Got Bed Bugs? Bedbugger Forums » Bed Bug Treatment
Documenting our self-treatment journey...
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MixedFeelings
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Posted 5 years ago
Mon Apr 28 2008 11:49:19
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Hi all,
In a previous post I mentioned feeling we had no choice left but to self-treat. Some of you asked that I keep you updated on that. I figured I'd start a fresh thread which I will update as progress continues. (For those interested, more background on how my situation came to this is covered here: http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/no-choice-left-but-to-self-treat-seeking-guidance-on-products-to-use )
DISCLAIMER: I KNOW THIS IS NOT A RECOMMENDED APPROACH AND WE WOULDN'T BE DOING IT IF WE COULD GET PROPER SERVICE IN OUR CITY. WE WOULDN'T MIND TO PAY SOMEONE QUALIFIED BUT WE CANNOT FIND A COMPANY WE BELIEVE KNOWS WHAT THEY ARE DOING.
So a few days ago, we did our first self-treatment.
What we did:
- Properly disposed of any lingering clutter (not much, we try to keep it down anyways)
- Vacuumed entire apartment (which we do regularly also)
- Stripped both beds of bedding, washed/dried
- Mixed Demand as per the maker's directions for BBs, applied to baseboards around perimeters of every room (except kitchen and bathroom)
- Applied Demand to floors/baseboards of all closets
- Dry-steamed couch and both bedframes (that took forever and was pretty darn tiring)
- Also dry-steamed the 1 dresser the canine had alerted to
- Applied Demand to cracks on/within couch, also partially removed dust cover and sprayed internally
- Sprayed Demand on the bedframes and the alerted dresser
- Washed and dried all dirty laundry (while we were at it
* I also bought Drione dust, but the rose duster did not arrive yet. I will dust outlets and the couch frame when it does arrive.
* I also bought Phantom to rotate in if needed, has not arrived yet.The dry steamer is White Wing, it was pretty easy to understand and start using. So far, I like it (other than it was back ordered and delayed).
Interesting notes:
- The last PCO told me he also used Demand. However, the Demand I purchased did not smell the same as what he applied. Also, the Demand I mixed left less residue and smelled much less strongly than what the previous PCOs used. I think they were probably overmixing (?)
- We did not find any actual bugs, eggs, fecal matter, cast skins etc!! I was so ready (hoping??) to find some hard evidence. However, we had the canine alerts previously, plus the ongoing fresh bite marks. So I know they must be around somewhere.It was a very good to finally feel some control in the treatment of our situation. No more phoning around to find incompetent PCOs (no offense to the valid competent ones; I know there are some out there) or working around their schedules. We spent a good 6 hours doing all the work listed above, and felt confident we had given much better attention than our previous 3 PCOs did. We felt empowered and reinvigorated to tackle this negative situation.
However, the day after treatment, I was bit again on the couch. So a little disappointed about that, but we know we that Demand may take some time to work and/or we may need to repeat treatments.
If anyone has any questions or feedback, let me know.
I will post again after next self-treatment and/or any change in plans.
MF
PS - We are feeling stable enough to put the curtains back up; they had been down for months (probably unnecessarily). We also brought in certain favorite clothes that he been stored outdoor over the winter. I've got my shoes back!! Had been living off like 5 outfits for months!! (Which was somewhat depressing, and also, probably not necessary.)
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lil_bit_obsessed
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Posted 5 years ago
Mon Apr 28 2008 13:43:04
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wow, sounds like you are very thorough mf.
i hope you used masks, gloves, shoes, etc for when spraying? also i'm curious about your mattress, you didn't mention it - are you treating it or covering it? i'm interested in the dry steam, sounds like a good approach. what kind of flooring do you have, just out of curiosity?
wishing you the best of luck. it sounds as though you will have things under control very soon.
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MixedFeelings
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Posted 5 years ago
Mon Apr 28 2008 14:52:06
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Hi Lil,
Our previous PCOs did spray the mattresses directly, but we did not (we are currently using National Allergy mattress encasements). In months past, I was all for over-spraying, but now I'm taking a more measured approach (ie: don't spray where it's not needed). Our first PCO sprayed the entire surface of every floor. But we didn't do that when self-treating a. because the canine did not alert to the floor and b. we have a toddler and don't want to expose him unnecessarily. We did spray his bed, which does make us somewhat uncomfortable. My husband wants to replace his bed but I don't want to buy a new one just to have it too infested (ie: waiting until the problem is resolved before replacing anything).
Yes, we did wear shoes while spraying (and me gloves, as the person operating the sprayer), but no masks. We just opened all windows for ventilation. We also showered after spraying to ensure it got off our skin.
We live in a beautiful old apartment, with hardwood strip flooring, full of gaps! But again, the canine did not alert anywhere to the floor.
As far as we can tell, our infestation is pretty small, and contained to both beds, the couch and 1 dresser. Let's hope it stays that way (of course, until it's totally OVER!!)
MF
PS - The Phantom just arrived this afternoon!
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MixedFeelings
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Posted 5 years ago
Mon Apr 28 2008 14:55:29
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Oh, I should mention... our mattress situation may be different from most peoples'. Our own queen bed has a dense memory foam mattress (so no piping, buttons, tufts, seams, etc) and no boxspring. Our toddler has a vinyl-covered (pee proof! lol), sealed, mattress. In a crib, so no boxspring there either. Both are currently encased. The few times I had inspected them, I found nothing on their surfaces, and currently believe that neither is especially hospitable to BBs. Canine did not alert to the mattresses, but did to the bedframes.
MF
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Posted 5 years ago
Mon Apr 28 2008 21:39:19
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Sounds like a good job! I know the steaming is very tiring,you have to concentrate hard so you don't miss any spots.Did you move the furniture to spray underneath as well? If not do it the next time.Don't worry about being bitten right afterwards,it happens because the pesticides make them hungry :). Just think of it as a last meal,lol. Good luck
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MixedFeelings
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Posted 5 years ago
Fri May 9 2008 16:29:34
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Okay, today we did self-treatment #2 (two weeks since #1).
During the past few weeks, we received a few new bites (although less than before self-treatment). So we feel our work is helping, but we know some BBs are still around. Again, still saw no physical evidence during the treatment.
What we did:
- Vacuumed entire apartment
- Stripped both beds of bedding, washed/dried
- Mixed Phantom (NEW! - last time used Demand) as per the maker's directions for "general pests" (seemed higher concentration than for termites and ants), applied to closets and the underside of some furniture (ie: not all room perimeters like last time)
- Applied Phantom to floors/baseboards of all closets (I am paranoid about those areas as we do keep some clothes there)
- Dry-steamed couch and both bedframes again
- Applied Phantom to cracks on/within couch, also partially removed dust cover and sprayed internally
- Sprayed Phantom on both bedframes and on baseboards near beds
- Washed and dried all dirty laundryThis round took a bit less time since we weren't spraying each room again... 4-5 hours (vs 6).
I did find something suspicious in one load's dryer lint, but of course managed to drop and lose it before making a firm diagnosis. Doh!!!!
At this point, my biggest question would be if there are any issues to spraying Phantom and Demand over top of one another. I am going to assume not.
I did finally receive my rose duster (for the Drione); may try that next time.
I do anticipate needing to do a few more rounds of treatment. We can mentally commit to that. Beyond that, we don't know what we'll do.
In other news, I am going away to stay with family soon. I am taking reasonable precautions, and know our infestation is quite small, but am none-the-less still a bit nervous. I would absolutely die if anything happened.
MF
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MixedFeelings
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Posted 4 years ago
Fri May 30 2008 13:44:47
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Okay, two days ago we did self-treatment #3 (almost three weeks since #2...I know, not ideal, but this is what circumstances dictated).
Since the second self-treatment, we did receive a few new bites. The number and frequency seems to be almost weirdly consistent (no more, no less, and a pretty low rate to begin with). How can this be?? I feel our treatments are pretty darn thorough. Better than most BB PCOs (no offense to the really good ones out there).
Anyways, again, we saw no physical evidence during the treatment. No bloodspots, feces, live or dead bugs, shed skins, etc. It's now been 5 months of mostly regular treatments... we haven't seen anything concrete save the 2 live bugs first found on the couch in mid December (although the BB dog did alert in Feb or Mar). Shouldn't we being seeing evidence by now?? Currently, we're treating because of my continuing pin-prick bites (and the very occasional lumpy bite my husband experiences).
In good news, it appears our toddler has not been bitten in awhile - I take this to mean his crib/room has been cleared (for now). However, this still leaves the master bedroom and the couch (hopefully new areas have not been exposed).
What we did:
- Vacuumed entire apartment
- Stripped both beds of bedding, washed/dried
- NEW!! Tank-mixed Phantom and Demand *together* (Demand says explicitly it can be tank-mixed, although Phantom's label said nothing about it either way, so I decided to go for it). Applied spray to perimeters of all rooms and hallways (but not bathroom).
- Applied spray to floors/baseboards of all closets (I am paranoid about those areas as we do keep some clothes there)
- Dry-steamed couch and both bedframes AGAIN FOR THE THIRD TIME (mattresses are encased)
- Applied spray to cracks on/within couch, also partially removed dust cover and sprayed internally
- Sprayed pesticides both bedframes and on baseboards near beds
- Washed and dried all dirty laundryThis round took ~5 hours (I'm getting more efficient). I take a half day off work for each treatment (we always treat on a business day, so our son can be in daycare and out of the home for safety).
If anyone has any questions or ideas, let me know. Our spirits are still alright, but obviously we cannot go on with these intensive treatments every 2 weeks forever. My husband is starting to talk again about throwing our furniture away...
MF
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bugginginKY
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Joined: May '08
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Posted 4 years ago
Fri May 30 2008 13:52:19
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I'm not as familiar with the brand names, but are you using diatomaceous earth?
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MixedFeelings
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Posted 4 years ago
Fri May 30 2008 14:33:28
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Hi BugginginKY,
Diatomaceous Earth (or DE, for short) is a generic name... it is the actual physical material. I am sure it is packaged and sold under various brand names.
No, we are not using DE currently. I did use it very early on, but often ended up inhaling it (which is bad, but probably due to improper application as at the time I did not know as much as I do now). We were also worried about our toddler getting into it.
I did recently buy a DE/pesticide mixture dust (Drione), which I have not used yet. I'm thinking about dusting the inside of the couch some time (instead of the usual spraying it), and possibly dusting the electrical switches and outlets.
MF
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thao83
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Joined: Apr '08
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Posted 4 years ago
Fri May 30 2008 17:43:22
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mixedfeeling
where did you buy demand and suspend spray from? -
MixedFeelings
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Posted 4 years ago
Fri May 30 2008 17:53:29
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Thao83,
I bought Demand and the Drione dust from eBay (seller: epestsolutions). I bought Phantom (not Suspend) from another eBayer.
I am in Canada and could not find these products from any online Canadian website or physical stores in my area. Thank god for the internet!!
MF
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Posted 4 years ago
Fri May 30 2008 21:43:18
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MF,
I don't know about combining Phantom and Demand together in the same tank.I would use caution in that respect,since combining certain things together can cause toxic effects ie.,use bleach,no problem,combine it in a non ventilated room with ammonia,you're dead. You get the idea,I personally wouldn't combine anything in the same tank unless someone with more knowledge tells me it's ok to do so.Other than that you are doing great,I know it's a lot of work but be persistant in the battle.Obviously they are well protected somewhere,I would try to focus on things you have not treated before.Maybe try steam on the baseboards,then treat them 24 hours later,same for window sills and any moulding on the walls.Good luck -
MixedFeelings
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Posted 4 years ago
Sat May 31 2008 13:06:03
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Thanks bugbasher. Your support and encouragement has been meaningful to me during this difficult journey.
MF
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Joined: May '08
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Posted 4 years ago
Sat May 31 2008 17:21:39
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Seeing as you're still getting a few bites here and there ... why not pull the sheets off your bed, just have a small blanket so that it doesn't drape over the sides ... and start laying strips of double-sided tape on the bed legs and around the edges of the room. So that way you can trap the last remaining ones, or maybe even find out what direction they are coming from!
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BeeBee
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Posted 4 years ago
Sat May 31 2008 19:41:35
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Hi Mixed Feelings!
I live in Alaska and can sympathize. NO ONE up here knows much about bed bugs and the POs I've spoken with have offered incorrect information (that they only bite on the fleshy part of the back, that they only live in the bed area, that if I don't see any, I don't have any, etc.).
I'm wondering, since you live in a cold climate, if you've ever thought of freezing the critters out. I'm basically trying to keep my infestation at bay until winter.
Up here the temps go down past zero for days on end. I'm hoping to open all the windows, leave for three or four days, and freeze the darned things. I know I won't be able to get them all but think it will do a good job of getting a good many of them. Plus I can always repeat the process.One frustrating thing, however, is the frequent mentioning of finding a qualified PO. Maybe that's feasible in large cities where bed bugs are more common. But in smaller or more isolated areas it's not always an option.
To me it seems that informed self-treatment is better than no treatment.
Right now I'm using DE and boric acid. I vacuum three times a day, have mattress encased in allergy covers, zippers duct taped. I change all our sheets every other day. I'm in the process of caulking all the cracks and crevices (takes forever!)and have a light dusting of DE around all the baseboards, beneath all rugs and around the bookshelves. I also have a thin line of boric acid spread beyond the DE.
Since I am a writer and my son is a computer freak, I spray our office chairs with Bayer Advanced Indoor Pest Insecticide once a week. Our desks are also circled with a light dusting of DE and boric acid.
So far this is keeping them at bay. My bites haven't increased in the past month. Haven't seen any or found a nest though I've searched and searched.
Has anyone in very cold climates (and I don't mean 25-degrees in winter months but COLD) had an success in freezing the bugs out?
Thanks!
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MixedFeelings
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Posted 4 years ago
Sat May 31 2008 20:07:45
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Thanks everyone for your suggestions.
Beebee - I'm sorry to have to tell you this... but leaving your windows open (even in super cold weather) and/or turning down your heat indoors will NOT kill bedbugs. People have tried and it's not worked. It just doesn't get cold enough.
I've read that some people have attempted leaving furniture and belongings outdoors in very cold temps or deep cold storage freezers. The jury is still out on whether or not this should work - there is some disagreement about how cold and how long. I think the last I read about it was -20 C for at least 2 weeks. And things cannot be well-insulated/protected either. And temps cannot fluctuate. But please do more of your own research before trusting this method. Also, there is still the possibility that bugs could be hiding inside your home's structure, and thus not be killed this way.
I agree that informed self-treatment is better than no treatment, or uneducated "professional" treatment.
Here's to hoping we both achieve eventual success...
MF
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fightorflight
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Posted 4 years ago
Sat May 31 2008 21:07:30
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> Beebee - I'm sorry to have to tell you this... but leaving your windows open (even in super cold weather) and/or turning down your heat indoors will NOT kill bedbugs. People have tried and it's not worked. It just doesn't get cold enough.
MF is right. As an adjunct, I'll add that the bugs sense threats to their survival and avoid them (monstrous evolutionary wonders). This means they will burrow deep enough into furniture, items & structure to avoid the cold, even if the outside temperature is low enough. As MixedFeelings indicates, though, you might have better luck with actually placing things outside in the cold, but like with everything involving bedbug treatment, I wouldn't pack anything too tight or, again, the pests will just burrow and wait it out.
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your host
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Posted 4 years ago
Thu Jun 5 2008 19:32:37
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And boric acid isn't recommended for bed bugs.
BeeBee, I know you have spoken to some PCOS who did not sound experienced. I would try a national company. I know they are not always the best option everywhere, but in areas with fewer cases, they can be a good option, because they can call their colleagues in other areas and get help.
I would also want you to know that LOTS of people have bed bugs in Alaska.
This is a map of US/Canada visitors to our site from June 2, 2007- June 2, 2008:
http://www2.clustrmaps.com/counter/maps.php?url=http://bedbugger.com&clusters=yes&hist=2007-06-02_to_2008-06-02&type=small&category=plus&map=North%20America -
MixedFeelings
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Posted 4 years ago
Sun Jun 8 2008 20:40:42
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Just a quick note to add that I've now done some Drione dusting... mostly inside the couch and in its cracks. Also a bit on the bedframes and under the beds.
I used a rose duster, which provides a really fine spray of dust for the most part.
I tried to contain it to cracks and areas that shouldn't be touched, but even so, my feet feel a bit dry if I walk around barefoot so I know some settled on the open floors. Which is bad!
My 2 yr old is out of the house for a few weeks, but obviously, I don't want him exposed when he returns.
The bites continue, which is super annoying. I still have found no concrete evidence in months.
Doh.
MF
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