Got Bed Bugs? Bedbugger Forums » Bed Bug Treatment
I already did everything wrong
(5 posts)-
worrywart1
newbite
Joined: Jul '09
Posts: 29
Posted 3 months ago
Sun Jul 26 2009 16:59:30
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As I previously posted, I'm suspicious that we brought bedbugs home with us from vacation. (We got home about 2 1/2 weeks ago and now I'm getting bites and don't know where they're coming from).
Now I find I did everything wrong. I was tired when we got home and I left my suitcase sitting on the bedroom floor for a few days before I finished unpacking it. We put clean clothes from our suitcases directly back into our dresser drawers. I wore the same PJs to bed that I'd worn the last couple nights on vacation. I dumped our laundry from vacation on the laundry room floor and washed it "when I got around to it." I've been falling asleep on the couch a lot as well as sleeping in the bed. Etc., etc.
Help! Where do I begin correcting everything I did wrong? (By the way, I'm planning to call a PCO tomorrow.)
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stricken
junior member
Joined: Jun '09
Posts: 75
Posted 3 months ago
Sun Jul 26 2009 17:37:36
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Hi!
Don't beat yourself up, we all do things "wrong." We can't possibly know how to do it "right" when we've never done it before. I did the same thing with my bags, having no idea there were bedbugs on them (or not - not sure where I got them).
You might want to wash all the clothes that the other clothes came in contact with, and seal them in plastic bags, just to be sure. You'll probably have to do that anyway, and you might as well start now. Same goes for the bed linens, etc.
You might want to seal the luggage in a plastic garbage bag in case there are stragglers that didn't make it off. You could vacuum it, inspect the seams and zipper areas, compartments, then spray around the insides and wheel wells with Steri-fab or 91% isopropyl alcohol.
As for the rest of it, you are doing the right thing by calling someone to inspect. The PCO will check out the bed, couch, etc.
Read the FAQs on this site for what to do if you have or suspect bedbugs. That will put you on the road to doing everything "right."
Good luck! Just remember, even if you did bring some home and they did set up shop, there are probably not that many of them and you can take care of it relatively quickly. -
Don't be so hard on yourself... You acted in a normal fashion... It may not have much impact on how your PCO deals with the problem anyway.... Focus on finding a qualified professional that has experience in identifying light infestations... Read tbe FAQs & the resources that are available on the links page to become an educated consumer
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parakeets
oldtimer
Joined: Mar '07
Posts: 866
Posted 3 months ago
Mon Jul 27 2009 7:31:32
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I wanted to compliment you in that you realized what was going on so soon--in only 2-1/2 weeks! It took me (and many others) MONTHS to realize we had bedbugs, and then time to find out the correct way to deal with them. I think you're doing great. Just by being here and reading extensively on this blog and the FAQ's you will find you will know more than most people about bedbugs. You are a student in the "College of Bedbug Knowledge" and it is all just a matter of learning. You're learning fast.
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your host
Joined: Mar '07
Posts: 5,547
Posted 3 months ago
Mon Jul 27 2009 11:43:27
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We hear many good PCOS want to inspect your home BEFORE you do prep (including laundry), so I suggest finding a good PCO asap (there's a FAQ on how to do that).
Your situation is complicated in that you know you may have exposed several rooms. Make sure the PCO knows this; s/he will likely also be concerned that any bed bugs which may have been dumped in the laundry room may have walked out in search of people to bite, before being laundered.
The good news is that you may not have had bed bugs for very long (assuming they did come home from this trip, and were not present before). Most people do "all the wrong things" for much longer. And you could have done worse (like started setting off foggers!)
Get the best help you can and they will probably be gone soon.
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