moving. how to keep bedbugs from coming with me? « Got Bed Bugs? Bedbugger Forums

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moving. how to keep bedbugs from coming with me?

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caroline33

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Joined: Aug '08
Posts: 2

Posted 1 year ago
Fri Aug 15 2008 12:57:14
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So, I was bitten on our livingroom couch, we discovered a pretty bad infestation of my roommate's mattress. we immediately got a very competent PCO to come to the apartment, and got rid of the couch, mattresses, and all of the clutter.

I have decided to move because our downstairs neighbors refuse to let the exterminators in. I am in a financial position to be able to move to a much nicer apartment, so i think its just time to get out of here.

How can I make sure to keep from bringing the bedbugs with me? I have cleaned and dry cleaned all of my clothes and put them in large ziplock bags, and the PCO is going to come spray once more a day before I move. I am thinking of putting all of my books and a few items of furniture into storage, but i would like to bring a bookshelf and a sideboard that were in my bedroom. i was never bitten in my bedroom but the PCO sprayed as if there were bugs in there anyway. he advised me to throw out a wicker basket that i used for laundry, and so i did

basically, knowing all this, what other steps can I take to prevent bringing bedbugs to my new apartment?
terrifiedtosleep

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Joined: Jun '08
Posts: 86

Posted 1 year ago
Mon Aug 18 2008 22:42:11
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Don't take any chances.. I decided not to and am just going straight for the Vikane.
fightorflight

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Posts: 694

Posted 1 year ago
Mon Aug 18 2008 23:16:41
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If you bring *anything* that cannot be reliably decontaminated from a home that has not gotten the All Clear, then you run the risk of transporting bugs. Sorry, but that's just how it is.
Adele

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Joined: May '08
Posts: 634

Posted 1 year ago
Wed Aug 20 2008 16:29:53
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Hate to tell you but even if you the "All Clear" from the BB dogs (I assume that was what you meant by - all clear) it does not guarantee they are gone

the dogs missed them for me
fightorflight

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Posts: 694

Posted 1 year ago
Wed Aug 20 2008 22:14:43
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Oh, I didn't really mean an official "All Clear." I was thinking of a more general situation where someone has treated her home, for whatever period of time, and has very good evidence to believe the treatment has been successful, be it dogs or whatever. I guess one prototype for this is Windy City Mike (2005? Links around somewhere...maybe on Success Stories). Of course, everything is subject to error. Bad luck is to be greatly feared among bedbuggers. But even bad luck can be turned around eventually, right Adele?
Adele

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Joined: May '08
Posts: 634

Posted 1 year ago
Wed Aug 20 2008 23:47:07
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FOF - it hasn't for me yet! but I am hopeful
caroline33

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Joined: Aug '08
Posts: 2

Posted 1 year ago
Fri Aug 22 2008 15:39:18
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ok, so i understand the risk i am running

what i am asking is what I can do to minimize the risk.
Adele

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Joined: May '08
Posts: 634

Posted 1 year ago
Sat Aug 23 2008 14:02:46
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CAroline - it is so difficult to move and not bring them with you - I had vikane treatment on all my stuff and preventively treated my new apartment and I am STILL trying to get rid of them - although I am close to being BB free at this point- but I still had to re-vikane a lot of stuff and have 3 exterminations to get there

so moral to my story is that I don't believe there is EVER a way to 100% move without them (in my opinion - I am not a big fan of vikane either - I should have just gotten rid of my stuff and started over)

to minimize your risk is very hard work. you would need to launder everything that could be laundered and sealed up in plastic - then you need to have all your furniture treated with a residual chemical and inspected for eggs

there is a lot of info here on the site on what you need to do to minimize your risk

truly - most PCO's would tell you that it is not necessary to get rid of your stuff - but to minmize your risk I would say to travel and move as lightly as possible and treat as much as you can with chemicals and 91% alcohol and launder as much as can be laundered before hand

it is best to try to rid yourself of the infestation BEFORE you move if you can

adele
even at that - in my opinion
fightorflight

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Joined: Jan '08
Posts: 694

Posted 1 year ago
Tue Aug 26 2008 2:54:27
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> ok, so i understand the risk i am running
> what i am asking is what I can do to minimize the risk.

And what we are saying is that, if you move before you have successfully treated your home, it is *extremely difficult* to minimize the risk (I am not including Vikane in this statement. Often, with Vikane, you should be able to take more belongings.). That is why many people move with *nothing*. Nothing. Okay, maybe 4-5 things that have been baked, boiled or steamed.

It's an odds game. I had bad luck. No matter what your luck, I believe this holds true, experientially and statistically: when moving from an untreated home, your risk increases with every item you take.
Adele

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Posts: 634

Posted 1 year ago
Tue Aug 26 2008 10:43:27
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Well said, FOF - that is my opinion as well. It also depends on the extent of your infestation to begin with - the more infested you are - the more likele you are to bring them with you no matter how insanely careful you are being in your precautions.

Fightorflight brought them to his friends house in between his moves - and he was INSANELY careful. When I vikaned I left with only a small plastic bag. I don't know if my vikane failed or if I brought them with me - it's hard to say and probably not even relavant at this point

Just read as much as you can and learn how to prevent the transfer of them - if you can vikane your stuff that will help but may not be a silver bullet either

As we already said - best thing to do - assuming they are not in the walls and in your neighbors apartment - is to try to rid the infestation where you are right now.

If they migrated to the walls or your neighbors are also infested then you have no choice but to try to move. In that case you can try to vikane your stuff if that is an available option. An alternative is to VERY CAREFULLY seal up as much as you can and put into storage for 18 months

in any case you should be consulting with an experienced PCO to find out your options

good luck