Got Bed Bugs? Bedbugger Forums » Tools/ideas for fighting bed bugs
What else besides a PCO?
(12 posts)-
NYJammin asked in another thread why there aren't enough specific recommendations about supplemental methods for controlling bedbug infestations.
Doing your own pest control is a bad idea and is not recommended by Bedbugger, for reasons explained in the faq of the same name. So we need not discuss why we don't give instructions to people on how to use chemicals themselves. Doing so might be irresponsible in most cases, even if we had such knowledge to impart, if the recipient of the advice is not careful, does not do all the necessary research, does not use protective equipment, etc.
Also, in our collective experience of speaking to sufferers, delay in treatment is bad. Also bad is not notifying the landlord. Bad as in not in your best interest and not fair to your neighbors. People who choose DIY are more often than not also delaying and not notifying. There are exceptions. There truly are very knowledgeable people out there who can do their own pest control without harming themselves and others. Chances are, you are not one of them. I am not one of them.
Among the use it yourself substances, DE, however, is ok. DE is positively groovy. With a little precaution and common sense, and after having read our DE faq, you can use DE yourself. The only caution is this (which is the caution with anything you do): your PCO needs to know everything that you are doing. Some PCOs frown on DE. Others don't want you to interfere with their protocol. Anyway, all of this is in the FAQs.
So, that leaves the other stuff. Caulking, steaming, sealing floors, vacuuming and other methods. (What other methods? Cleaning methods and cleaning products. Boiling water. Freezing. Enzyme cleaners. Contact killers. Etcetera.)
First, a lot of them are most definitely discussed on the blog and here in the forum; vacuuming and steaming conversations have happened many times. There are whole threads on Murphy's Oil Soap. Also, more recently, there was a post on the blog about the recommendations of Dr. Michael Potter. Search for Dr. Potter's do's and don'ts. With vacuuming, you need the crevice attachments in order to have the greatest chance of actually sucking up eggs and bugs. You also need to dispose of the bag, immediately and securely. With steaming, see the Dr. Potter post. You need hot, dry steam and you need to be concerned about excess moisture, mold, and possible damage where you are using it. A little research here will get you the information you need.
Sealing floors with paint or polyurethane comes up every once in a while. I think that if one is not very handy, the best thing is to hire a professional to do that. People get rid of bedbugs all the time without sealing their floors; so, if one cannot afford it, there is no reason to despair. At any rate, I don't think there are any floor finishing experts contributing to this site. So, providing that kind of information is probably beyond our combined abilities.
That leaves caulking. I suggest doing a Google search for "how to caulk" and you will get plenty of detailed, useful advice. Or one can ask someone who knows, maybe at Home Depot or some place like that. If it is philosophical information you are looking for, why caulking is useful and how it is used in combating an infestation, your best source is Frank from The War on Bedbugs: http://waronbedbugs.blogspot.com/ His blog has excellent information on isolating the bed, on caulking and on other Integrated Pest Management (IPM) methods to combat bedbugs. The article on caulking is here: http://waronbedbugs.blogspot.com/2007/02/caulk-caulk-caulk.html
Frank is a firm believer in an integrated approach (an approach that reduces the reliance on pesticides) and his articles are an excellent place to start if this is also how you see the bedbug situation. (I don't.) Anyway, I love Frank for his ground-breaking article on the bedbug resurgence. I truly appreciate Frank and all his dedicated work to educate us all, even if I strongly disagree with him on the subject of IPM. But information, and the internet, is free.
With apologies to Nobugs, for presuming to speak on behalf of the group here. (All the stuff about not liking IPM, that's just me.)
Best wishes to all.
-
I'm afraid I pretty much agree with Nomo about all that (sorry to sound like a broken record!) I think Frank is great, but I also believe pesticides are needed in this war on bed bugs. (Frank also did not get rid of bed bugs without using pesticides, for the record.)
-
willow-the-wisp
banned
Joined: Mar '07
Posts: 1,530
Posted 2 years ago
Sun May 27 2007 20:13:15
#
Login to Send PM
Frank’s diagrams on bed isolation and his detailed exclusion techniques of ridding bedbugs of access to you, and thus, "sending a Bed bug to bed without its supper" are incredibly insightful and prepared and described quite skillfully.
I got some great personal info on how to use the steamer from Frank directly. I'm ever so grateful to Frank, for that: That alone made all the difference in the world to me and for me, as I decrease the Bed bug population from a-plenty, to numbers nearly nil now. Also--for the record.
-
Yes, Willow, Frank absolutely rocks! I don't think we can say that enough. And people can make up their own minds, no? Or, even better, take all the information and benefit from all of it.
-
Exactly.
-
nyjammin
senior member
Joined: Apr '07
Posts: 664
Posted 2 years ago
Tue May 29 2007 16:54:59
#
Login to Send PM
ok. I'm waiting for the mattress encasements and I need some caulk to caulk all the holes in the bed. Should I wait for those to be done or call a pco right away. I wanna encase the mattresses fully so the pco doesn't have to treat them and they will be forever sealed. Is this wrong. should I let the pco treat the bedframes and then caulk. On bedbugger group, one woman had a pco come 3x, but her son was still having the bbs, then she took the bunkbed apart and sprayed with Murphy's and then they went away. I can't take my beds apart, me and my boyfriend are not handy at all. Any suggestions?
-
Call the PCO! Like right now, Jammin. It's 6:00 pm but you can leave a message and follow up in the morning. There is a bedbug laying eggs right this second somewhere in your apartment. Don't wait any longer.
Nightshirt's PCO sounds great. Discuss the encasements with them. PCOs are protective of their protocols. They will give you a long, detailed list of the things you need to do. (If you go to their website you can take a peek at the list.)
Call now... are you dialing already?
-
nyjammin
senior member
Joined: Apr '07
Posts: 664
Posted 2 years ago
Tue May 29 2007 17:11:52
#
Login to Send PM
I called and left a message. Will call back tomorrow, but left my phone #s as well.
-
That is fabulous, Jammin!
I would let the PCO treat the beds before caulking. And I would caulk them, most definitely. If you can't take apart to clean really well, then you caulk to seal all cracks and deny the bugs shelter. And even if you can take something apart to clean it really well, you can and should still caulk it up to seal it well.
-
willow-the-wisp
banned
Joined: Mar '07
Posts: 1,530
Posted 2 years ago
Tue May 29 2007 21:32:34
#
Login to Send PM
exactly!
-
Jammin,
The PCO should spray the mattress BEFORE you encase it.
That will kill some of the bugs inside. Remember, you don't want them finding the teeny little hole and escaping from it. -
willow-the-wisp
banned
Joined: Mar '07
Posts: 1,530
Posted 2 years ago
Tue May 29 2007 21:54:24
#
Login to Send PM
So, asking here ... since jammin has encasements on there already, I ask; do you think she should leave them on there until the new (and hopefully improved PCO sprays?) I know she's had to take them off before, and then some of us advised her not to take them off again!
But in this case what might be best?
If I said she should probably leave them on there, as is--until the New PCO comes, is there any word or two words anyone might have for this scenario?
Just asking.
Willow
Reply
You must log in to post.
