Dorm room woes

[Anonymous]

OP - when your son comes home for a weekend or break, do as my parents do when they return from abroad and don't know if they have bedbugs in the luggage. Unpack everything in the garage. Take out the laundry, shake it out, observe, wash everything. Keep luggage in garage. Keep your son's stuff in the garage. Remember they like cardboard boxes so inspect them carefully if you are going to allow them in. The roach eggs can be anywhere.

[Anonymous]

OP - when your son comes home for a weekend or break, do as my parents do when they return from abroad and don't know if they have bedbugs in the luggage. Unpack everything in the garage. Take out the laundry, shake it out, observe, wash everything. Keep luggage in garage. Keep your son's stuff in the ga

[Anonymous]

Frankly, we should all be doing this because bedbugs are so common in dorms .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Frankly, we should all be doing this because bedbugs are so common in dorms .

Common??? I sure as heck hope not!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP - when your son comes home for a weekend or break, do as my parents do when they return from abroad and don't know if they have bedbugs in the luggage. Unpack everything in the garage. Take out the laundry, shake it out, observe, wash everything. Keep luggage in garage. Keep your son's stuff in the garage. Remember they like cardboard boxes so inspect them carefully if you are going to allow them in. The roach eggs can be anywhere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP - when your son comes home for a weekend or break, do as my parents do when they return from abroad and don't know if they have bedbugs in the luggage. Unpack everything in the garage. Take out the laundry, shake it out, observe, wash everything. Keep luggage in garage. Keep your son's stuff in the garage. Remember they like cardboard boxes so inspect them carefully if you are going to allow them in. The roach eggs can be anywhere.

Thanks for the idea, but we don't have a garage....but I get the concept. I'm going to tell him to shake everything out before he puts it in the car. And then I'll shake it out before he brings any laundry into the house. I can't think of anything he's ever brought to school in a cardboard box....but thanks for the tip.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP - when your son comes home for a weekend or break, do as my parents do when they return from abroad and don't know if they have bedbugs in the luggage. Unpack everything in the garage. Take out the laundry, shake it out, observe, wash everything. Keep luggage in garage. Keep your son's stuff in the garage. Remember they like cardboard boxes so inspect them carefully if you are going to allow them in. The roach eggs can be anywhere.

Thanks for the idea, but we don't have a garage....but I get the concept. I'm going to tell him to shake everything out before he puts it in the car. And then I'll shake it out before he brings any laundry into the house. I can't think of anything he's ever brought to school in a cardboard box....but thanks for the tip.

The FP has great suggestions. Also, and be ready because this will sound crazy, but if it is hot weather when he comes home, then when he leaves his dorm have him put everything into plastic bags and tie them up tightly. Then leave the plastic bags in the car in the hot sun for 48-72 hours with the car windows closed tightly. The heat literally cooks the eggs and critters. But make sure the bags are very, very tightly closed so the little eggs don't hatch and the critters crawl out of the bag. After the time has elapsed then of course you want to wash the items thoroughly.

[Anonymous]

One visit from an exterminator isn’t going to get rid of a dorm full of roaches. Most likely they are still there and he is lying to you so you don’t embarrass him.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don’t do it. I brought roaches home freshman year. My mother still talks about it almost 30 years later.

You should have left your stuff outside for a few days so that the roaches could scatter outside.

[Anonymous]

People, where did you grow up, so sheltered? Wow. Shameful!

OP, most, if not all urban campuses have something - roaches or mice or something. It is not the end of the world and this is not when you want to be pitching a fit to the school. Ever heard the term "choose your battles"? Yeah, that. You are wise to not create an issue, OP.

Agree with the boric acid. Life happens. Deal with it. Also agree do not bring your luggage inside the house. Anyone who travels anywhere should know this basic tip. How do you people survive?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP - when your son comes home for a weekend or break, do as my parents do when they return from abroad and don't know if they have bedbugs in the luggage. Unpack everything in the garage. Take out the laundry, shake it out, observe, wash everything. Keep luggage in garage. Keep your son's stuff in the garage. Remember they like cardboard boxes so inspect them carefully if you are going to allow them in. The roach eggs can be anywhere.

Thanks for the idea, but we don't have a garage....but I get the concept. I'm going to tell him to shake everything out before he puts it in the car. And then I'll shake it out before he brings any laundry into the house. I can't think of anything he's ever brought to school in a cardboard box....but thanks for the tip.

Or he can leave things in car trunk that aren't necessary. Just check everything well before you bring it in the house.

[Anonymous]

Have him put out glue traps. If he finds more he’ll have leverage with housing to insist on a new placement. They might need a “reminder” that they did a major extermination when he moved in and that you are aware they subsequently moved others. Use all your cards if you need them!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don’t do it. I brought roaches home freshman year. My mother still talks about it almost 30 years later.

You should have left your stuff outside for a few days so that the roaches could scatter outside.

Thanks!

Now I will step into my time machine and tell my 18 year old self that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Frankly, we should all be doing this because bedbugs are so common in dorms .

? No, they are not.

[Anonymous]

The original roach business was bad enough, but I lived in NY in the 80s so I can cope with that.

The bed bugs advice - y'all are putting me over the edge!!!