Got Bed Bugs? Bedbugger Forums » Reader questions (do not fit into other categories)
Repacking: Plastic vs Cardboard boxes (bagged)
(6 posts)-
SleeplessinMontreal
newbite
Joined: Aug '07
Posts: 8
Posted 2 years ago
Sat Aug 18 2007 12:13:07
#
Login to Send PM
Hi all,
I am moving out of my bug infested building (I found out I had bedbugs 4 weeks before moving out) and of course what keeps me awake at night, aside from seeing any blood-sucking bedmates crawling around, is bringing them to my new apartment. I know the best thing to do is pack all my belongings in plastic bins. But this is not economically feasible for me. I had an idea of packing all my belongings in new cardboard boxes, but bagging the boxes before I start packing so that the bugs don't take up residence in them before I move. Good idea? Flawed? What about two bags? Other options besides burning my belongings? Should I spray something in the bags with the boxes after I have finished packing?
-
Have you had a PCO treating your old home, or do you have one arranged to treat the new home (which you really need to do)? If so, I'd ask that PCO what they recommend. You can and will easily move your bed bugs even if you don't use cardboard, though it's true that cardboard makes it easier for them to hide in and after transit.
-
SleeplessinMontreal
newbite
Joined: Aug '07
Posts: 8
Posted 2 years ago
Sat Aug 18 2007 12:42:21
#
Login to Send PM
Hi Nobugsonme,
I have a cheap landlord who will not pay a PCO to treat my apartment (and the 7 other units with bedbugs) so he had our building maintenance worker do it. I know it is not legal, I have informed myself, but I can't fight this battle right now, the bug battle is all I can handle. He has sprayed my apartment with a 1% propoxur solution which has kept me bug free (I think) for the past week. He will treat again this week.
I called a PCO, told him the situation, and his suggestion was that I should have my new place treated, i.e. dusting the crevices so they can't move into the walls but will have to stay on my things.
So my plan of action was to pay to have my new place treated and I wanted to move/store my belongings in new boxes that have been bagged. Bad idea? Or should I just open the bags up and let them free, if there are any, and throw away these boxes once I move in to my new place? There are a lot of things I don't need though, so this idea was also for storing items for a longer period.
-
Bugalina
senior member
Joined: Mar '07
Posts: 508
Posted 2 years ago
Sat Aug 18 2007 18:37:57
#
Login to Send PM
sleepless...I am a little confused about your "plan"....but from what I do understand you want to transport cardboard boxes from your infested apt. to your new apt. ??? You are saying that you would put the cardboard boxes in plastic bags??? Why not just double or triple up the plastic bags...and not use the cardboard at all.....Personally, cardboard scares me...I wouldn't use it...no way...and I would lighten your load as much as possible...throw out whatever you can bear to part with...nothing you will regret...but when it comes to bed bugs...you cannot be careful enough.....an ounce of caution is worth a pound of cure...
-
SleeplessinMontreal
newbite
Joined: Aug '07
Posts: 8
Posted 2 years ago
Sun Aug 19 2007 0:33:44
#
Login to Send PM
Hi, yes I want to move my belongings and not all of them can be nicely placed in bags. I simply want to know if others have used anything besides bags and plastic bins to move or store items.
I do not plan on having bags and bags of books, kitchen supplies, picture frames and keepsakes. Not only are they difficult to store, since bags do not stack, these bags can be more easily pierced with sharp objects, the kind you would put in boxes. I would rather have a cardboard box in a bag for this purpose.
My idea was to place NEW cardboard boxes in bag(s) and then pack the boxes. I will throw out all of the old boxes (since I have kept most of my things in boxes for the past 6 months), but whether I move things in a cardboard box placed in a bag, or just in a bag I run the same risk of reeinfestation, right? Either way the bugs will have a place to hide, no? For this reason I will be treating my new apartment.
Anyhow, I'd love to hear of any suggestions or just hear from others how they moved their belongings from one apartment to another.
-
I personally think you should unpack the stuff in the new place, so any bed bugs you move will be exposed to pesticides and die.
I think bags are easily pierced if they are on the OUTSIDE of the box too (for example, by fingers, nails, other objects and surfaces). But if it is just while you move and not in the new home, then I suppose it is fine.
Reply
You must log in to post.
