Got Bed Bugs? Bedbugger Forums » Introductions
I dont think my case is that bad
(21 posts)-
poorbabies
newbite
Joined: Nov '08
Posts: 10
Posted 1 year ago
Wed Dec 3 2008 17:53:10
#
Login to Send PM
So Im new here and my name is Cassie, this isnt my first post but before I was in a hurry for quick answers and now Ive come to see this is more of a home for people who realize this isnt something funny you say to your kids when you tuck them in and NO this isnt a cute loving cartoon..... But here it is for me I think I only have the bugs in one room or atleast the other rooms dont show signs of the bugs in there. Is it possible to have a mild case of bedbugs....And does anyone on this site not have them anymore does anyone win this war of bugs?
If someone told me that roaches would eat these things or run them off I would take on the roaches cause then you can atleast see what you're fighting.
I feel probably like most of the people on here tired, grossed out, and just all around not the person you used to be before you were labled a home with BB. -
myLifeinZiplocs
junior member
Joined: Nov '08
Posts: 84
Posted 1 year ago
Wed Dec 3 2008 18:01:37
#
Login to Send PM
hi Cassie. I'm sorry you have to be here but welcome anyway.
My PCO told me that my infestation was not that bad. It seems to only be in my room. not in my roommate's room or anywhere else.
I think no matter what you will probably need two treatments. about 2 or 3 weeks apart.
It has been 2 weeks and 4 days since my second treatment. So far so good, but I don't know if I will ever declare myself "bug free." At least for awhile.
Plenty of people do win the war. I think that this board, as wonderful and helpful as it is, is not an accurate microcosmic representative sample of people with bb's. As it would seem to me that people who get them, get them treated and don't have any other problem after that would not have any reason to remain and keep posting. So the people with the more stubborn infestations are highly represented, whereas people with lighter ones may not be.
If by some miracle I am one of the lucky ones I will be sure to post about it! But I don't know when I will feel "successful."
But even people with really bad infestations end up winning the war. :) You just have to be vigilant for awhile.
This board has really helped me though! My PCO seemed impressed that I already had bed bug encasements on my bed and box spring. I thought that was funny. But I learned about them here! I would never had known there was such a thing unless I had this board.
I hope you win your war.
-
poorbabies
newbite
Joined: Nov '08
Posts: 10
Posted 1 year ago
Wed Dec 3 2008 18:22:19
#
Login to Send PM
This doesnt seem like its going to be easy for me considering I live with my mother and my 3 kids and my husband and no one else is helping me. Im a stay at home mom and my mother wont get a PCO cause she thinks its something we can take care of on our own.....I love how she says "our own".....like she has done anything to help I bought a new bed for my daughters and left it in the plastic cause I cant afford to buy the bed covers...And Ive been reading more posts on here and it just makes me more worried I read one on DE and now Im scared cause that was one thing my mom ran out and bought and told me to spread it around the one room and now Im reading that its harmful something about inhalation and your lungs GREAT my kids have been in and out of that room and now Im tired I just want to quit.
-
Most people get rid of bed bugs.
Most people probably also feel they have a small infestation. Nevertheless, we're told most infestations require treatment of an entire home (and infested attached neighbors if relevant). And most require 3+ treatments, we are told.
The better help you get, the quicker it will go away.
-
poorbabies
newbite
Joined: Nov '08
Posts: 10
Posted 1 year ago
Wed Dec 3 2008 18:40:39
#
Login to Send PM
Is it really dangerous to use DE?
And do they live in clothes cause I was reading another post where this lady said she was soaking her clothes in boiling hot water?
And also my husband breaks out in this rash we went to the doc and they said he has to be allergic to something like soap ect. but the thing is no matter what soap we use he is still breaking out is that a possible allergy to the bugs? -
Click "success" in the tags at top right to see some success stories. But remember most people who get rid of bed bugs NEVER come back and say so. Not coming back is a good sign. :-)
-
poorbabies
newbite
Joined: Nov '08
Posts: 10
Posted 1 year ago
Wed Dec 3 2008 18:51:10
#
Login to Send PM
HUH? You kinda lost me there Nobugsonme....Yeah I got it go see the success stories. But who can help me answer all the questions in my previous post?
-
see my post on laundry bagging - the post under yours
-
myLifeinZiplocs
junior member
Joined: Nov '08
Posts: 84
Posted 1 year ago
Wed Dec 3 2008 19:00:33
#
Login to Send PM
I am not an expert from I can answer from what I have learned on the boards:
DE- it is not dangerous, especially compared to chemicals. Because its not a chemical, it is fossilized earth that basically acts mechanically on the bugs. I have heard two things: 1)It sucks the moisture out of their waxy coating so the dehydrate and die. 2) the diatoms actually desiccate the bugs because the microscopic particles actually cut up their exoskeleton. This is why you should probably not breathe it.
But once it is down (and you don't want to use a whole lot anyway) and isn't getting kicked up too much or blown around the air. It is safe. IMPORTANT: make sure it is food grade DE and not the kind used for pools. The swimming pool kind is apparently toxic.
You can look up DE on the faq page on the main site, its really helpfulYour husbands rash: May be his reaction to bites. It is hard to say. But a lot of people have described itching spots as "rashes" before they realized it was bed bugs.
Clothes: They can definitely live in clothes. Wash everything you can in HOT water and run in a HOT dryer. If you can't wash your clothes in hot, you can put dry clothes in the dryer for an hour on high. This usually does not damage them. Then store clean and/or dryered clothes in those large ziploc multi gallon storage bags.
That is the best I can do. The faq page has a lot of info on the main site if you check there.
Good luck to you!
-
Don't worry about DE if you get food grade. I actually eat one tablespoon per day for general health. It's dirt cheap (no pun intended) and the only down side is that it's a little messy. Just use it very sparingly. People aren't kidding when they say "light dusting."
-
poorbabies - 17 minutes ago »
HUH? You kinda lost me there Nobugsonme....Yeah I got it go see the success stories. But who can help me answer all the questions in my previous post?Actually, I was answering one of your questions about whether people get rid of bed bugs.
Many feel DE can be useful but you must purchase the correct kind. Food grade, freshwater DE can probably be used safely and can work if used properly and carefully. See our DE FAQ: http://bedbugger.com/2007/03/30/faqde/
[And --specifically for the benefit of others reading this -- I do NOT think you should self-treat. I recommend using a pest professional with experience successfully getting rid of bed bugs. Many of them will not treat if you have applied anything, especially dusts. Some will be happy to have you supplement, but you must ask them when/how/where you can do so, before applying something.]
The DE which is made to be used for pools is very dangerous.
I am suggesting having a professional treat your whole home, as many times as necessary, because getting rid of bed bugs on your own is not easy.
Do you own your home or rent? IN some places landlords are liable to pay for a professional. Even if you own your home, all attached units (apartment, row house, etc.) must be inspected and treated at the same time.
Also, I wonder how you know you have bed bugs. Did you see some? Did you confirm they are definitely bed bugs? If not, what signs did you see? Yes, soap or other allergens can cause similar skin problems, but you said you had bed bugs and if this is true, it is a likely cause of your husband's problem.
Finally, I suggest you read the FAQs which deal with how to get rid of bed bugs in clothing and other questions: http://bedbugger.com/faqs/ It will help you get some of the background.
-
poorbabies
newbite
Joined: Nov '08
Posts: 10
Posted 1 year ago
Wed Dec 3 2008 19:15:48
#
Login to Send PM
So where do I get the food grade cause I have to pool stuff all over my room and my kids have been in and out of there in the past weeks that I put it down..... I could really scream cause this is driving my crazy that my mother thinks I can get rid of this on my own... I dont notice any bites on me just the kids and well my hubby gets the "rash". Its really a strange rash its not like he just got out of the shower and or put on clothes washed in new soap or have tried a new food... And then bam all of a sudden welts nickle size and bigger and not just 3 like they tell you on other sites (breakfast, lunch, and dinner)And he doesnt even have to be in bed so they must be living in my closet or clothes from the drawers....and what is a BB dog? This is just killing me cause I itch everytime I think of them other then that I dont.
-
spideyjg
oldtimer
Joined: Jul '08
Posts: 1,614
Posted 1 year ago
Wed Dec 3 2008 19:18:08
#
Login to Send PM
DE is not 100% safe. Read the CDC's document on inhalation hazard.
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg/npgd0552.html
There is no distinction drawn between food and pool grade DE that I see regarding personal protection from the inhalation hazard.
Jim
-
poorbabies
newbite
Joined: Nov '08
Posts: 10
Posted 1 year ago
Wed Dec 3 2008 19:43:11
#
Login to Send PM
OMG twice now when I get my long story out I click on a link and there goes all my writing sorry I didnt run away. and i do have more questions and answers to your previous questions
-
poorbabies
newbite
Joined: Nov '08
Posts: 10
Posted 1 year ago
Wed Dec 3 2008 19:49:45
#
Login to Send PM
my mom owns the house we live with her due to money issues
her room and the kids "new" room seem to be bug free
My son still stays in our room due to money cause i cant afford a new bed for him right now he sleeps near the closet and he is the only one with bites still
The DE that is in my room is pool grade should I vaccumm it up?
I know they are BB cause I googled them my mom took it to work at the Health Department and we have seen them hell we have caught one and put the DE in a cup with it to make sure that it was really killing them.
My daughters just moved into this new room and im just wondering i left the plastic on the new bed will that help or not? I cant afford a bed bag right now and what about the pillows and how do I know if my dryer gets hot enough to kill them??????
Sorry Im aggrevated right now -
Overwhelmed
junior member
Joined: Nov '08
Posts: 42
Posted 1 year ago
Wed Dec 3 2008 20:40:20
#
Login to Send PM
how do I know if my dryer gets hot enough to kill them??????
Do you have an oven thermometer or some other kind of thermometer? What I did was stop the dryer mid-cycle, stick the thermometer in, and leave it there for a couple minutes. Then I checked the thermometer to make sure it was hot enough. Most dryers do get well over 120 on the hot cycle.
-
bitten123
member
Joined: Sep '08
Posts: 343
Posted 1 year ago
Wed Dec 3 2008 21:54:20
#
Login to Send PM
I personally would go buy a respirator at Home Depot (about $20) and vacuum up the pool grade DE.
Is there anyway you can get your mother to read this board? Since she owns the home she surely must want to protect her investment. She needs to either get professional treatment or she needs to read up and decide how is the best to handle this situation because it is going to get worse, not better, until the situation is addressed. I know you are frustrated and trying, but both your mother and your husband must understand how quickly these guys breed/spread and how difficult to eradicate they can be. If you do just have a small infestation, addressing it now with a qualified PCO will be your cheapest option in the long run. Do a search on youtube of bed bug problems and you can see horrible situations to show your mom first hand just how bad it can get.
You need help, hopefuly your mom will at least read up and learn so she can help all of you to protect your entire family, her included.
-
You need that pool grade DE out of there.
Wearing a respirator mask (with a cartridge), not just a dust mask, and vacuuming it up thoroughly may be the best route. None of us is an expert in how to get rid of hazardous dusts.
I am sorry this is frustrating, but it is really important to do your research. It is really common to panic and just do something and then later realize you (or in this case your mom) did the wrong thing, as happened here. You and your mom need to carefully plan how to deal with this.
-
spideyjg
oldtimer
Joined: Jul '08
Posts: 1,614
Posted 1 year ago
Thu Dec 4 2008 1:11:43
#
Login to Send PM
poorbabies - 5 hours ago »
and how do I know if my dryer gets hot enough to kill them??????
Sorry Im aggrevated right nowDryer?> See this thread.....
http://bedbugger.com/forum/topic/dryer-testing-theory-confirmed
As for the DE find the MSDS sheet of what you bought and follow the instructions for clean up. Until then don;t let anyone disturb it and get it airborne. Use a HEPA filtered vacuum to reduce the amout blown into the air.
When cleaning up you will surely need to ventilate, wear goggles, respirator, and kick anyone without a respirator, P,N, or R 100 rated, out of the house until complete and aired out.
Jim
-
Marixpress
member
Joined: Sep '08
Posts: 305
Posted 1 year ago
Thu Dec 4 2008 16:34:03
#
Login to Send PM
They always say it isn't a bad infestation :::GRRRR:::
-
I would also like to add that after taking care of the DE issue,and get competant treatment,you really need to think about where they came from in the first place.Since this is not an apartment , neighbors is very unlikely to be the source.Therefore they came from someone in the households travels.Schools have been reported,as well as hospitals,public transportation,friends,ect.There are too many to list. It's important to try to figure that out,since if it's a regular exposure to someone in the household,you could be continually reinfested.Good luck
Reply
You must log in to post.
