purses and handbags? « Got Bed Bugs? Bedbugger Forums

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purses and handbags?

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potatostar

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Posted 5 years ago
Tue Oct 2 2007 17:06:28
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Hello - I was wondering what some of you did about your purses and handbugs. For now I have a ziploc sealed with the bags from my closet - there's leather, nylon, vinyl, you name it. I can't wash these and I am not sure if they will get ruined or melt in the dryer. Help!
Beatrice

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Posted 5 years ago
Tue Oct 2 2007 17:13:00
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Honestly, I left mine in the ziploc and decided to deal with them in 18 months. I've been using bags that can be washed since then.

A friend of mine just left hers out so the bugs would be drawn out and cross the poison and then she stuck them in the trunk of her car during a heatwave. As far as I know that worked for her.
potatostar

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Posted 5 years ago
Wed Oct 3 2007 8:11:15
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yeah, I thought about leaving some of them stored for awhile, but there were a couple of items in there that I need. I can't just go out and buy another one. Thank goodness I kept some of the ones I use the most laying around in the other room.

I'm in NYC, so I don't have a car, or a yard outside to "leave things out" in the winter. I don't want to put stuff on the fire escape.
BBsBlow

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Posted 5 years ago
Wed Oct 3 2007 13:08:08
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I had quite the collection...and they're all in storage. They were in my closet where I did see BBs, so I couldn't take a chance. Ended up buying new, cheap ones that suffice.
Nobugsonme

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Posted 5 years ago
Thu Oct 4 2007 1:26:13
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NYC weather hasn't been very extreme lately anyway. Last winter, I doubt it was cold long enough to kill bed bugs in a bag of stuff.

Freezing for WEEKS might work, but it must be as cold as possible, freezing temps at most, and must stay there undisturbed (ie not in a freezer you open and close). Some have bought chest freezers for $200 or so to do this. Not an easy solution, but it's something. I would personally leave stuff in a frozen chest freezer for a month, since it is not likely to be very cold. You could do a few weeks in a rented subzero space if you could find one. There's conflicting info about exactly how cold, exactly how long, so if I seem vague it's because you really just have to do your best.
josie

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Posted 5 years ago
Sun Oct 14 2007 13:49:47
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Hi Potatostar,

What'd you decide to do? I was debating about what to do with mine, but then I found a cozy little colony of BBs in the back corner of my closet. So anything I can't immediately treat somehow, is going to go in a large ziplock and will be labeled "Open Easter 2009". I do like the idea of just leaving them out, so that the f**kers will leave them to eat and cross the pesticide -- but I don't know that I will ever be comfortable carry them around if they can't be treated directly....so I'll have to put them aside for 18 months.

Any sage advice you have to offer for the very newly initiated?
bugalew

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Posted 5 years ago
Tue Oct 16 2007 18:40:03
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My advice is far from sage and you'll do what's right for you of course. I vacuumed some out (vacuum should be 12 amps or higher)and am fine with those. I left the leather ones "out" and am using some groovy cotton tote bags until the weather makes it prohibitive. I also went to Target and found a leather looking thing I liked for under $30 for when I need a "serious" looking bag (job interviews etc.). I have always been a self proclaimed "bag whore". I like bags. I also found out I can carry the same purse for days on end and just keep it simple. Who knew? I keep the "active" purse in a ziploc at home and in a ziploc at work. I keep cedar or lavendar in the ziplocs and wash the bags whenever I do laundry which at the moment is still twice a week. I know-more answer than you asked -good luck!