Got Bed Bugs? Bedbugger Forums » Bed Bug Treatment
straw hats
(4 posts)-
Nora
newbite
Joined: Apr '11
Posts: 10offline
Posted 2 years ago
Sat Apr 30 2011 0:18:51
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I have a bunch of straw hats that I use for amateur theatrical purposes. So of course my question is, can BBs live in them? I suspect I know the answer and that it is not good news but hoping against hope I ask it anyway.
I already have lots of bad news because we've run a huge volume of laundry through the dryer but were under the impression that it did not have to be washed as long as we dried it for at least 90 minutes. Also we didn't realize that once that was done the laundry should be sealed in airtight bags. Arrrrrrrrrgh. I'm assuming we will have to do it again.
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bbgirl
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Joined: Feb '11
Posts: 338offline
Posted 2 years ago
Sat Apr 30 2011 8:27:23
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From what I understand anything made of straw, rattan or wicker is bed bug heaven. Did you have your bugs identified by a PCO? Are you getting treatment? If so they may know how to treat the hats. Apparently not a good idea to spray anything you will be wearing....like clothes or hats. Unless they are very valuable I would dispose of them if they have been in a known infested area. If you are in the US you can get a Packtite which would allow you to treat items such as this and is invaluable as you can bake your shoes, purses, household items.
If you read up on the laundry protocols in the FAQ's it will give you detailed instructions on the best way to handle this. The idea of bagging is so that you reduce the places where the bugs can harbor and also so that when you dress out of the bags you know that your clothes are bed bug free. It helps a lot with peace of mind...the washing isn't actually what kills the bugs it's the drying. You should use the hottest temperature setting on the dryer and dry for an hour after the point at which the clothes are completely dried through to be safe. Ziploc bags in XXL and XL work the best as you can seal and reseal them and they are clear so you can see what is inside them.
For the next little while it is best to reduce your wardrobe to a few outfits that can stand up to the contant washing and drying.
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Nora
newbite
Joined: Apr '11
Posts: 10offline
Posted 2 years ago
Sat Apr 30 2011 9:02:41
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Thanks bbgirl. I'm assuming PCO stands for Pest Control Officer or something like that, right? If so, yes, bedbugs have been confirmed by 3 PCO's actually. Where can we get the big clothing-size ziplocs? I've never seen them for sale.
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bbgirl
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Joined: Feb '11
Posts: 338offline
Posted 2 years ago
Sat Apr 30 2011 9:17:35
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Yes, PCO seems to be the term of choice on this site....where are you located? If you are in the US you can order them in bulk by clicking on the US bedbugs site link here. If you connect this way the bed bugger site gets a small commission to help with their costs.
I constantly underestimated the number of bags I would need......get more than you think you will need. If you do get a Packtite you will also be able to treat the ziplocs ....or they can be washed. Here in Canada I found them at Canadian Tire but possibly Walmart carries them in the US?
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