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I just want to throw everything out
(4 posts)-
Fearful_and_Buggy
junior member
Joined: Jun '09
Posts: 55offline
Posted 4 years ago
Tue Jun 9 2009 5:57:36
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For the past two weeks, my girlfriend and I have had some itchy spots on us. At first, we thought it was mosquitoes or an allergic reaction to something in the bed. After changing the linens didn't really help, I suspected bed bugs. When sleeping somewhere else (pre-suspected infestation) let us sleep itch-free, it all but confirmed it.
Tonight, I put down a white towel on the bed. Sure enough, a bright red bug was on it when I came back to bed. There was also one on the wall, now a smeared red streak. Lifting up the mattress, I saw many (dead) bugs on the dust ruffle. I bagged it up and taped it shut so I can show it to the PCO. I didn't try for a positive ID because I was too scared.
Right now, I have a load of laundry in the drier, working on hour two, but I don't know how to put it in bags (just trash and duct tape ATM...it's 6AM) without contaminating it from the shirt I'm wearing...I can't very well wander around my apartment building naked. I feel like it's fruitless, but I am going to try regardless to get us some theoretically bug-free clothing.
I look around my apartment. It has some area rugs, curtains, a futon covered with a blanket, hundreds of books, clothing...and I don't know how I am going to keep it all free of bugs. So much of this stuff is important to my GF and I, but I have no idea if it's infested. We have no idea how we picked it up (suspicion is taking our stuff to the laundromat across the street or someone moving in recently) and we can't guarantee that it'll go away. I don't want to throw out my desk chair, take apart and throw out all my furniture. I feel lost and scared. I can't sleep and I don't see a way out of this.
I can only hope my landlord will take swift action tomorrow and get a PCO in to do an ID. Part of me hopes it's something else, especially since the bites are very itchy and usually single, but the realist in me has no hope.
So I'll buy a few hundred plastic bags and throw out my life.
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CrazyMe
junior member
Joined: May '09
Posts: 39offline
Posted 4 years ago
Tue Jun 9 2009 9:22:27
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Fearful,
Don't throw out all your things yet. From what I've read a good PCO will tell you what to do. If I were you, don't get too overwhelmed yet. Just start bagging up and doing your laundry is a good idea (mostly just make sure everything gets a good round in the dryer).
When is your PCO coming? Just wear clothing that is easily washable and dryable for the next few days and don't panic (short and t-shirt in the dryer from round 1, change into it for round 2, etc). You can switch into the clean clothing (say in the shower) and then put the dirty clothing an a bag and wash it up.
I kept an XLL zip-lock bag for my dirty laundry so I didn't have to constantly do laundry every night. It gives you peace of mind (worth the $5 at target/walmart etc).
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Fearful_and_Buggy
junior member
Joined: Jun '09
Posts: 55offline
Posted 4 years ago
Tue Jun 9 2009 9:55:08
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I just called the LL this morning and he's talking to the maintenance person. He seems to want things done ASAP, but I can't tell when AP actually is. -_- (He also seems to think the bugs came in with the new tenant and not that I brought them in with me.)
What's driving us nuts is the itching. Neither one of us is really able to sleep because the welts are awful. Even cortisone cream isn't dealing them them. The good news is that the welts do let me track now many new bites I have. After cleaning the bedding last night, I did reduce it down to one new cluster on one knee.
Target will have the XL bags? Okay, that's good to hear. I'll pick some up later.
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bunnybedbug
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Joined: May '09
Posts: 60offline
Posted 4 years ago
Tue Jun 9 2009 12:29:28
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Hey there, F & B -
Here is a tip. I've found that labeling everything obsessively is very helpful, especially since some of my articles (like blankets, pillows, coats, etc) are in big black plastic bags & I can't see what's in there. Masking tape & a big marker to the trick. It's also helpful for when this has gone on for awhile (as it might, I'm sorry to say), because after awhile I started losing track of which ones were washed before or after the PCO came, etc. So it helps to be a little over-the-top (like I have one for "dirty" which means it has recently been worn by people, one for "needs re-laundering", means it was put away clean but may be buggy, one for "safe", etc.) Just a thought.
Also many of us have found that using smaller bags (like I have one for socks, one for undies, etc) makes it easier to grab what you need without digging around.
bbb in Philly
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