help! bed bugs. do we really need an exterminator?

[cathleenc]

Much to our incredible disbelief we were finally able to figure out what bites us during our sleep - disgusting bed bugs. Blech.

Now that I know what the problem is I just want to treat it ONCE and move on. I know we have it in the master bedroom, have yet to dig into the other rooms yet (didn't have the courage yesterday).

Please! tell me how we can effectively treat this by ourselves without using toxic chemicals and without getting a new bed(s). Please.

Off to rent a professional steam cleaner and buy mattress covers today. Have a bag of diatomaceous earth ready to use. Planning on caulking every little whisper of an opening in the floor/wall/boars shut. Wash it all down.

What can I do? please help. please.

Cathy

[uyk7]

According to an article on AOL, not even exterminators know how to get rid of them. This got me to thinking about what I would do. I think I would try to catch some and see if anything I have on hand would kill them such as Lysol, which seems to do a number on spiders and other small insects. I would also try citric acid (i.e. lemon juice). I really wouldn't want strong chemicals to be sprayed in my home so the least poisonous/dangerous stuff I could use would be used. Good luck and let us know what you find that will get rid of them.


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[WarriorMonk]

I haven't had personal experience with them, but have read many accounts. They can live and continue reproducing for months without food. They will hide in tiny little crevices of the bedframe, inside couches, in the baseboards, clothing, anywhere they can hide. One account told of how she moved to the living room while dealing with the bedbugs in her bedroom. They followed her. Don't underestimate them, or you will continue dealing with them for awhile. Me? I wouldn't hesitate to throw out the bed and call the exterminator, incinerate grandma's favorite chair, etc.

I had thought I was dealing with bedbugs at one point due to creepy crawly sensations at night. I eventually figured out that I had an allergy/sensitivity to dustmites. Frequent washing of linens, and a mattress cover solved that though. That will not be enough to get rid of Bedbugs, however. Bedbugs are possible to see, if you look carefully in the seams of the mattress, etc, you'll see the larger adults. Yuck! Nuke em!!!!

http://t4toby.files.wordpress.com/2008/03/bedbugs.jpg
http://pest-control-services.org/ima...g-mattress.jpg

[pinemead]

Did you see them? If not, it might be fleas. Hope for fleas, they are easier to get rid of.

[ronbre]

try 20 mule team borax in the mattress and carpets..leave it on ..don't vaccuum it out for a while..it will smother the little buggers and kill the eggs..after a couple weeks..vaccum it and then put on more for a second cycle..after that you should be ok

NEVER EVER STORE FIREWOOD IN YOUR HOME !! NEVER EVER BRING IN USED UPHOLSTERED FURNITURE ..EVER !

[cathleenc]

yes, we've seen them - positive id via the internet - found a nest - squished one between our fingernails and had our own blood scatter....

no doubt - we've got bedbugs.

[Carolyn]

I have heard--vacum and wash, vacum and wash. If you dont' want to get all new beds, etc. I have a friend that bought a mattress at a rummage sale (althougth it is illegal to sell used mattresses and box springs here) hmm bed bugs. don't know possessed her to buy it at a rummage sale from people she didn't know. Long process, she did get DE, sprayed with lysol. Scrubbed with bleach. Vacum, vacum and wash bedding in hot water. Vacum every corner of the bedroom, vacum the frames, if you have a headboard. She did finally get rid of them, but it took a while. Good Luck

[thequeensblessing]

I have a friend in our church who had them. She bought a used bed frame that was obviously harboring them. (no mattress or box spring, just the frame). They seemed to be confined to one room. She didn't mess around with trying to exterminate them herself. She immediately called in the professionals. It cost her 250 dollars, and they came and did 3 sprayings, each one two weeks apart to kill any newly hatched eggs. She washed and dried (on high heat) every article of clothing and bedding in the house and bought mattress covers for all the mattresses. She also used a clear polyurothane sealant on all crevices in the wooden bed frame. The exterminators treated her entire home, not just the one room. It seems to have done the job. It's been months, and no bites and no bedbugs seen anywhere.

If it were me, I wouldn't mess around. I'd spend the money and be rid of them, once and for all.

[Highlandcruzer]

I own a small pest control company. I would strongly recommend hiring a reputable pest control firm. Bed bugs can be very difficult to get rid of, even for professionals. There are non residual pesticides that can be used on a mild infestation that *may take care of the majority of them with a thorough treatment. [think lice medication] These products kill on contact, but dissipate very quickly.

There are also non toxic insect growth regulators that, when properly applied, can safely stop the breeding cycle of bedbugs. [google "Gentrol"]

The mattress covers are a VERY important step. If you get good quality hypo allergenic covers, they can definitely, literally, starve the bedbugs that are in the matt./boxspring to death. Make sure that you get them for the boxsprings too!

Some infestations may require "stronger chemicals" than what I've referenced. Like any household chemical, when they are applied properly, they are very safe. [Unless you're a bug] Bedbugs have documented cases of developing chemical resistances in recent times. Some products that we confidently use with other pest, are proving to be less than effective with bedbugs.

You've obviously done some research already, and no doubt know that a bedbug treatment must be VERY thorough. This will not be a one time treatment-easy fix....Unless they have only been in your home for a very short time and aren't very well established. If they are following you to the living room, they are probably well established.

Do you travel internationally? Have a family member come home from overseas recently? Stay in a hotel recently? These insects are not native to the U.S. Someone brought them into your home. It's important to establish how they got there, in order to prevent re-infestation.

If you'd like to attempt to control them on your own, feel free to ask or PM me for the safest and most effective solutions. I can recommend specific brands that you can purchase yourself if you would like to try to control them yourself. I always start with the least toxic solution first....and then increase as needed.

Please don't just go to the hardware store and buy something in a can that claims to be "safe, effective, or organic", and start spraying. Labels can be misleading.

Again, IMHO, bedbugs are a job for professionals. They have the potential to become a very serious problem again in the U.S., and world wide. Many people are very concerned about them right now. It's important that you ELIMINATE them, not just for your own concerns, but also so that you don't "share" them with friends, and family that visit you.

I'd be happy to help in any way that I can! [edit:no charge of course.]

BTW, I'm also a strictly organic gardener, with a coral reef aquarium[very chemical sensitive], two small children, pets, and livestock,that understands any chemical concerns that you may have about the safety of these treatments. My goal is always to use the safest pest control methods possible.

[tinda]

Bedbugs do not just stay in the beds. That's where they do the damge, but they live inside the walls. I remember my parents renovating a house prior to moving in. When they tore out one wall, there were bugs scurrying everywhere! Not only that, but the carcases of millions and eggs for another million.
We never did move there.

[Harry Chickpea]

"Now that I know what the problem is I just want to treat it ONCE and move on."

This is absolutely unrealistic. Seriously.

"Please! tell me how we can effectively treat this by ourselves without using toxic chemicals "

This is also completely unrealistic.

The pro who posted gave the best advice. I went through the bedbug problem back in the 1970s and it took tearing the bed apart, searching ever inch of mattress seam and then sealing them in plastic covers, boiling all bedding and laundry and drapes, tearing off mopboards, opening seams, dumping open all bureaus and chests and tables, and then two heavy applications of malathion/kerosene, especially at the joints of furniture. That was all AFTER I did the stuff you are probably going to attempt. These are serious bugs, and they can damage your health through lack of sleep and the chemicals they exude. Once you've had experience, you learn to recognize the sweetish smell of a room infested with them. They are one of the few bugs that need more than boric acid, and once you have them, you need to be on the lookout for recurrences if your double treatment missed even the tiniest area.

[cathleenc]

Highlandcruiser,
what do you think of thermal treatment? I found a local exterminator who can come out in 48 hours to heat treat the entire house/basement/attached garage - for the lovely cost of $2800. sigh.

The local guy is saying the chemicals do not really work and that thermal is the most effective. We could still use our beds/bedding/etc.

feedback, please?

[Highlandcruzer]

Cathleen, I got your pm. Figured I'd post here for others as well

Thermal treatment of bedbugs can certainly be effective.......But as you see, it's a very expensive treatment. That's alot of money. There is still a chance that it will not completely eliminate them, as they may seek refuge in cooler areas. [wall voids etc.]

What kind of guarantee are they offering? Follow up inspections?

I guess it depends on if your willing to spend that much money. IMO it would only be worth it in a very serious infestation. How long have they been active in your home?

IMO, and in my experience in our area, in *most cases an *experienced pest tech can rid your home of them with out you having to leave your home, without dangerous fumes, or fumigants, or dangerous surface spray that you would have to worry about contacting. These products are designed to be safely applied even to your mattress. And they have been effective in my experience. Good pest control work is about thorough and precise applications. Thorough pre-inspections and follow up inspections are key.

In our area you could get a full year of monthly service, inspections, guarantee,[your choice/preference] for around $400-500. [For an "average" infestation"]

*EDIT:You could get a shorter term for less, maybe $200-$300, but I would be wary unless there was a written guarantee for at least a year.

We're servicing a customer right now for bed bugs for around that price range on a monthly basis. We've been servicing there for two and a half months, and it's gone from an average of 15-25 bites a night, per person in three rooms, to very nearly nothing now. I have not needed to use ANY residual pesticides. It is still very important that we continue to inspect to determine the need for further treatments. Did you get a chance to google Gentrol? I think you would feel very comfortable using it, at the least. [Although it alone would not offer any immediate relief.] You would need to use something to kill the adults that are feeding now. I can offer some recommendations by PM. [I prolly shouldn't give away all my trade secrets. ] You don't need a license and you can order them to apply yourself if you aren't able to find a company that you trust to treat for you. [I still recommend hiring a professional.

Because of the relative rarity of bedbug infestations, it would still be important to ask questions about a particular firms experience with and/or techniques. Some technicians may not have any experience with them at all.

[Wolf mom]

First, this is an epidemic across the US. It can happen to anyone. About a year ago there was an episode on 20/20 about it.

I worked in a Shelter that had bed bugs. After spending hundreds of dollars & different treatments, we threw all the furniture out and closed the property. That's how hard it is to get rid of them. BUt, then, this was a shelter with many people coming & going - not a private home. Staff got to the point that they would not bring handbags into the shelter & some stripped as soon as they got home & tossed their clothes into the washer.

We then introduced policy that anyone coming to the shelter (not staff) had to have all clothing washed immediately in HOT water & the person had to shower & wash their hair. I mean like from the front door directly into the shower.

Treat once & the eggs will grow & reproduce. This is not a one time treatment.

If you use DE, you need to be careful of animals and children as they can breathe in the dust & score the air sacks in their lungs. As a shelter, we were not allowed to use it for that reason. All clothing either has to be washed in hot water or put in black plastic bags & left outside in the heat for about 2 weeks to kill them.

You also will need to treat your indoor animals.

The ugly critters can hide & lay their eggs in any crack & crevice. Under carpeting, inside furniture, in walls, etc. If you go into a darkened room with a flash light you can sometimes see them.

Heat treatment is the best way to get rid of them. You will also need to wash everything - linens, clothes, blankets, etc. as they can hide everywhere.

This is a worst case scenario. I felt like crying when I'd see bites on the babies. I'm sure your home is not nearly as bad.

Before you hire anyone to treat your home in any way, educate yourself as much as possible by googling bed bugs.

Best to you!

[Highlandcruzer]

OH...BTW!!

Be very cautious about the potential to transport them to your livestock barn!

I've seen cases of infestations in organic chicken operations specifically that were not a pretty sight.Very, very bad. Everything needed to be destroyed and quarantined.

[Curtis B]

Just to second Highlandcruzer they can be treated. I work in the hotel industry and on occasion we get them in a room. Our contracted pest control people do treat them effectivly in the rooms when it happens with out the expensive heat treatment.

[Paul Wheaton]

Go for diatomaceous earth.

I have yet to read anything that I trust about it hurting your lungs more than pastry flour. In fact, DE is in almost all pastry flours.

I have read from a lot of people doing a lot of different things to control bed bugs and from my reading, DE was the only thing that worked reliably.

Food grade DE is the stuff you want. You can eat it. Some people intentionally eat something like a half cup a day because they think it does all sorts of great things.

Do NOT make a big cloud of it. Just as you should not make a big cloud of pastry flour when you are trying to bake with pastry flour.

DE works. And it is freaky cheap. And everybody on this forum should have 10 pounds on hand already anyway.

Cheap. Organic. Easy. Effective.

[Elsbet]

Would ironing your mattress help along with other treatments, just to give temporary relief until you get the exterminator in?
I've never had to deal with this so I've got nothing to offer, but I hope you can get rid of them quickly and safely.

[Shrek]

What about a steam mop/ carpet cleaner and hand held steam cleaner as sold at www.thane.com ?

[Paul Wheaton]

One more thing:

The borax will work - but is it toxic. I wouldn't want it touching my skin.

Borax is great stuff for a lot of things. And I think everybody on this forum should have a box of it around and it should last ten years. The toxicity is low (but, don't ever forget, it IS toxic).

From http://www.unexco.com/boric-op.pdf

(Michael R. Cartwright, Sr. is a third generation licensed professional in the fields of structural
pest control and building construction and is also licensed in agriculture pest control. His
qualifications are too extensive to print but are available on request from The Reporter.)
Over the past years I have seen, in many homes and restaurants, boric acid covering everything.
Carpets, floors, toys and furniture, in kitchen cabinets, on counter tops and tables, in
refrigerators, clothing, etc. Why? Because environmentalists, helped by an uninformed news
media, tell them to. Why don't the news media also explain the possible dangers of applying
something not normally found in the home environment, that you or your animals will come in
direct contact with?
I'm writing this article even though a California environmentalist group advised me not to say
anything against boric acid and that I would pay dearly for only trying to mislead the public. My
company uses a lot of boric acid, but not as described above.

The article goes on from there. A must read for anybody using borax to treat bed bugs.

The MSDS has some spooky stuff.

And here is an excellent layman's summary of the toxicity of borax: http://www.pesticide.org/boricacid.pdf

My summary: borax is far less toxic than most of the stuff folks keep in their cupboards. Borax is also one of the best things for controlling molds, mildews and bad smells. But is is still toxic. I would not use it anywhere where a residue could come into contact with skin or food. I would not use it anywhere where it could dry and then become airborne. I would use it on bathroom walls and ceilings that have started to show signs of mildew. I would use it in laundry where the mission is get rid of an odd smell (but I would be worried about septic tank stuff - so I would go easy with it).