Preventing Bed Bugs From Moving Too

Feedback About This Post:

RE: Preventing Bed Bugs From Moving Too

I first noticed bed bugs in my apartment about a month ago. Since I had only lived in my apartment complex for three months (and which I now know has problems with bed bugs) I am moving before the problem gets out of control. My landlord assured me that I have a very mild case and that, after the two treatments I received, my bed bug problem is under control, but I am still leaving my couch behind, have covered my mattress and box spring, and am now wondering how extensive the rest of my bed-bugging-packing efforts should be?

I have never spotted a live bed bug and have found a little less than ten dead ones, so I'm wondering if it is really necessary to have to throw away papers, books, wooden furniture, etc? If I sprayed my wooden furniture down with a little bit of rubbing alcohol, would that do the trick?? If anyone experienced with the buggies can better assess my situation I would appreciate it, because I definitely don't trust my landlord's advice on the matter.

Post By michelle (Guest Post)

RE: Preventing Bed Bugs From Moving Too

We recently moved into a house with bed bugs. It turns out the previous tenant had reported them, the landlord sent the exterminator, but the latter claimed there were no bed bugs. A year later we moved in, I became instant bed bug food, and our landlord again sent the exterminator (the landlord has not tried to hide this from us). Exterminator AGAIN said there were no bed bugs so I finally trapped two live ones and brought them elsewhere for identification--positive.

Finally the exterminator came back and sprayed but, two weeks later, I'm getting bitten again. I'm prepared to throw out everything I own, buy new stuff and put it in the car before moving from here. I've also bought zip lock storage bags to put the things that are essential, but what to do about sentimental things that could be infested? What about an old bible, wooden urns with my pets' remains? What about my computer?

Has anyone else here experienced intense itching before the welts show up? Are there any experts that could be hired to assist someone in moving away from one of these situations? My life is severely affected by this. I've lost clients! One potential client kept staring at my arms (this is before I realized what was biting me and I hadn't tried to hide it). The client never hired me and I know why.

I've had a doctor at a walk-in clinic refuse to examine me (this is not a free clinic; they grabbed my top-shelf health insurance coverage for a 10-second "exam."). I'm losing sleep, losing money, losing sanity and itch day and night.

Post By Horrified by Bed Bugs! (Guest Post)

RE: Preventing Bed Bugs From Moving Too

Does anyone have info on how to treat your PC and CD's before packing to not take the bugs with you? I also am wondering how to pack items so that no bugs come along to storage?

Post By Puzzled (Guest Post)

RE: Preventing Bed Bugs From Moving Too

Another bit of info that may be helpful to all looking at this post. I've been living with bed bugs since June of '07 trying repeatedly to get rid of them. I live in a large apartment building and all my neighbors have told me they suffer from the same problem. I've come to the conclusion that the only way to get rid of them here is to move. Anyhow, to deal with them on a night to night basis I've set up my bed in such a way as to isolate it from the rest of the room. I've put a nylon cover over both my matress and boxspring. I have them on a metal frame and the entire bed is not touching any walls. Here's the key, each leg of the frame is sitting in a container with a small amount of cooking oil in it, just enough to surround the base of the leg. The bugs cannot swim and therefore cannot crawl onto my bed from the ground. I have to make sure that no blankets touch the ground and provide a bridge onto the bed but so far, I've had minimal bites since I put this into effect. It's not a solution but it helps get through the night without being eaten alive. Hope this helps.

Post By Josh (Guest Post)

RE: Preventing Bed Bugs From Moving Too

i have been with bedbugs since May/07, I have done everything, using Pyrethin, Raid, cleaning everything, hot water, vacuum, steam. One week ago, I decided to use three natural ingredients: Boric acid, thyme and tea tree oil. Now ten days without them bitting me.

Post By Jenny Parker (Guest Post)

RE: Preventing Bed Bugs From Moving Too

I've been dealing with bedbugs since Dec. '06 it's now Aug '07. I am moving within the next 2 weeks. Long story but they were here when i moved in, gotta go to court with my landlord, blah blah blah. I am throwing out everything that is made of wood or fabric. Everything that is paper (they lay eggs on paper and wood) that is important will be put into air-tight plastic bags and/or plastic containers and left out in the heat this saturday will be 90 degrees...yay! ...just thought of an idea as i write...i have the foodsaver (vaccuum food sealer) - so i can put papers in there...that would def. kill them! :) I am moving in with family and they will kill me if i bring them with me. I am throwing out beds, sheets, pillows, etc. Another thing...if you use the plastic container or bag method, i read somewhere that you can also put that inside of a parked car in direct sunlight so it gets REALLY hot in there. If you want to save stuffed animals, my advice is to take them to a laundrymat in plastic bags which you should immediately throw away, wash them in REALLY hot water, and put in the dryer for an hour, then do the plastic bag/container car method. It's really hard work, and losing alot of stuff, but I would much rather lose out on things, then take the chance of bringing them with me..and getting killed by my family! lol GOOD LUCK!!!!!

Post By Betty Bedbug (Guest Post)

thyme for bedbugs

I sprinkled ground up thyme on double sided tape around my bed and left it there for a month. no bugs crossed over the tape.

When I removed the tape to check to see if they would come back. they did. Put more tape down.

Post By Barbara Shinton (Guest Post)

help me in removing bedbugs

hey every one ........ i have bedbugs in ma house.... i have heard about Thyme tat its working .... but i don knoe tat how to use it and which kind of Thyme is used to remove these bugs .... plz help me .... i hav changed ma home also but no result.... so tell me more abt Thyme ,,, where i m gonne find it .... how to use it nd which kind of Thyme is used to get rid of bedbugsss .... plz do tell me bt this ..... on maa email address .... asif_nayani__@hotmail.com.............. and also give the answer on this site ..... thanx

Post By asif nayani (Guest Post)

RE: Preventing Bed Bugs From Moving Too

Hi i have just moved into my new apartment. Was staying in a hostel for a week which it turned out was infested with bed bugs! only realised towards the end of the week that's what my really bad swollen bites were. we only had rucksacks of clothes and have washed all of our clothes at the high setting on the washing machine and dried them in dryers. all my delicates, wool, underwear, things that can't be washed at high heat i have bagged up and am working my way through freezing in our freezer 2 weeks for each bag. this is info i got off the net...will the freezing work, im dubious?

we dry cleaned our coats as well as cleaning the apt. from top to bottom before moving in. we hvae had no bites in 11 days thank god but still terrified there are eggs going to hatch or weve brought them with us, is there anything else we can do, does the washing work on clothes to eliminate eggs and does freezing work? is it liekly we would ahve brought eggs with us? also is it normal bites over 2 weeks old can still be itchy and swollen from time to time? any help would be appreciated, am terrified of infesting our new home. thanks

Post By anon (Guest Post)

i've got them now

I have become hyperglycemic from all the bites and have to be woken up every morning by a neighbor, because I am in some kinda sugar related comatose state (still asleep) and cannot hear any of the 4 alarms blaring at me!!!!! If I could wiggle my nose and get rid of them (which I am finding out that I have had for about a month and even the doctors could not figure it out). I have missed many days of work, cried buckets of tears (making the anxiety worse), and sat up many night like tonight looking for new info to bring to the NEXT doctor IF they will even see me - yes, I have been denied! At the beginning of my call, the office declares that they accept my insurance and by the end "sorry we do not".

Post By Duh (Guest Post)

RE: Preventing Bed Bugs From Moving Too

in the morning, sprinkle thyme around then open the windows - by early evening, the bugs will have left - leave the thyme around for two weeks b/c that's how long it will take for all the eggs to hatch - this really works - I did it successfully in combo with exterminator spraying.

Post By Susan (Guest Post)

RE: Preventing Bed Bugs From Moving Too

I'm in the same situation. Granted I rent an apartment in a 8 family building. The landlord only has one apartment done at a time which doesn't seem to rid them completely. I've lived with these little buggers since January of 2005 and here it is July and I'm seeing new ones by the bucket full. I have gone to a hardware store and sprayed my mattress, bed frame, floor, and many other areas of my home. These critters will never truely go away. I wish you luck and please wish me luck also. I look like I've had chicken pox I've scratched so hard. It's hard to even get a job looking like this. also it makes it tough to get any sleep around here for myself and my family. It's almost 5 am and we are all still up because of this.

Post By Mrs.Itchy (Guest Post)

RE: Preventing Bed Bugs From Moving Too

Here's some more info... sounds to me like you are going to want to make sure that you wash bedding and clothing in hot water before you pack it, that should take care of it.

How to get rid of bed bugs

To get rid of bed bugs you can:

When it is colder than 25 degrees F, place mattresses and furniture outside for several hours to kill bed bugs. Temperatures below 25 degrees F will freeze and kill bed bugs.

Wash all bedding, draperies and clothing in hot water on a regular basis.

Vacuum and steam clean carpets.

Use insecticides to get rid of bed bugs that are hiding in walls and other large objects. (Choose insecticides with "pyrethrins" as an active ingredient on the label. Only use insecticides labeled for household use because some insecticides can damage or stain your furniture, wallpaper, etc. Use care when applying insecticides, especially around children, the elderly, immuno-compromised people, and anyone else who may be sensitive to insecticides. Always follow label directions carefully.)

Bed bugs can be difficult to get rid of because they hide so well. If two weeks have passed since you first tried to rid your home of bed bugs and you still notice signs of bed bugs, repeat the above steps. For heavy infestations contact a pest control service.

http://www.denvergov.org/AnimalControl/template2672.asp

Post By Anne H. (Guest Post)

RE: Preventing Bed Bugs From Moving Too

There is some bed bug prevention info at the bottom...

Bed Bug Fact Sheet

What is a Bed Bug?

Adult bed bugs are oval, wingless, and rusty red or mahogany in color. Their bodies are flattened, they have well-developed antennae, their compound eyes are small, and the area behind the head has a leaf like expansion on its sides. Its size depends on how recently it has eaten a blood meal. An unfed bed bug is between 1/4 and 3/8 inches long. The upper surface of its body has a papery, crinkly, flimsy appearance. When engorged with blood, its body becomes elongated and swollen, and its color changes from brown to dull red. Bed bugs are readily distinguished from another more common bloodsucking species, conenose bugs, by their smaller size, more rounded shape, and lack of wings as adults.

Where do you find Bed Bugs?

The common bed bug (Cimex lectularius Linnaeus) probably received its name from its close association with human bedding. Bed bugs often seek refuge in bedding during the day and feed on the bed's occupants at night. In early infestations the bed bugs are found only about the tufts, seams, and folds of mattresses and daybed covers; later they spread to cracks and crevices in the bedsteads. If allowed to multiply, they establish themselves behind baseboards, window and door casings, pictures, and moldings, and in furniture, loosened wallpaper, and cracks in plaster and partitions.

In the past, the presence of bed bugs was thought to be related to poor housekeeping; however, this is not necessarily the case. Since the bug is wingless, it hitches a ride from infested areas to non-infested areas. Bed bugs are transported on clothing, in luggage, in furniture or bedding that is being moved. A dwelling can become infested by moving an infested piece of furniture into the home. In addition, some bug species are closely associated with bird nests, bat roosts and chicken houses because these bugs feed on birds and bats.

What do Bed Bugs feed on?

While bed bugs feed primarily on blood of humans, they also feed on other mammals, poultry, and other birds. A bed bug generally feeds at night, but if it is hungry and the area has a dim light, it may feed during the day. A bed bug generally pierces the skin of humans as they sleep. It injects a fluid into the human skin to aid in obtaining blood. Often this fluid causes a welt on the skin that becomes irritated, inflamed, and itchy. If left undisturbed, a full-grown bed bug becomes engorged with blood in 3 to 5 minutes. It then crawls into hiding, remaining there for several days to digest its meal. When hunger returns, the bug emerges from hiding and seeks another blood meal. Bed bugs can go without feeding for 80 to 140 days; older stages can survive longer without feeding than younger ones. Adults have survived without food for as long as 550 days. A bed bug can take six times its weight in blood, and feeding can take 3 to 10 minutes. Adults live about 10 months and there can be up to 3 to 4 generations of bed bugs per year.

Do Bed Bugs transmit disease?

Bed bugs are not usually considered to be disease carriers. They suck blood from their host with piercing mouthparts. Saliva that is injected during the feeding can produce large swellings on the skin that itch and may become irritated and infected when scratched. In addition, bed bugs have stink glands that leave odors.

What is Bed Bug's Life Cycle?

The adult female bed bug lays one to five eggs per day. She may lay a total of 200 eggs when well fed and temperatures are higher than 70° F. The eggs are sticky when freshly laid so they adhere to the object on which they are placed. Eggs hatch in six to 17 days. At lower temperatures, hatching may take as long as 28 days.

Newly hatched bugs feed immediately when food is available. They molt five times (i.e., they shed their outer skin or exoskeleton in order to grow) before reaching maturity, feeding between each molt. The young bugs may live for several weeks without feeding during warm weather and for several months during cool weather. A single bug will live for 10 months when it can obtain food. Under some conditions, it may live a year or longer without food. There may be three or more generations per year.

What can I do in my home to help reduce the infestation of Beg Bugs?

First, thoroughly clean the areas of the bedroom(s) where the bugs are likely to be found, such as bedding, linens, curtains, rugs and carpets, etc. Washing in hot water and the use of a dryer set at a high temperature is best for those things that can be washed since the heat will kill these pests.

Secondly, wipe away all dust from the bed frame and other nearby furniture as well as the floors. If you have carpet, vacuum it very carefully to ensure that most of the bugs have been picked up. Also, thoroughly vacuum any mattresses in the room.

Additionally, you may consider the using an over the counter bedding spray to treat bed bugs. Bedding sprays and lice treatments may be effective, and are available at most pharmacy stores. Make sure to read all label directions carefully before buying the product, and again before using it to ensure its proper use. Apply the bedding spray in every crack and crevice on the floor, in the bed itself, in the baseboards and any carpets or rugs. Do not over spray, especially in and around beds. Bedbugs live in cracks and crevices during the day and emerge at night, so be very careful to make sure you have treated all areas.

You may also consider calling a licensed professional exterminator. Check the local Yellow Pages for listings of licensed professionals.

http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/vector/vector-faq1.html

Post By Anne H. (Guest Post)

Disclaimer: ThriftyFun.com cannot accept any responsibility for any injury or damage that you may cause to yourself, others, or property when following any advice given on this site. Read the full disclaimer: http://www.thriftyfun.comdisclaimer.ldml If you find any information on ThriftyFun.com or in our newsletters that is either erroneous and/or potentially harmful to others, please Contact Us, immediately.