Got Bed Bugs? Bedbugger Forums » Tales of Bed Bug Woe
Poor, Abroad and at My Wit's End
(3 posts)-
niwatorimegami
newbite
Joined: Oct '09
Posts: 1
Posted 4 weeks ago
Fri Oct 23 2009 11:21:47
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So, I recently moved to Japan as part of a job opportunity, and sometime around when I first arrived, I was getting bit on the arms and hands by bugs. At first I thought that I must be getting bit by some unfamiliar gnat or something, but research online and on this blog made me realize that the problem might be bedbugs. This was confirmed for me relatively quickly as I found a shed skin under my futon (I sleep in a tatami room) and a few weeks after that I managed to catch a few live bugs.
Tatami mats are woven from bamboo, and there are many nooks and crannys around them. I think that the bed bugs have been living in the tatami itself, as I haven't been able to find any harborages. The problem is, I rent my apartment and I have no way of flipping the tatami myself to try and get at the bugs. Also, the fees for cleaning tatami are very high, and my income can't support it. I can't afford the rates of a PCO either, and I wouldn't even know how to go about finding a good one here. This is especially bad as I went into the empty apartment next door (for sale apartments are often left unlocked) and I saw many black flecks on the tatami against the wall that is shared with my apartment. So I can only conclude that all my efforts at eradicating the bugs are being thwarted by them migrating next door.
I'm not sure what the laws are concerning bedbugs in Japan, but when I spoke with my landlord about it he offered no PCO service, but did not ask me to carry one out either. Ask I've only been getting bitten intermittently, and I've only lived here two months, I decided that I would try moving as the cheapest option. My landlord is allowing me to move to a different building that is close to my current one without having to sever my contract, which is a blessing on my pocketbook.
I'm trying to take as many precautions as possible. I'm throwing out my futon, my sofa, and some of my cheaper bookshelves, as well as my desk. I bought kitchen bleach to wipe down my tables, my chair, and my bookshelf. I've been putting all my clothing in the dryer at 75 degrees celsius for the full cycle even though they're already dry. And while I couldn't afford a Packtite (the shipping is too crazy) I made a makeshift version out of a futon dryer and a plastic drawer. Futon dryers are small machines that fill a semi permeable bag with heated air and which incorporate a filtration system to weed out dust mites and such. You usually put them sandwiched between the top comforter and the futon itself. The temperatures get up to 150 degrees or so, Fahrenheit. I wrapped the heating device around the items I wanted to heat up, then stuck the whole thing in a large plastic drawer, to keep the heat trapped. I have no idea if this worked or not, but the items felt as hot all the way through as they do when I remove things from a regular dryer, so I'm cautiously optimistic. I don't want to take any chances with reinfestation, so I'm going to heat my electronics this way as well, and pray that they still work afterwards.
I have an indoor use pesticide that has a nozzle with a needle that allows for spraying into tatami. I plan to spray my new place before moving in, and to continue to do so at one week intervals. I also plan to isolate my brand new metal frame loft bed by putting the legs into miso soup bowls filled part way with mineral oil. I also purchased some food grade diatomaceous earth, and I tested it on the live bedbugs I caught here. They all died in under two days, so I plan to put some in the cracks around my new apartment. Beyond this, I don't know what else I can do. I'm fairly confident that the new place I'm moving to is bedbug free, as my coworker has lived in that building for over a year without incident, and he's also bite reactive.
I'm not exactly looking for advice here (though that would also be highly welcome) so much as some friendly words? When I first began reading this forum, I thought that other peoples' infestations sounded much worse than mine, and that I'd be fine. But the psychological effect of seeing this bugs next to my pillow has been unbearable. I can only hope that I can escape them this time.
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I'm no expert, Niwa, but it sounds like your going the extra mile to tackle the problem. Only other piece of advice I might have for you is a steam machine. They're likely available in Japan and while they're not exactly cheap perhaps you could find one in your price range.
Good luck!
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I am sure there must be people in Japan who can treat for this problem. I know that may not be an option for you. I am just saddened that it sounds like the building has a problem and the landlord is clueless. It will only get worse.
I also know you're not necessarily seeking advice. I would just take every precaution you can -- bed bugs move easily.
I am sorry you had to deal with this. A tatami room sounds like a nightmare as far as bed bugs are concerned, and since there will be no treatment (let alone removal of tatami!), moving really probably is your best bet.
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