Got Bed Bugs? Bedbugger Forums » Tales of Bed Bug Woe
Three quick dispatches from the bedbug wars.
(2 posts)-
Thought you all might enjoy a little glimpse into my life.
1) Landlord's PCO came by to spray on Friday. Not only did he treat the pesticides in the extremely casual way we've come to expect from these guys (no mask or gloves, asking us to lift up a mattress he'd just soaked with pesticide, etc.) but as he was leaving he said "Do you have a spray bottle or a jar or something?" My bewildered BF produced a used (rinsed clean) salsa jar from the recycling, and the PCO filled it with... whatever he'd been spraying. (I think the chemicals are scrawled on the receipt he left us, but I haven't checked. If it's what they were using before it's a mix of Psykick and Gentrol.) "If you wanna do a touch-up or spray it around or something," he said. Yeeeeesh. (It's double-bagged and quarantined in a closet until I figure out what to do with it. Maybe I should spritz it onto my skin every night before bed? (JUST KIDDING, kids. Do NOT do that.))
2) I was visiting my hometown this past weekend and caught up with some friends. Mentioned the bedbug thing and they said they had had them too, apparently brought back from a recent trip overseas. Naturally I asked to hear more. "Oh, we sprayed orange oil around everywhere and that killed them." Um. "I don't really think that works," I ventured. "No, it worked great, I guess it hurts them or kills them or something. Also we washed everything. It was really a pain."
I'm guessing they only had a few hitchhikers and probably laundered 'em to death. Sigh.
3) Was just poking around the Bed Bath & Beyond website for some closet organizey stuff, and ran into this gem. (In case the link doesn't work, it's a bottle of bedbug spray called "Rest Easy".)
And I quote: "This organic bed bug spray kills and repels bed bugs naturally. It is specially formulated with environmentally friendly natural essential oils and contains no harsh chemicals or pesticides, making it safe to use around children and pets. Use the cinnamon scented spray on mattresses, carpets, upholstery, curtains and other fabrics."
*facepalm*
Because we all know that bedbugs HATE cinnamon, almost as much as they hate oranges.
(And P.S.: "Natural essential oils" sounds so innocuous, but don't be fooled. Some essential oils are very toxic, especially if used undiluted or in large quantities.)
It makes me so mad that that product doesn't even have to have a disclaimer about not being scientifically tested (because obviously it wasn't). I wonder how we have a hope in the world while places like BB&B are still selling that crap.
On the other hand, maybe I'll pick some up tonight. I just realized if I make all my bedbugs smell cinnamony fresh, maybe the cats will mistake them for food and eat them. Although I bet it would work better if I sprayed them with tuna... is there a tuna essential oil? ;)
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MyWorstFear
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Joined: Sep '08
Posts: 266
Posted 4 months ago
Wed Jul 15 2009 19:16:41
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My husband ordered that stuff last year when we were first starting our bed bug battle. He googled and that product came up on Amazon, IIRC. I was so furious that he believed that that stupid spray would be effective. It is extremely STRONG smelling so maybe it repels the bugs slightly so that unless they are starving, they merely go hide in harder to find places and make your ultimate problem even worse. I never used it, although I admit I did threaten to spray HIM with the stuff.
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