Got Bed Bugs? Bedbugger Forums » Reader questions (do not fit into other categories)
Zipper closets will protect clothes?
(5 posts)-
sojo,
it may not be a good idea. first instar nymphs are 1 mm long and can get through very small cracks. Zippers too. Zippers and seams on mattress encasements have to be designed to keep them out. I would not expect that from other zippers and seams. -
Which type of ziplocs are opening? The kind with double zippers? Ziplocs should not be open, obviously they won't work if they are.
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sojo
The zippered bag may not be bed bug proof, but it may offer some degree of protection to your clean clothing while hanging in a closet. A bed bug nymph would have to crawl to the zipper to get to the contents in the bag.
This is a slightly different situation than the mattress cover where someone may be trying to encapsulate an existing colony of BBs inside of the cover. The mattress cover has people(bed bug food)lying on top of it, which would be expected to attract hungry bed bug nymphs to crawl across or through the zippered opening.
Bed bugs do not fly, jump or hop...they crawl like a roach. If the zippered bag does not touch the floor or walls it may offer limited protection for the laundered clothing hanging inside of it.
Doug Summers MS
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sojo,
I don't think you're advocating a bad practice! My answer is purely speculative. I think Doug has a valid point. It would not be as secure as ziplocs, but would be a lot more secure than open ziplocs.
I actually don't think they're likely to drop down on the bag--because they have nothing in the bag to attract them.
I would probably not use it as a secure resting place for clothes during treatment (I mean the actual day you're sprayed, if the PCO tells you to seal up everything), but it might be worth trying for storage of clean clothes as Doug says.
Also, I have seen ones with enormous gaps, and others with virtually no gap. I am not sure of the gap on these from the container store, but I think this type of design (vinyl, no seams) is safer:
http://www.containerstore.com/browse/Product.jhtml?CATID=149&PRODID=59799
They also have them with shelves, for sweaters. I emphasize that you want to see and inspect the design to minimize the gaps for things to crawl in.
I also emphasize for others who might be reading this, that sealing up anything not known to be 100% bed bug free (like shoes and handbags) is a totally different ballgame.
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Hey SOJO and Doug-- this is a really important question, I think, since having bed bugs and keeping all your clothing in ziplocs can be a hassle.
So I really want the larger Bedbugger crew to think about this one further, so we can get some kind of consensus. So I am continuing the discussion here:
http://bedbugger.com/2007/09/30/queries-from-bed-bug-helloise-hanging-clothes-storage/And closing this thread, so we don't have a parallel discussion. Please do go there to continue to respond or read others' comments.
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