Got Bed Bugs? Bedbugger Forums » Bed Bug Treatment
Skeptical First Treatment - New Bed???
(7 posts)-
oncebittentwiceterrified
newbite
Joined: Mar '09
Posts: 17
Posted 1 year ago
Thu Mar 12 2009 12:28:29
#
Login to Send PM
I had my first treatment yesterday after reading these boards for about a week. I'm somewhat skeptical, I live in a small studio and the PCO and my super spent maybe 30 minutes tops treating my apartment. It sounds to me this was not a proper treatment, the PCO wasn't very helpful with recommendations - he told me to buy a new mattress or they would be back in a few months. He said the mattress is torn and is correct so I don't mind buying one but I heard some recommend not to buy new because it could become infected if the problem isn't properly eradicated and I don't think they did a good, thorough job. I also don't like the fact that my super was assisting with the spraying since he is not a PCO and certainly not trained with bed bugs. They treated my next door neighbor who fell while they were in the apt. and chipped her tooth. They claimed she didn't need any treatment and she had an accident as a result (I then felt horrible because I insisted she get one!) They also refused the apt. below me, saying everyone is in an uproar and they don't travel. Anyway, my question is should I buy the new mattress or wait and get a proper treatment. Is it most likely not effective what they did? I've read/heard from successful victims a proper treatment should be several areas and needs to be very thorough. Is that really true or should I wait and see? I really don't want to unpack everything to find out I'm infested even more. They are coming back in two weeks to do a perimeter prevention treatment since the PCO claimed he killed them all!
-
buggyinsocal
oldtimer
Joined: Jun '08
Posts: 1,259
Posted 1 year ago
Thu Mar 12 2009 13:13:09
#
Login to Send PM
I didn't go with standard chemical pesticide treatment (instead, I treated with thermal), so as for the length of time they spent, I can't say anything useful.
What I can say is this: you might consider getting good, high quality, bed bug specific encasements for the mattress, box spring, and pillows. You could also, while you're putting those on the mattress and box spring, do a serious inspection and treatment of your bed frame (assuming that the PCO didn't put any residual sprays on the bed frame itself. If they treated the bed frame, don't do anything to it as those residual pesticides are what you need to have on there to do the job).
Whether a mattress is ripped or not has very little to do with bed bugs. A rip makes it easier for them to get in there, but they can find plenty of places to harbor without a rip.
Encasements will trap any bugs inside the encasements so that they can't get to you. As long as you get good quality ones and prevent them from ripping, that should do the trick in terms of being the same as getting rid of the bed.
Personally, I would never buy a new bed until I was 100% sure I was bed bug free, since if you're not, the bugs will just infest the new bed. And then you have en expensive new home for the bed bugs, which sounds like a bad plan.
It is possible, I suppose, to get all the bugs in a small infestation in one go. However, no pesticide reliably kills 100% of bed bug eggs. One pesticide (Bedlam I think?) does kill some eggs, but it doesn't get all of them, so unless you had either only male bed bugs and/or only unimpregnated females), it's likely that sometime between the treatment and two weeks from it, those eggs will hatch with hungry nymphs who will go looking for a blood meal.
Sorry to bring that up. I mention it mostly so that you know that it is important that they come back and reapply residual pesticides in two weeks.
-
oncebittentwiceterrified
newbite
Joined: Mar '09
Posts: 17
Posted 1 year ago
Thu Mar 12 2009 14:10:53
#
Login to Send PM
Thanks, that was helpful. They did treat the bed and I believe it was Bedlam used. I ordered the Protect a Bed encasements. I guess I will use those until I have the green light.
-
spideyjg
oldtimer
Joined: Jul '08
Posts: 1,614
Posted 1 year ago
Thu Mar 12 2009 14:23:41
#
Login to Send PM
Ensure your ba\ox spring and frame have no pinty things to rip the encasement. Nails, metal joints, staples , splinters etc. can all compromise your encasement and you are screwed.
Encasements are debatable but consider do you encase potentially infested old stuff in hopes of keeping the vampires contained until they starve, 2 years of rip free sleeping, or encase new uninfested stuff and rely on the encasement to prevent any bugs from getting deeply entrenched.
I have no qualms about folks tossing old infested stuff, that you were going to toss anyway, as part of eradication efforts.
In either case use of an intact encasement is key. Also when you get new stuff you would either remove the old ones, bad idea if the 'pires haven't all died because you are now at square one, to place on the new stuff or get new bedding and new encasements also.
Food for thought.
Jim
-
oncebittentwiceterrified
newbite
Joined: Mar '09
Posts: 17
Posted 1 year ago
Thu Mar 12 2009 14:35:30
#
Login to Send PM
Yeah, I figured keep the old until I move out of my current apt. My other concern is the couch, they could be in there as I've been bitten. I don't mind getting rid of that, if I can get it out of my apt - it took three guys to get it in and when that faild my ex BIL had to take it apart and put it back together to get it through the door. Is there such a thing as couch encasements or bed bug free? When I upgrade, all of my furniture it going to be plastic or metal!
-
BugBoy911
member
Joined: Jan '09
Posts: 200
Posted 1 year ago
Thu Mar 12 2009 15:41:07
#
Login to Send PM
You defenatly do not have to throw away your couch as many people do out of fear, yet a technician with adequate practice treating sofa's can rid you of the problem without the major expense of buying a new one. These landlords are just complete wastes when it comes to bedbugs. The find the cheapest idiot to come a treat and tell you to throw away everything... Like its so easy to buy all new! You do not have to throw away your bed even with a rip in the mattress unless you really want too. A through treatment on the mattress and boxspring followed by 4 hours to dry and then encasements used, you can save big money. Couch's are slighly more advanced to treat but are very very possible to protect and keep within a home after treatment. You people are so fast to throw away all your belongings yet investing half of that in a good treatment followed by casual inspections every week or two for a few months, you can keep your belongings. Bedbugs like crevices, and with proper residual appliction within a couch the bedbugs will have no where to go and if they do its the end of em. Even if you missed a few eggs or what not, if the little ones come out and try to harbor in their favorite places they will be hit with residuel permanantly ridding a sofa of the pests. Keep the encasements on the bed and box spring and never take them off period. YOu will save yourself hundreds of dollars and have less allergies as well cause there dust mite resistant. I know bedbugs are horrible pests, but they are not as difficul to treat in certain situations as all the large companies make it out to be. Although certain situations are, but for the most part bedbugs stay close to the host and if your time is spent mainly in the living room and bedroom, well then, those are the areas to be treated heavy unless deep inpections prove otherwise.
-
oncebittentwiceterrified
newbite
Joined: Mar '09
Posts: 17
Posted 1 year ago
Thu Mar 12 2009 16:43:49
#
Login to Send PM
How long should I wait to put the encasements on? After the first treatment or should I wait till the come a second time? It hasn't come in the mail yet.
Reply
You must log in to post.
