Bedbugs!

[Anonymous]

Yep. Woke up with bites all over my leg today. Vacuuming like crazy, steam washing everything, and just ran out to get bedbug proof mattress covers and diatomaceous earth.

This is gross.

[doodlebug]

don't spray. they'll scatter into the walls, outlets etc and you'll have an even bigger problem. Wash everything, or at least stick everything in the dryer for 30-45 min....everything. Get rid of any books and extraneous papers because they live in that too. Call an exterminator. That's truly the only way to get rid of them. Don't try to do this on your own, you'll make the problem worse.

[Anonymous]

I still have post-traumatic stress from from our bedbug experience that creeps in every time I sit down in a public place. I'm that person standing against the wall in the waiting room. Did it for 2.5 hours recently when I had to get my car fixed.

In addition to your other fixes, you should put all your bedding and any clothing you were wearing into the dryer on high for 30 minutes. Spray the top and bottom edges of your mattress and all the crevices you can find on your bed with high grade isopropyl alcohol (I think 91 percent).

But also check your finances for the couple thousand dollars you'll need for professional help.

[Anonymous]

Definitely call an exterminator.
I'm sorry OP. I had them years ago and it sucked.

[Anonymous]

You need an exterminator

[Anonymous]

How did you get them op?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How did you get them op?

Not sure. My mom was here visiting so we suspect her but she's had no problems at her house. Maybe from one of my work sites? Who knows.

[Anonymous]

You need an exterminator. Diatomaceous earth, etc, do not work.

[Anonymous]

Pretty easy to pick them up if you fly and/or stay in hotels often. Even really nice hotels have them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You need an exterminator. Diatomaceous earth, etc, do not work.

OP here. I have a friend who had them in her NYC apt and she had a bed bug consultant (can't believe that exists!) come in and they actually said to use the diatomaceous earth. They had her put it on the floor then vacuum it up so it could get into the vacuum - so as to not spread the bedbugs every time she vacuums. That's why I'm using it.

Apparently they also have dogs that can sniff out the bugs. I'm hoping I'm not at that point yet.

As of now all bedding has been washed on steam cycle and dried on high heat for an hour. Mattress and box spring vacuumed and bedbug proof mattress protectors put on. Bedbug interceptors put on each foot of the bed to see if the eradication efforts are working (they apparently crawl in and can't crawl out so you can see if you still have bugs). Bed pulled away from the wall and rug vacuumed. At least I feel safe sleeping tonight.

Will tackle my nightstand tomorrow (bagging up contents).

Keep your fingers crossed for me, DCUM.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Pretty easy to pick them up if you fly and/or stay in hotels often. Even really nice hotels have them.

I wish we did travel often! Then I would have at least had some fun acquiring these suckers.

[Anonymous]

I had them two years ago and I wish that we had gone straight to the heat treatment. We washed/bagged everything and had 3 chemical treatments before doing the heat. The heat got rid of them in one day. I would highly recommend it. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I still have post-traumatic stress from from our bedbug experience that creeps in every time I sit down in a public place. I'm that person standing against the wall in the waiting room. Did it for 2.5 hours recently when I had to get my car fixed.

In addition to your other fixes, you should put all your bedding and any clothing you were wearing into the dryer on high for 30 minutes. Spray the top and bottom edges of your mattress and all the crevices you can find on your bed with high grade isopropyl alcohol (I think 91 percent).

But also check your finances for the couple thousand dollars you'll need for professional help.

Yeah, man.

[doodlebug]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You need an exterminator. Diatomaceous earth, etc, do not work.

OP here. I have a friend who had them in her NYC apt and she had a bed bug consultant (can't believe that exists!) come in and they actually said to use the diatomaceous earth. They had her put it on the floor then vacuum it up so it could get into the vacuum - so as to not spread the bedbugs every time she vacuums. That's why I'm using it.

Apparently they also have dogs that can sniff out the bugs. I'm hoping I'm not at that point yet.

As of now all bedding has been washed on steam cycle and dried on high heat for an hour. Mattress and box spring vacuumed and bedbug proof mattress protectors put on. Bedbug interceptors put on each foot of the bed to see if the eradication efforts are working (they apparently crawl in and can't crawl out so you can see if you still have bugs). Bed pulled away from the wall and rug vacuumed. At least I feel safe sleeping tonight.

Will tackle my nightstand tomorrow (bagging up contents).

Keep your fingers crossed for me, DCUM.

I had zero bedbugs caught in the the cups you put under the bed legs. Don't let those determine whether what you're doing is working or not because they're not a good indicator. All they really tell you is whether a bug crawled into the cup and couldn't get out.

[Anonymous]

Where on earth are you people picking these up?