Got Bed Bugs? Bedbugger Forums » Bed Bug Treatment
everyday precautions
(28 posts)-
hi all,
have been awol from the boards for a while for a variety of reasons, but after being bite-free for about a month, i got two today while doing my weekly laundry. SWELL, welcome back BBs! i am asking to see how everyone handles their daily precautionary routine to see if i can improve mine. sometimes i think i'm being overly paranoid/cautious, but mostly i feel like i could be doing more. i do cut corners here and there- like how i was still using my bathrobe (it was a gift and is kind of pricey!) and hanging it up in my bathroom. i wash it when i do my weekly laundry, but i decided today to just chuck it. all those luxurious nooks and crannies in the fabric only give the BBs more places to hide!here is my routine:
i take a shower every morning after sleeping (i view the bed as an "infected" area even though i haven't been bitten while in bed for probably 2 months). i DO hang my towel up in the bathroom in the wide open space of the towel rack because i don't A) own enough towels to use each just once B) fancy putting it in a ziploc and having it get gross & moldy. but should i just buy more towels and only use each once before washing?i wear clothes only once before throwing it into my giant ziploc of dirty laundry. exceptions are my PJs and my "lounging clothes" which i put in separate little ziplocs and put in their respective areas. so my bag o' PJs stay on the bed, and my loungewear ziploc stays in the living room or bathroom. by lounging, i mean coming home and changing into something to wear in between workwear and PJs.
i wash my cloth messenger bag once a week, and during the week i store it in a ziploc as soon as i get home from work. i stopped using my leather purses and bags- does anyone have recommendations on how to treat leather for BBs and eggs? i've already thrown away several pairs of leather shoes in a moment of paranoia and hopelessness. but i really don't want to throw away my lovely leather bags!
if i'm planning on going to the gym after work, i put my workout wear in ziplocs, and my runnning shoes in another. i put those into my duffel, which i re-use for a week before washing that as well.
i don't bag my shoes when i get home, because i think they would get kind of gross and damp in ziplocs. i did just buy a jug of kleen-free, which i've started spraying on my shoes. someone else recommended a strong powder (d-something, i will have to check the post again) to use on the soles, which i may buy soon. but is this enough for the shoes? i have a feeling the BBs could easily crawl deep inside a shoe and hide and lay eggs.
i clean once a week, but am trying to really pick up the slack and start cleaning daily. it's definitely hard to do if i've had a long day at work and/or have just gotten back from the gym. but i know those are crappy excuses.
now that i have kleen-free, i've started spraying it into corners and crevices and onto my bed in between sheet changes. i know it's just a contact killer, though. does anyone know if it kills eggs? i have a feeling it doesn't. i want to take a small amount to work and spray down my office chair, but someone comes in to work in my room right after i leave, so i don't know how to handle that.
i'd also appreciate any other tips for daily-BB-living that you may have. i'm thinking that now that the weather is getting warmer, the BBs will become more active, as most bugs seem to do. and as if on cue today, i got those bites while doing my laundry AND i saw a cockroach run through the stairwell when i came home from the laundromat. but at least it's not 95 degrees out yet. but soon!
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wantmyskinback
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Posted 2 years ago
Tue Apr 24 2007 22:18:12
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Hey there Ella, I have a question:
when you spray with Kleen Free into the corners of the room, are these areas that have gaps in the wall ? You say you put this directly onto your sheets? I don't blame you for getting a little "lax". You think that you're doing all this good stuff by using the ziplocks and that you deserve a nice robe hanging on the hook, right? Or to put your purse down on the desk next to you because you just got home and there's stuff in it you need. I know. It's all too easy to fall back into our old (but normal) habits !
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hi wmsb,
the walls in my apt are weird & kind of crappy, and there are lots of gaps between the walls & floor, so i try to aim the kleen free there, as i can't vacuum or mop in those spaces. i don't actually spray my sheets w/it though, just my mattress & box spring covers. you could spray your sheets if you wanted though- it's non-toxic. and yes, it's soooo easy to try and go back to living a normal life (and have it, but only for a little while). sometimes i like to sit and reminisce about how i used to put clothes on hangers and only do my laundry a couple times a month. oh, those were the days. -
willow-the-wisp
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Posted 2 years ago
Wed Apr 25 2007 0:25:01
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hi ella willow
I do just the opposite with the bed, and my bed bug found in the bathroom is a bit unrelated to the bedroom i.e. I accidentally spread some in my first weeks of not knowing what I was doing. (so The BR is the dirty room (for me) and the closer I get to the bed the cleaner the place is. By clean I mean more obstacles for the bed bugs to have to cross because 80% of the time they will want to get me while I’m asleep.
ds Living I try to treat my bed as if it is an operating room table--CLEAN! and I view the rest of my house (keeping it bed bug free as best as i can) as potentially dirty.
At least for me I want to know that my bed posts are well oiled and that the mattress is 100% clean away from any walls or anything potentially dirty. I am careful to actually shower and then when I sit on the bed--i stay in it. Before I pick my feet up off the floor I sterilize them. (I understand but am not totally sure that with klean-free, you can do that.
I’ve never used them—can’t afford them that’s why—wmsb knows more and bugged in Brooklyn knows more about that!
Spray it on yourself but not like in your hair or anything over the top. I say this because they love the carpet--these bugs, and they will latch on to you feet when hungry as the one did in the Laundromat today.
I hope you see that total encasement of the bed and keeping it clean is the most important thing you can do. Having said that--there might be 100 bed bugs in my bathroom, but before I hit the sheets--I try my best to make sure there is none on me. This way ... IF i never sit or put anything on the bed besides my clean sheets and clean body--I only have to do the sheets and blankets 2 or three times weekly--even here I fudge and only use the drier every other time.
I hope that doesn't confuse you. They are called bed bugs--and o that's where we DONT want them to be. It gets all confusing and so I can't really say: I just hope you read and understood the FAQ isolating the bed.
PS--I've never shared this with any of you: My entire unit has stucco walls!
Can you imagine how that makes me feel?Any nook and cranny and any corner--the tiny bb I found today was only in the corner of the window sill. He was freshly hatched or I should say he/she had not received any blood yet.Willow
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wantmyskinback
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Posted 2 years ago
Wed Apr 25 2007 8:59:17
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Ella, is it possible these were lone bites from another source? You do live in Harlem, right? I'm not singling out Harlem per say, but, my x boyfriend who is from there had them, and he gave them to me (obviously) and his whole building had them...I've been reading that Harlem is very affected.... you could have gotten them from the laundry room!
Ella, YOU CAN PUT STUFF ON YOUR HANGERS....just no alot of things like before. Nothing should "touch"... get aluminum hangers (Container store) and use a metal hanger bar---not wood. If you have a wood rod, replace it now....
Ugh...I know... I've thrown out clothes bags shoes really cute jeans bathrobes blankets sheets down pillows.... IT IS AWFUL. -
nyjammin
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Posted 2 years ago
Wed Apr 25 2007 13:53:13
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I have a question. I have checkbooks and photo albums and kid's paperwork (my youngest loves to draw) and files of my own personal use. Should everything, including my children's board games and toys, be put into plastic bins and/or plastic bags? How about picture frames, curtains on the windows. Christmas tree and holiday decorations that I've had for ages? Please let me know. The only problem is that I have a small 2-bedroom apartment and I can't put everything out of the closets. There would be nowhere to walk. What should I do?
Also, I tried to get plastic covers for my pillows, but I have not found any. What I did in the meantime, since the PCO came yesterday, is put the pillows in the clear garbage bags and ties them tightly and then I put a pillow case over that.
As always, thanks to everyone and their support and advice. -
wantmyskinback
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Posted 2 years ago
Wed Apr 25 2007 15:28:22
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Jammin, anything you can toss, toss. Anything in cardboard boxes should be tossed, that means shoe boxes, etc. Your check books should be fanned over the tub and shaken out. The kids paper work you should save in a plastic bin... but anything else that you realy don't need you should toss. I'm sorry. Regarding your pillows, you did fine.
I posted to Ella about hanging stuff, and someone brought it to my attention--- I meant AFTER TREATMENT, you can go back to hanging stuff (only a few things) on metal hangers on metal rods, and make sure they don't touch the walls. Tha'ts what I meant.
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nyjammin
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Posted 2 years ago
Wed Apr 25 2007 19:49:58
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Thanks, WMSB. I guess it's time for the real spring cleaning.
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willow-the-wisp
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Posted 2 years ago
Wed Apr 25 2007 19:55:21
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do I need to ask WMSB--if this is incorrect then let me know:
see post below: -
willow-the-wisp
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Posted 2 years ago
Wed Apr 25 2007 19:56:23
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thick plastic hangers are ok too right? it's just that the wire ones have cardboard on them, and its jsut that a small bug could hide in the twist of the metal up by the ? curve? right ?
WMSB--I have no choice but to let the palstic bags touch the walls... I'll be careful. -
wantmyskinback
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Posted 2 years ago
Wed Apr 25 2007 20:50:15
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NO CARDBOARD ever!!!! Just aluminum, not wire hangers.... on metal poles.... that's the way I think it can work...
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willow-the-wisp
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Posted 2 years ago
Wed Apr 25 2007 21:33:13
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well WMSB tell me please why not the lovely pink plastic ones that are about the width of a cigarillo, or. do people in NYC not know about "ghetto hangers" what's up avec that?
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wmsb- i do think that my building is infested, but i most definitely have some in my own apt, as i have found a giant molted shell on the windowsill next to my bed, and the first time i found them (you can read my ginormous post on another thread), i found a live one along w/its fecal marks on my mattress (and of course, only on the side that touches the wall i share w/the apt next to me).
i've basically resigned myself to the fact that i can only get rid of the BBs in cycles, and that as long as i'm living in this building, they will keep coming back. i've all but abandoned hope of being completely BB-free until my lease is up and i can move this fall. but of course, this being nyc, i'll inevitably get them again. so i'm just trying to lengthen that lovely stretch of time where i'm bite-free and don't see any visible signs of those suckers. i was just telling one of my friends today that i wish i could just live in some giant, stainless steel, self-standing space. oh, and wear disposable jumpsuits so i would never have to do laundry again. space-agey!
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willow-the-wisp
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Posted 2 years ago
Wed Apr 25 2007 22:21:39
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nyjamin--if you can find room to stack 2 or three stacks of large plastic tubs: keep it no higher than your head. You could then possibly try to keep items used the most in the top plastic tubs, always opening and then closing right away. If you were able to use a contact spray like r. alcohol or any of the enzyme sprays others talk about her klean free and steri fab--you could possibly save some of our kid’s toys. You could wash the heck out of any stuffed toys and keep them in plastic for 18 months:
re Art supplies:
And I am an oil painter and have done this to save 1/2 or more of my art supplies and artwork:You can fill the tub 2/3 with hot hot water and initially wash
I sealed all my drawing for 18 + months have tossed and boxed and triple wropped pictures and frames
also ...
I washed--and if I use them I wash som of these below agani and again:crayons
brushes
even wash out some of the watercolor if it’s in a caked tray
you can wash all art pens and pencils: but all the paper has to be sealed for 18+ months.
Even wooden drawing boards--throw out of prepare to spend 6-10 dollars just soaking them in r, alcohol--and washing them down before and after uses. -
wantmyskinback
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Posted 2 years ago
Wed Apr 25 2007 22:23:45
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Yah, Space agey is right!!!
It's wild...you know. I was conversing with another bedbugger today, about the 1940's before the now illegal chemical I will not name right now came into existance (and I don't want to bring this up on this thread) but people had them prior to the 40's, and they had jobs, lives, wives, families...and bites!!!! Somehow, we got ourselves free of them for a good long time....and now....as they are back...it's really really really horrible...and i am really afraid for my kids....
except in the same conversation with the othe bedbugger, i was saying that my kids live in a world of terror, very differnt than mine. this is NOTHING to them.... they will all have bb's eventually, and it will become just a fact of life for them.
in a way that's good, but at the same time, it's awful.... becuase they will accept bb's the way they accept global warming and suicide bombers. I never heard of such scary stuff when i was growing up...and this all seems to roll off my kids' backs!!!!
a very strange time we're in...
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I disagree with WMSB on two points--which does not mean she is wrong, or that it didn't work for her (just want to be clear it's not like that).
I think plastic hangers are better than wire. Wire has those little grooves and grottos. PLastic tubular hangers--esp. white but other light colors too-- should be fine.
(She's right that paper-covered ones from dry cleaners are bad.)
Also, putting everything in bags: I need to point out that there are two schools of thought on this. And both endorsed by different PCOs.
1/ Clean everything and put it in bags or tubs during treatment.
2/ Clean clothes --wash hot, dry hot-- and seal. But do not seal up other things.
The theory behind #2 is that the bugs have to be attracted to you, walk towards you, and encounter poison to die.
If you miss even one bug in your cleaning process (very easy to do, really) you can actually safely seal them away using method #1. I have serious doubts about it for this reason.
SOme people eg Windy City Mike (whose story is on the blog links in the sidebar) are told by PCOs to bag everything but to "let it all out" (removing items from bags) sometime after the first treatment and before subsequent ones. Others are told just to follow instructions #2 as I said above.
I offer this because people need to know the possible repercussions of their methods. I know WMSB used a reputable firm that enthusiastically follows method #1, but I'd say more PCOs probably do some variation on #2. And some of them are very good too.
It's super important that you discuss this with your PCO too. WMSB's PCO would not deal with you if you did not do #1. But other PCOs would be mad you potentially sealed away bugs in method #1. As with any other things you do, talk to them.
More on this in the FAQs.
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wmsb,
ha, you are totally right about thinking back to when people used to live w/these things all day, every day! i can't imagine people just going about their daily routines while BBs ran around every which way (along w/rats & roaches & god knows what else). and i too, have resigned myself to the fact that BBs may soon become a "fact of life" for many of us- or at least until we can get a handle on the whole death-&-destruction-of-other-humans thing. i mean, terrorism, school shootings, not to mention the fact that this is actually a wartime we're living in; until we can get all that crap under control, BBs will probably not be high on the list of priorities for most americans until they have BBs themselves. -
willow-the-wisp
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Posted 2 years ago
Thu Apr 26 2007 5:09:29
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NBOM--when I Q'd my regular monthly PCO guy ... he said I would have to
a--move everything away from the wall
b--BEFORE and DURING the actual treatment--I'd need to remove every stitch of cloth and wash it all and keep it out of the place until I could go back in.
Now see ... that was just one reason why I choose not to go the PCO route: that, for me at that time meant apx. 40 loads of laundry all out of the house all at once! It's impossible unless you’ve got 4 roommates and or 4 helpers and a small pick-up truck.
It took me three days to wash and bag everything--and even then I'd have had no place to put it during treatment.
And when the NUN, here, told me I could not have a spare room during treatment and not even a spare place to store my cloth items for a few days "Because if we do that for you we'd have to do it for everyone" well ...
What else could I have done? My only other option would have bee not rent a storage space (likely already infested) pay out 100.00 or more for a full month, even if I was only using the place to temporarily store like 35 bags.
Had I done that??? I would have been likely to bring newly infested stuff back in with me.
The whole SFDPH rules are off, Mercy Housing Inc. is "off" and it is just one more way of showing how if you have no cash--you're screwed.
So it would have cost me up to 400.00 what with washing renting a truck and or storage, not to mention the 400 + for PCO treatments.
I'm not saying don’t get a PCO, I'm saying ... it is more blaming the victims and making it harder for us to actually rid ourselves of the bed bugs!All they did was avoiding treating me like I’m Human—and in the long run it will cost them more because they are spreading the bugs. And it is the same with the very short-sighted SFDPH protocols.
What’s needed is a city or federal assistance program for actually helping (some) people do all of this beforehand washing stuff. And what’s lacking is understanding and knowledge in all arenas
U2Dan said it recently … as have many others … so unfair this blaming of the victim! So dumb too I add as it really helps to spread bugs, fear, shame and improper treatment. -
wantmyskinback
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Posted 2 years ago
Thu Apr 26 2007 8:41:37
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Clarification re HANGERS:
I don't use WIRE hangers. I use Aluminum hangers. They are THICK, smooth and cold to the touch and I got them at the Container Store.
I don't mean for people to misinterpret that it's the wire hangers from the dry cleaners, or to do exactly as I have done, this is all trial and error for me.
I also have the white plastic ones that Nobugs mentioned....
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nyjammin
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Posted 2 years ago
Thu May 3 2007 14:50:51
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WTW: since you are not going the pco route, are your tactics working? Question for everyone. I think my car has them. Have not seen them, but everytime I use my car I seem to get bit on my stomach. Maybe it's not from the car. But if it is..how do I treat it? My car was broken into last year and since then I've been parking it in a parking garage.
Also, are shoes part of clothes? Do I need to put them in plastic bags as well.
I not really sure about my pajamas. Do I only wear them once and then throw them in the plastic bag laundry bag? How about jackets from outside? Do I hang them up? Throw the jackets in a plastic bag until I use it again?
And lastly, what about my son's bookbag? What do I do with that?
Listen guys, thank you, thank you and more thank yous. I'm still a little depressed, but I think I've now moved on to a new stage in my emotions. I was so depressed (still am), but I've come to acceptance and courage now along with my depression. As always take care.
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willow-the-wisp
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Posted 2 years ago
Thu May 3 2007 15:06:14
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nyjamin--I will get back to you on all the questioins ASAp like, in 45 minutes...
First I waat to say ... I'm pretty sure you were joking aobut thre sulfur in the pots the other dsay right? If not PLEASE Don't do it! Also I don't really know if you have had PCO treatmens at all yet, or if you are planning on them. My feleing is htat your landlord is not helping... But i odn;r know that for sure ...
Ionly know when we last "spoke" Isuggested stacking the tubs not higher than your head with the stuff you wanted to keep and to try and keep the everydaystuff on the top layers.
Is that what your doing now???
Irecapp space is crampt, (like me) so that's ehat I've sort of done.
What's your plans?
S. can help you out with the car thing. she used D-force something or other ...
also--non PCO isnot reccommended--Ido it becase I have NOCHOICE!
Pleaselet me know FIRST--so I can try and help you out the best I can
Sincerly
Willow -
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Posted 2 years ago
Thu May 3 2007 16:10:11
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Hey Jammin,
Yeah, the emotions come in stages. It's normal. Glad you've moved beyond last week's depression. Think of this as temporary and you might feel more emotionally stable. There is absolutely no doubt that this is temporary. Nothing - NOTHING - lasts forever.
I suspected my car of having the bugs since I seemed to have bites on my face at night after driving home (and this was winter, so my face was the only part that was unexposed). Now, looking back, I'm not sure that there were ever bugs in my car, since these bites were small and I've since come to realize that they may have been skin reactions, not new bites.
But that aside, we treated our car using a product called D-Force. It can be purchased at the website doyourownpestcontrol.com. Here is the link:
http://www.doyourownpestcontrol.com/cb_d-force-hpx_aerosol.htm
It costs $12.40. The website says it "protects for up to 8 weeks," but due to changes in temperature and humidity it probably lasts a lot less time in the car. When I spoke with someone from doyourownpestcontrol, they estimated the residual would last one week in this type of environment.
So, we sprayed our car once a week for about four weeks. Basically, it's an aerosol can with a long, thin plastic tip. We applied the chemical carefully to every seam, crack and crevice surrounding the two front seats. The seams of the seats themselves, along the floor, along the edges of the floor mats, inside the seatbelt buckles, under the headrests, along the door handles, you get the picture. D-Force is cheap and one can probably lasted us four treatments.
I cannot attest to the effectiveness of this method, since I don't know if a) there were bugs in my car and b) if so, if the D-Force killed them. However, if there WERE bugs in my car, I do think they have somehow died and since D-Force was the only thing we used, it probably worked.
Also, my PCO used D-Force to treat our bed and couch. He always said it had a quick knockdown (though not that long a residual). In other words, it might not last forever, but it should kill the bugs pretty soon after they touch it.
You could also try steaming your car seats, but I'd guess that's a waste of time (since what are the chances that they're in the seats, and not somewhere else?) They can live anywhere in a car, so you probably want to use a residual.
Shoes are part of clothes, in that they should be kept bagged while in the house. They are "like clothes" because they are something that needs to exit and re-enter your house. Shoes can bring bugs in, and shoes can take bugs out. Now granted, if your infestation isn't bad and your shoes are on the other side of the house, then the risk is lower, but many people choose to consider their shoes a risk just in case.
What I did was spray my shoes with Kleen Free. Every day, as I was leaving the house. I'd do one spray inside the shoe, one spray on the top surface and one spray on the sole. Then I'd put them on and leave. When I returned home, I'd put them back in the ziploc.
You can also try putting your (canvas) shoes in the dryer for an hour. It made my flip flops curl up, but all other sneakers were fine and did not shrink.
But yeah, I'd keep them isolated when in the house.
Anything that leaves and returns should be dealt with, with care. So the backpack is another important item to consider (and isolate whenever possible). I'd toss it in the dryer for an hour, to ensure that it's safe, and then put it in its own XL ziploc. Maybe you could get your son to put it in the bag every day when he comes home.
You might want to carefully inspect the stuff inside it, too.
Jackets are like clothes and shoes too. They exit and re-enter the house. I'd keep them in bags while in the house. Dry whichever ones you can, and dryclean what can't be put in the dryer. Then keep in bags. This way, they stay isolated.
The point behind treating items that exit and re-enter is that you are trying to keep those items as bug-free as POSSIBLE, since they would be the most likely way you could spread bugs to someone else.
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willow-the-wisp
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Posted 2 years ago
Thu May 3 2007 16:22:01
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HeyNYJ--
RE shoes: some people get really hug up on shoes and I agree most of us should:
Shoes are hard to treat, many have ordered klean-free from links on this site and they spray their nice leather shoes at least one time daily: Some two in the morning just before they leave and in the evening as soon as they enter the front door.For myself ... I have taken to wearing non leather shoes like sneakers and soft cotton/canvas like loafers: these I can wash at home in the tub or in the Laundromat--either way, I always dry them for 90+ minutes every week to 10 days.(in the beginning I was doing this every three days! Same with the bedding wash and dry every three days!
Keeping shoes in bags is a very good idea-make sure they are lean first: spray them.
I’ve even steamed my sneakers so hot: my feet were itching and whether it was my mind or not I can't totally say
So I was better to be safe than sorry.
Are my efforts working! Yes! But there are (as I figured there would be a few stubborn bugs in here--or a few new bugs.Sometimes I just use the 91% r alcohol on my non-leather shoes. There is one pair of leather shoes which I ruined. Say la vie!
I can spot-spray these types of shoes too with the r alcohol.
(The leather they say needs Klean-free.) Ordered online this site advertises it somewhere.Sometimes I have soaked them down entirely with 1/2 bottle of 91% r. alcohol (by spraying them) inside and out. Then I will wrap them in white plastic bags. And fold over and re-wrap--they stay soaked for a few days! I've even taken to wearing them damp sometimes. They don't smell so bad--and I know they are CLEAN! CLEAN! CLEAN!
Here’s good news for ladies who want to peel the thick skin on their shoes! By doing this--wearing them damp all day--your heel skin will peel and it’s free!
So I alternate and don’t do this a lot--it is not like I want to loose all the skin on my feet!
Steam ... Wash ...r alcohol.... spot check clean outside of shoes with r alcohol.
Steri-fab or Klean-free if leather.Pj’s: If they are on the bed and--the bed has been totally encased and the legs have been isolated (I just use Vaseline x3 weekly on the bed posts) you can keep some clothes on the bed too. You could leave the pj's on the bed if it was isolated and bed encased and totally bug free and then wash the them all together 2 or 3 times weekly.
Dry very very well--and any bugs up in the sheets and pj's and blankets--will die. So, they hardly ever bite me anymore. If there is an egg up in those blankets--bone drying a hot drier will kill it.
I'd wrap up the book bag and keep it separate myself with his school work--especially at night.Still ... I try not to touch the bed at all unless I’m lying down for the night.
I spray my feet with r alcohol before I let them touch the bed--and at first I was showering then drying then dressing in the tub for what I would wear the next day. I'd just sleep in it. But I am not too concerned about a white collar job--so that is easy for me to do.
Having no kids or significant other these days makes it all so much easier for me too! No pets too makes it some much easier! Nobody to have to argue with or help out of denial--that must be tough on all parents and b/f--g/f--and the kids.I do try too keep my shoes separate in bags at night--at first, I did, but now I worry less and less: this is because Have a lot of DE in the corners of the room and behind furniture.
So yes I am almost there at being totally bug free! Will it last? Not at the rate others in this building keep reporting they have bugs now too!But I have made concessions on how I look and how my house looks in order to kill off these l Bas**** if ... you know what I mean!
Don't have car so...
Imay have repeated myself sorry ... -
nyjammin
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Posted 2 years ago
Thu May 3 2007 20:00:40
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S and WTW, much thanks. WTW, I had like 3 pcos come and treat my house. Two from me and one from my landload.
S, I was wearing two shirts and a jacket when I was in the car. Do you think maybe the bites came from somewhere else? If my car is infested, does that mean I can't use it until the critters are abolished?
wmsb, people before the 40s sort of expected to have some sort of lice or bug problem because of the horrible conditions back then. But now, people are so much cleaner. Even poor people look great. They have great clothes and cars and really are cleaner than in previous decades. We've not had bugs for the longest time so I think that people are more prejudiced about that kind of stuff. Even poor people can afford nice haircuts and deodorant and clothing. When someone smells on the train it's definitely not acceptable because of all the things we can buy today. You can get a bar of soap for $1 and deodorant for $1, so why are you smelling? Well, now about bugs. You must be dirty or doing something wrong or hanging around the wrong people, etc. Also, they must think "don't go near me and infest me. this is your problem, leave me alone."
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willow-the-wisp
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Joined: Mar '07
Posts: 1,530
Posted 2 years ago
Fri May 4 2007 11:29:07
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Thanks nyj--so now I would say to you--You "likely" have killed off many of the bugs but you know how they reproduce. I'm glad you are de-cluttering and stuff--it is hard to do this in tight working spaces. It was the thing that overwhelmed me the most, besides finding the bugs.
My place still looks cluttered compared to what some others say about their places. It means I have to do more checking under things and all of that--so more stuff is going to get chucked soon enough. Or... at least put into stacks that are "likely cleanER and safER" (bed bug wise I hope.)
I'd guess they’re scattered throughout your place--that's what happened to me too.
I had to change my "game plan†then and treat my whole place from the perimeter inwards for awhile.
The good new ... so far no bug pooh on the bathroom floor, and my sealing of the fake plastic molding strip is half done. I will be getting the caulking Bugalina has suggested, at my own cost (darn landlords). I would not even want to provoke mine by bringing it up. Word is ... that our building "operators" are bugging other people about tiny minute little things that have nothing to do with the bed bugs spreading throughout my building.
(They have been having these huge secret meetings for months about a lot of stuff, yet so far nothing has been done that I can see.) -
S
Bite Researcher
Joined: Mar '07
Posts: 185
Posted 2 years ago
Fri May 4 2007 12:43:16
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Jammin,
IF your car is infested (and that is a big IF), then you will need to treat it. No, it doesn't mean you can't use it. It means you would need to treat it, in order to kill any bugs in it. You might need to sit in it or drive it, in order to draw them out (like we need to sleep in our beds).
There's no real way to know where the bites came from, since the timing is always so tricky. You might try looking for evidence in your car - any blood stains or cast skins. You also might want to avoid your car for a little while, if possible, just until you feel that your house is under control and all your clothes are clean. (As long as you are bringing clean clothes/shoes into the car, the car should stay safe).
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nyjammin
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Joined: Apr '07
Posts: 664
Posted 2 years ago
Fri May 4 2007 13:12:35
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S. Thank you. I also have parakeets. should I give them away? do you think they are prolonging the bb problem?
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nyjammin
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Joined: Apr '07
Posts: 664
Posted 2 years ago
Tue May 8 2007 20:24:51
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wtw: I saw in another thread that you put de into the bags where your clothes are. I'm confused because I thought that DE dries the skin out and is bad for your lungs. How do you wear the clothes in the bags with DE. Is that not safe?
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