toni
New Member
Joined: August 2008
Posts: 73
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Post by toni on Dec 19, 2009 19:39:55 GMT -5
When my neighbors got evicted, I found out that they had had a pretty bad infestation of bedbugs, and I was told that an exterminator would be coming.
Alright, no big deal. I came home Friday to the note in my door, saying the exterminator was coming on Wednesday.
I was okay until I FOUND THEM IN MY HOME THIS AFTERNOON!
I feel so nasty and horrible. I've battled fleas and mice before, so I should be able to handle this, right?
No. I am freaking out! I hate the thought of those nasty things in my home. I have a new mattress and box springs, and a new couch, and I'm scared to death that I'm going to "lose" them, something I really can't afford to do.
Also, I read that bedbugs are known to bite pets too. I wish I could do something to protect my two kitties from this.
Help!
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Post by gettingsomewhere on Dec 19, 2009 19:52:11 GMT -5
have to admit i had a big sigh of relief when i realised you found bedbugs and not exterminators in your place. i am sure it will all be fine as you have found them early and exterminators have a lot of tricks up their sleeves. good luck. lots of peeps here have had experience with this and will no doubt be able to advise you.
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Post by Script on Dec 19, 2009 20:17:06 GMT -5
Dear Toni: I don't want to minimize in any way the seriousness of your situation. I know how you feel because...........I lived for a whole summer with bedbugs. I was a counsellor at a charity camp and the kids brought them along in their luggage. I had bedbugs in my sleeping bag; they lived in the wood of our bunks; we were fumigated multiple times.
I want to give you HOPE. You are in an apartment with plaster and drywall: NOT a mouldering old summer camp with unfinished wood walls. Modern fumigating techniques are effective; you will be able to follow the instructions that the fumigators give you. You will NOT be re-importing them (as we were finally told by the baffled experts).
Here are some things that work, as per my experience:
*DO NOT TURN OFF THE LIGHTS: they really like to come out in the dark. I slept for one whole month with the lights on; it can be done. Use a sleep mask if need be............
*when the fumigators are gone, take bedding and bed linens to an off-site LAUNDROMAT and wash them there with the hottest water possible. (My mom made me undress on the porch --- and refused to let me or my clothing into the house until everything was washed OFF SITE).
*if you have any current urge to purge: DO IT NOW! The less that there is around the better.
I know I was bitten as I regularly found the bugs in the sleeping bag, and when squashed they oozed a bit of (my) blood. But I was hugely lucky: I didn't feel itchy from the bites.
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Post by CourageouslyLion SeeksSerenity on Dec 19, 2009 20:19:39 GMT -5
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Toni,
you have a PM from me.
-- Lioness
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toni
New Member
Joined: August 2008
Posts: 73
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Post by toni on Dec 19, 2009 20:28:51 GMT -5
Script - Thanks for the HOPE. I do need it.
I'm off on Thursday and was planning to wash all of my sheets and blankets anyway, so this is something that will be done. I just have to make sure that the laundromat will be open (since it is Christmas Eve), and I need to find the booklet that came with my heated mattress pad and see if I can wash it. Hey, maybe I can turn the mattress pad to High and BURN THE LITTLE BUGGERS! :-)
Lioness - read and replied. Thanks.
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Post by StuffNoMore on Dec 19, 2009 20:48:46 GMT -5
You can also get a spray in a can that eleminates bed begs and dust mites. I spray my mattress as a preventative.
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Post by success19 on Dec 20, 2009 0:02:05 GMT -5
I think Dr. Oz did a show about bedbugs - google his show site.
I think the landrymats do not have hot water - and you risk the chance of passing them on to others.
Pesticides and sprays are the reason these things are growing stronger - just like headlice.
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Post by Script on Dec 20, 2009 1:27:31 GMT -5
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Post by yearning4order on Dec 20, 2009 2:05:34 GMT -5
Hi Toni, sorry to hear about this. I seem to remember that we had a lengthier post on the eobard in the past that specifically dealt with bedbugs--am I imagining that?
I don't know how useful this is--diatomaceous earth can be quite useful against insects of all kinds. It causes microscopic gashes in their shells, which infect and they die. It has this effect on any insect it comes into contact with, cockroaches, ants, ladybugs, fleas, etc.
I am not suggesting it instead of the fumigation treatments--I honestly don't know what is really best.
I was wondering if perhaps sprinkling diatomaceous earth between your mattress and box spring would help? This might be a good preventative between the fumigations.
A long time ago we were about to move into a rental that turned out to be horribly infested with cockroaches--it was the lower floor of a 2 story duplex. We asked a friend who does renovations and foundation work if fumigation would eliminate the cockroaches and he said since they were in the bottom floor of a duplex the fumigation would drive them to the upper unit. Have you inquired if the exterminators are prepared for that possibility with the bedbugs, or are they not as quick and migratory as cockroaches are?
(To finish off that story--we did not move into the rental!)
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ukinaz
New Member
Joined: December 2009
Posts: 12
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Post by ukinaz on Dec 22, 2009 20:48:44 GMT -5
Dr Oz did a segment not too long ago about bedbugs on his show -- see if you can google it, lots of good information about them!! And where ELSE they can hide!!! Tricky little buggers!!! GOOOOOODDD Luck!!!! (and yes, I believe bedbugs are migratory!)
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Post by sporadic on Dec 23, 2009 9:55:29 GMT -5
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