Pactite to fry the little bastards
2) Get yourself clean and then put on clean clothes. Bag the dirty ones. I've been known to strip in my cold garage now to avoid getting anything inside
3) Rubbing Alcohol (91%) kills them on contact. I use a spray bottle to attack my laptop, mobile, cords, etc., anything that I can't wait to "bake" and need to use when I get back

Now when I have to store my luggage at the hotel, I do so in a XXL Ziploc bag. I should have bought SC Johnson stock- those guys are making a killing. Plus, I keep everything bagged or hanging in the bathroom when I'm in the room. And, then, of course, fry it when I get home.

The good news is that the bugs don't hop onto you like a flea. So, as long as you can keep everything straight in terms of bagging, washing, drying and/or baking, the risk of them getting in and getting comfy in your bed is minimized.

Good luck!
cilecto

oldtimer
Joined: Aug '08
Posts: 3,869
offline

Posted 2 years ago
Wed Dec 1 2010 10:13:33
#

Login to Send PM

> Why wouldn't spraying your phone with alcohol work? I've done this dozens of times, and I've had no problems with the phone (iPhone, not the latest model). I spray it all over the phone, including the holes and areas for plugging cables in.

Bugs on the surface of the phone, cord, etc., if there are any, can be seen and wiped off.
Alcohol and other contact killers will not kill eggs.
The iPhone's surface might hold up fine to 91% alcohol, but other items might not.
Spraying liquids inside electronics can damage them. Phones come with concealed "moisture detector" dots inside. When you take your phone in for service, the techs check them first thing. If they show moisture exposure, you are not getting warranty service.
soscared

senior member
Joined: Sep '09
Posts: 429
offline

Posted 2 years ago
Wed Dec 1 2010 15:08:10
#

Login to Send PM

Ah. Interesting. I guess each person can decide for themselves. To me it's worth risking the $99 crappy old iphone. It has very few nooks and crannies, and I spray in there. It might be not worth it for a regular cell, or a blackberry, esp an expensive one.
bugnut

senior member
Joined: Feb '10
Posts: 528
offline

Posted 2 years ago
Thu Dec 2 2010 10:09:34
#

Login to Send PM

I regularly packtite all of our phones (not iPhone) with no issues - I would rather be safe than sorry!