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Moving - How to Leave BBs Behind?
(3 posts)-
Beanie
newbite
Joined: Jun '10
Posts: 1offline
Posted 3 years ago
Wed Jun 16 2010 12:29:24
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Hi there. Long story short, we discovered bbs in our house two weeks ago and the landlord refuses to help us pay to deal with it professionally. We have had many other issues with this landlord anyway, so this has served as the last straw and we're moving out. I want to tackle the move in a military-style manner so as to minimize the risk of bringing the buggers with us. Any advice on how to do this would be very gratefully received. I have done a ton of research, but still need extremely specific advice on the precise steps we should take to avoid infecting our next apartment. I have questions about almost all the steps I've outlined below, I'd appreciate anybody's thoughts. Also please let me know if I've missed something crucial. This is what I have planned so far:
1) bag up all clothes/towels/sheets/comforters/pillows/fabrics and wash/dry heat treat prior to bringing to house
2) bag up items that can't be washed/heat treated and place one novan prostrip in with each bag. leave unpacked for 2-3 weeks. [this includes TV, ipods, shoes, books, kids toys etc - correct?] [how safe is this?]
3) place our mattresses in protect-a-bed mattress encasements just before move
4) wash down all furniture with warm soapy water with tea tree oil? - is this sufficient?? this worries me, we have a lot of wood furniture
5) should i buy sofasafe couch/love seat covers from US bed bugs - how effective are they?, or is steam cleaning/spraying sufficient - ? or should we throw them away (worth about $2500) and buy new [really don't want to do this]
6) what should we do with all our kitchen equipment? [microwave, coffee makers, pots, pans, etc] and can we bring our foodstuffs? (e.g. all our spices)
7) can i just bag up all toiletries - am I safe enough with that?
are the items under our bed that have been stored in those thick container store plastic bins safe, if i just wash the surface of the bins?
9) finally - how do we ensure that we/the movers are not carrying bugs into the house on the day of the move?Does anyone know the success rate of moving home bug-free? Are we going to go through all this and just end up having to pay thousands to deal with it professionally months down the road?
Can't tell you how much I appreciate that somebody who went through the problem has taken the personal time and effort to set up and moderate this forum. I know that after I get through this, it will be tempting for me to forget the whole horrible incident happened, but I'm inspired by you to try to help others. I know people go through a lot worse, but this is truly just about the most stressful and unpleasant event of my life.
Thanks again, and in advance for your advice
Beanie -
buggyinsocal
oldtimer
Joined: Jun '08
Posts: 2,440offline
Posted 3 years ago
Wed Jun 16 2010 13:52:52
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This will be short as I'm headed to the airport shortly, and I haven't packed yet (eep!), but . . .
Are you in the US?
In all your research, have you come across info about treating your stuff while it's in a moving truck with Vikane or thermal?
Because while not every provider of either Vikane or thermal is a good provider, when done properly, those are the only two treatments on the market that can eliminate all bed bugs and all their eggs in one go.
Generally the cost of treating a moving truck is less than it would cost to replace items that many people trash for fear of them being infested.
If you haven't found any reference to those strategies, it might mean that a bit more research is in order, unless you're not in the US since Vikane isn't available in Canada, and my sense is that heat treatment there isn't as common as it is here.
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parakeets
oldtimer
Joined: Mar '07
Posts: 1,011offline
Posted 3 years ago
Wed Jun 16 2010 19:04:24
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It is extremely difficult, sometimes impossible, to move without taking bedbugs with you where you still actively have them. I don't think it is a good idea to move with bedbugs since the likelihood of spreading them (and still having them in your new place) is quite high. For example --don't use any cardboard boxes or paper bags in your move. I've found bedbugs hidden deep inside the tubules of the corregated boxes, almost impossible to find. I've found bedbugs under the seams in the bottom of shopping bags. They are so thin they can hide anyplace.
Maybe you could hire a bedbug dog to check out your new place (to make sure there are no bedbugs before you move in), then to go through the stuff you are moving in (to make sure the dogs don't detect hidden bedbugs), and then when you are in the new place for a week or so (to make sure you didn't take a bedbug with you). At least you will have a paper trail that even though you knowingly moved with bedbugs, you hired a professional to make sure you didn't bring them with you--in case your future landlord or neighbors might decide to take any sort of action against you.
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