Moving in 2 Weeks & Need to Deal with Current Infestation

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Moving in 2 Weeks & Need to Deal with Current Infestation

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movinginbrooklyn

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Posted 4 years ago
Mon Aug 18 2008 17:10:06
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Hi everyone.

Reading these posts has been very useful. Thank you. I hope you can offer some good advice to our unique situation . . .

After a number of weeks of bites (and one exterminator visit that came up with nothing), another exterminator confirmed on Saturday that we have bedbugs. While pretty freaked out and upset, we are committed to dealing with this head on. The catch -- our lease is up and we are moving at the end of the month.

The exterminator (Absolute Death -- have people had good experiences?), said that the process usually takes 30 days, because you won't know for a few weeks if the first treatment is going to be enough (may not kill the eggs, etc.). But we only have two weeks, and are scrambling with what to take/discard/and how to treat it all to ensure we don't take any critters with us to the new apartment.

We spent all of yesterday at the laundromat, washing and drying most of our clothes on hot water/high heat and have bagged them all up. We will dry clean the rest. And we can get an exterminator in this weekend, but what will be safe to take with us? I think we would rather abandon most of the furniture than risk taking anything with us, but we're puzzled with what to do about books, shoes, paintings, pictures, electronics, etc. How risky is it to pack these up and take them with us only a week after an extermination? What are the best methods we can use to ensure we don't transfer anything? Does steaming books really work? Suggestions on what kind of steamer to use (the ones linked on this site are really expensive -- anything cheaper that will work?) . Any advice would be great.

Also, we obviously need to move quickly, but if folks have suggestions on NYC/Brooklyn exterminators beyond Absolute Death, please let me know. My Private Exterminator is the group that missed the diagnosis the first time around so I don't want to go with them. I've also spoken with Magic Exterminating and they seem good, though are more expensive and their unrealistic "we always get them the first time" sales pitch feels suspicious.

Finally, our first attempt dealing with the landlord has proved futile. She replied to my email saying that bedbugs were the responsibility of the tenant. Everything I've read (and the tenants' rights hotline I called) says that it's the responsibility of the landlord). Suggestions/resources for getting her to pay or reimburse?!

Thanks!
parakeets

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Posted 4 years ago
Mon Aug 18 2008 17:28:18
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Anything that you can wash and dry on hot will be safe to take, so that includes things like towels, clothing, etc. Also dishes, pots, glassware, cutlery, etc., that you can put in a very hot dishwasher with a hot drying cycle are safe to take. If you have to wash by hand, make sure you can inspect them. Don't use carboard boxes to pack--use plastic bins or plastic bags and ziplocks. Anything that you seal up in ziplock bags is safe to take (until, of course, you take the stuff out of the ziplock--so be sure to do it over a tub in good light, for example, so you can inspect). Anything that you can inspect thoroughly with exquisite care (such as a piece of paper or a ring or something) is okay, but realize that bedbugs can hide in the head of a screw and the eggs are difficult to see if you don't know you're looking at eggs. There are posts here about CDs. Books are a problem. Too many places for bedbugs to hide. I know they can hide under the bindings, on the spine, places you wouldn't see them. For now, you might want to pack your books in ziplocks.

As for steamers, can you rent a good one for a week from a rental place? You don't have to worry about getting bedbugs from it (ha ha).

I'd be very concerned about electronics since you can't inspect them and the low heat seems to attract bedbugs. Red flag anything near where you were bitten (near the bed, near couches and chairs you were bitten). Even something as simple as a remote control clicker can have bedbugs in it.

Depending on what pesticides your firm uses, you probably still haven't killed the newly hatched eggs so quickly so you have a chance of carrying nymphs with you and, darn, they are very hard to see. Instead of being larger and brown, they are tiny and a whitish yellow. And there still will be eggs. Can't you wait until everything is treated?
Tear-a-fied

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Posted 4 years ago
Mon Aug 18 2008 18:17:04
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Pack everything onto a truck and have the truck tented & vikaned? I think there is a company in NYC that does this.
That seems reasonable.
I'd trash things that you don't love that much anyhow. Good reason to purge!
mrsmaglite

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Posted 4 years ago
Tue Aug 19 2008 9:06:52
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Hi Movinginbrooklyn. You don't say how many units are in your building, but I'm assuming there are multiple. If you explain the situation to your landlord and also explain that your leaving will likely shift the bugs around the building, he/she may care more, as they will get more complaints. You could also try talking to your neighbours. You don't say how you think you may have gotten the bugs, but if you think it's from a neighbouring unit, then a quick chat about how to deal with the landlord may be helpful. From what I've read on here it does seem like it's the landlord's responsibility in NYC, though I'm sure more others who are more knowledgeable can advise on that.

I guess it goes without saying, but make sure that anything you throw out is sealed in good quality refuse bags to avoid spreading the bugs around. Slash furniture, luggage etc to avoid people picking it up.

Lots of luck - hope you can avoid taking along any unwanted roommates!
movinginbrooklyn

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Posted 4 years ago
Mon Aug 25 2008 22:45:00
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Well, we won the battle with the landlord and they paid for an exterminator (Bug Away) to come out. They were thorough and comforting. They steamed all the furniture, then sprayed with chemicals, them caulked all the cracks between the floor and the base boards. They said the infestation was contained in my bedroom (no signs in the main room, and no signs in my room mate's room, who had never been bitten). We've disposed of most of the furniture, and have kept our cleaned clothes in bags. I bought a mattress cover and have slept on my bed for the past few nights with no bites and signs of bugs.

I'm feeling cautiously optimistic that it's okay to take my bed and the few pieces of furniture I've held on to that were treated, but I'm still confused about the books, pictures, electronics, etc. They weren't treated but there have been no signs of infestation beyond my bedroom, and the exterminators thought they were okay if I do a basic inspection. I want to be cautious but not overly paranoid. I have five more days in this apartment -- is that enough time to be confident it's okay to move what's left in this apartment?

(and to answer the above question, the building has three residential units -- no sign of infestation in any of the other units.)
V. Bugged

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Posted 4 years ago
Tue Aug 26 2008 0:08:22
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I likewise am facing moving this week with an infestation, which flared up again a week and a half ago. Brief history: I unknowingly moved into a house with an active infestation a year ago, we've undergone treatments by three PCO's, always meeting with moderate success (i.e. bite free for maybe a month at a time at most), but they've never really gone away.

The most helpful and knowledgable of these three PCO's advised us to visually inspect non-washables over a clean surface with a spray bottle of alcohol on hand. I understand that alcohol does not kill eggs, though.

I am moving this week, and intend to bring with me the only two pieces of furniture I have that are worth anything, one wood dresser and one IKEA type particle board cabinet. I intend to take each out to the sidewalk and (a) scrub it with a stiff brush, and then (b) spray it all over with alcohol. I would appreciate any thoughts on this if anyone has done something else that worked.

I understand that fog treatments are a generally bad idea due to their repellency, but our landlord hired a new PCO for this most recent resurgence. They came in yesterday and fogged. At this point, I have given up trying to influence the LL's choices for how best to treat his property, since we are moving out (I won't even get started on our LL's choices). I hope that perhaps if fog is repellent, it will repel the bugs *away* from our belongings, but hope that it will not cause them to hide *in* our belongings as we move. Any thoughts on this?

I'll let you know how it goes. Best of luck to you!
V. Bugged

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Posted 4 years ago
Tue Aug 26 2008 0:29:20
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P.S. a mini-rant, not intended to hijack the thread: Can you believe that our LL has gotten new tenants to agree to move in? He told us that the new tenants are "aware" that there "may be" a bedbug problem in the house ("may be" was at least true at the time, though now that bites have reappeared, may be has become is. No idea if he's updated them on the situation).

These new tenants must just not understand. How could they? I didn't when I first encountered them. I remember a friend telling me about her experience with them, describing it as "literally the worst thing that has ever happened to me in my life", and thinking vaguely that she must have had other stresses in her life causing her to overreact. I had no idea.

Not to mention that it's illegal to rent an apartment when you know it doesn't meet code requirements. Does our LL not understand that, despite the legal negotiations we've had to engage him in? Do the new tenants know that? Apparently not.

Anyway. Back to productive, proactive moving advice.
homelessartist

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Posted 4 years ago
Tue Aug 26 2008 2:51:29
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I recently moved out of my apartment after discovering bedbugs (in my apt and many other units in my same Hell's Kitchen tenement) 2 and a half months before my lease expired. I ditched all my furniture. I removed original artwork from frames and stored it, along with assorted papers, in giant ziploc bags with a no-pest strip. Clothes/bags/fabric items got washed/dried on high for a long time, per official protocol. Shoes in ziplocs with a no-pest strip. I'm also risking some electronics in a ziploc with a no-pest strip; they might corrode, but I have nothing to lose. All my beloved books I ditched.

My evil landlord refused to refund my deposit or last month's rent; one of my neighbors is suing him, but says I don't have a good case because I forfeited my apartment, while she retains occupancy. I've probably lost over $7,000 worth of furniture and other possessions, and if you include the lost rent and deposit, that's over $10,000. I looked into vikaning my furniture and storing it in the services alleged bedbug-free storage facility, but the overall cost was comparable to the value of my furniture/possessions, so I figured I'd try to replace things if/when I get another apartment.

Oh yeah, I'm also homeless now, per my handle. I had thought ditching my stuff and getting out fast would be the least mentally trying option, but 5 weeks later I'm still suffering from shock and loss. New York doesn't feel like home any more, which is really sad. Those quaint old apartments and buildings I used to love now just look like bedbug habitats to me. A bedbug infestation is traumatic, no matter what you do.
fightorflight

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Posted 4 years ago
Tue Aug 26 2008 4:13:16
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V. Bugged:
> I didn't when I first encountered them. I remember a friend telling me about her experience with them, describing it as "literally the worst thing that has ever happened to me in my life", and thinking vaguely that she must have had other stresses in her life causing her to overreact. I had no idea.

homelessartist:
> New York doesn't feel like home any more, which is really sad. Those quaint old apartments and buildings I used to love now just look like bedbug habitats to me. A bedbug infestation is traumatic, no matter what you do.

Because this site/forum acts partly as a support group, a variety of coping mechanisms are suggested. Those of the, "It's just a bug" variety don't usually work for me, but they do for many. The comments you both have posted, which I have quoted, I personally find satisfying and helpful. For some of us, it helps to have others validate our feeling that bedbugs are unfortunately, unbelievably, one of the worst things that can happen to a person. Even if they are "just a bug."
V. Bugged

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Posted 4 years ago
Tue Aug 26 2008 18:00:18
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FOF, thanks for your words. I, too, feel comforted when my own feelings are shared and validated by others.

I am growing increasingly anxious, though, reading the forum over the past two days as I prepare to move. I think everyone is quite right (in this thread and the other recent moving thread), the best thing is to eliminate the infestation and then move. That was our rationale in staying and fighting all year instead of breaking our lease, as we had the legal right to do. But I think we all know that sometimes that is not an option anymore. In my case, I have a landlord who pays for treatments, but is obsessed with DE as the "real" solution that the pest guys don't want you to know about and has started accusing us of all kinds of things, not to mention that the house (free-standing) is incredibly badly maintained, with huge cracks between the floorboards and windows that don't seal, and to top it all off, I now suspect that the building next door is infested, too, having overheard the neighbors talking about it.

In short, I *have* to move. By Sunday. And I had felt like I would be doing the best I could by following my PCO's advice: to visually inspect everything, douse everything with alcohol that I could, but considering how impossible this problem has been, and everything I'm reading about other peoples' bad experiences, I feel a little helpless now, like nothing I can do will accomplish anything (I've felt this a lot in dealing with this problem) and I'm not sure what to do.

One of our roommates did break her lease early and move home two months ago, bringing a few pieces of furniture doused with alcohol. She has not had any problems, but she also lived on the second floor of our house, where the problem seldom came up. I live in one of the most infested rooms.

I have tried to find container Vikane treatment in the Boston area, and no one seems to know about it or offer it, and they think it sounds extreme and crazy when I ask.

Our house, as I mentioned, was just treated on Monday, with both spray and fog (not Vikane---bad idea, I know, but LL's decision at this point, not mine). Will this help me at all, does anyone know?

I only have a few days to figure out what do do, and at the moment, I'm at a loss. Any input will be appreciated, though as I've learned over the past year, I know there are no 100% answers with bedbugs.
fightorflight

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Posted 4 years ago
Fri Aug 29 2008 4:02:55
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Okay, so I had bad luck, so I generally tend to view toward the 99.9% measures. You do not have that option, however. We must face it, you will move now and there will be a lot of risk. What to do?

1) Don't bring any furniture or non-treatable items from the highest risk areas - your bedroom, around couch or any place else in your home where you are stationary for long periods of time and have seen any potential evidence of bedbugs. The thing to remember here is that the cost of treating for bedbugs can easily run as high as replacing furniture. In any case, it is like having a serious and financially damaging illness. There is no way around the cost.

2) If you bring things that are treatable, like fabric items (no comforters or pillows, please), but you have not had chance to reliably treat yet, then 1000x bag them and bring them, and then treat them multiple times over at the new place. Dishes, silverware, plastic, non-porous items you ought to be able to run through a dishwasher multiple times or many hot baths, wipes, + alcohol in sink or whatever. You can think this out on your own, based on research.

3) My constant rule: with every item you bring, your risk increases.

4) Moving into a new place, with fewer things, most treated, and full awareness of the potential issue, ought to put you into a better position to fight anew. For many, it can be a long struggle (will avoid any obvious political/military analogies here). If you move with tons of precautions, know what to look for in the new place and are (presumably) much better informed and prepared now, you are in a much better position to finally beat the bugs in the new place, even if you bring a few along.

5) Best of Luck!!!!!
fightorflight

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Posted 4 years ago
Fri Aug 29 2008 4:40:07
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Oh, and don't forget boiling, baking & steaming. As you know, you can read all about them here. But I don't recommend steaming your headboard or bed frame (or in my case, night table or book cases holding clothes at foot of bed) and then bringing them.
Anonymous

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Posted 4 years ago
Wed Sep 3 2008 19:40:01
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Thank god I found this thread - I am trying to get the hell out of Dodge asap. If any of you fellow sufferers are so inclined, please click my username and you can read the saga - bottom line - landlord sucks - two tenants moved out downstairs (8 family apt building) - the landlord has only had my apartment exterminated once - refuses to send PCO to inspect other apartments and screamed at me when I called him yesterday to find out when the PCO was coming back to my apt - here's the straw that's breaking my camel's back: This morning when I left for work, I notice an unfamiliar women bringing items in and she was parked in the yard - she smiled and I said - moving in? She kept smiling and said "Yes" - I asked her if the landlord had told her about the bed bugs. She instantly got serious and said no. I told her it was a nightmare and to please not tell the landlord that I told her because I have had enough of the man screaming at me in my face and on the phone. OK - so I go on to work, just get home about 2 hours ago, pulled up and I see a car full of stuff dropping off a load. Thes people are actually moving in! I am done. I am jumping ship. Will leave everything behind. Down to 8 business outfits, few towels, sheets, washcloths. I am willing to start over completely. Now I just need to pull together a deposit and first months rent for new apt - this may take me a few weeks. In the meantime - I have no idea if another PCO will be coming, I have sprinkled DE, doing laundry like crazy, bags on floor with clothes/linens. If i need to leave with the clothes on my back, I am totally okay with that idea at this point. It's obvious that the neighbors don't care - or don't understand yet the nightmare journey they are about to embark upon. Important documents, birth certificates, tax documents, photo albums one painting from my grandmother that is precious to me - I can store these items for two years in a storage facility and they will be safe right.

Any thoughts welcome - and again, please feel free to click my username for all of the gorey details. I gotta get out of this place....
Anonymous

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Posted 4 years ago
Wed Sep 3 2008 21:26:44
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ok - just discovered a nest right here where I sit!!! I have got to get the hell out.
Itchy-Scratchy

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Posted 4 years ago
Wed Sep 3 2008 22:37:04
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fightorflight - 1 week ago »
Because this site/forum acts partly as a support group, a variety of coping mechanisms are suggested. Those of the, "It's just a bug" variety don't usually work for me, but they do for many. The comments you both have posted, which I have quoted, I personally find satisfying and helpful. For some of us, it helps to have others validate our feeling that bedbugs are unfortunately, unbelievably, one of the worst things that can happen to a person. Even if they are "just a bug."

I completely agree, ForF. It was helpful to read what BuggyV wrote. Because nobody else understands our pain...
fightorflight

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Posted 4 years ago
Thu Sep 4 2008 2:34:54
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> Because nobody else understands our pain...

No, because you enter this bizarre, science fiction-like world that no one who's not been there can comprehend. It's surreal, but the pain is very immediate.