Moving with bed bugs?

Question

My husband and I have lived in this apartment for about a year and started finding bites on our skin after our neighbor moved in. We had the landlord call someone to inspect our apartment and couldn’t find anything. The inspector then asked to see the neighbors unit and long behold, they were literally covered over the walls. They were crawling under the carpet to access our apartment. The exterminator has been here about 4 times now and my neighbor still has the problem. I put duct tape all around the wall and carpet so they cannot enter. We were sleeping on the floor surrounded by duct tape and caught two bugs. After the last extermination I only found one bug alive and have not found any more on the tape. We want to get the hell out of here and have the concern of bringing them with us. We are going to stay at my parents, double bag clothing and blankets to wash them, and put our stuff in a storage unit until we can find a new place. The exterminator can’t come back again until the time we need to be out of apartment, we gave our notice. My question is if I vacuum everything, put it loosely in a box, and spray the bed bug spray all over some furniture, does it really work? Then leave the bigger furniture here and after exterminator comes, put it with the rest in storage and let off a fogger? We already had to throw away couch and not looking to throw out any more items unless absolutely necessary. Could this help solve our bed bug fiasco? Has anyone else been through this situation? Thanks in advance!!!

Answer 1

Your question: My question is if I vacuum everything, put it loosely in a box, and spray the bed bug spray all over some furniture, does it really work?



A. No. Unless you spray directly on bed bugs, that is not going to work. A fogger is the same. I did try spray, alcohol, foggers, and even a PROFESSIONAL exterminator, but none of them worked. It is almost impossible for an exterminator to find bed bugs without a tracker dog. Bed bugs hide in the tiny skinny places you cannot even see during a day.



What you really need to do is to wash all your bedding items with hot water. Apply steam heat all over the mattress, pillows, and mattress etc.... That heat kills bed bugs that still hide on the mattress or in the pillows. Then go online and buy stuff called Bed Bug Powder. (see the site below) put the powder down on the mattress and pillows before you put the sheets on. Put it on the floor as well around the bed. that is it. You need to use the powder mostly where you sleep. That is when you get bites, right? If you get bites on the couch, you might want to puff it on the couch as well.



I could not believe the powder would work, but it did get rid of bed bugs, and i was so amazed. The powder is even natural and non toxic. Once it settles, it is safe, and I have a cat always sleeps on my bed, I wanted to use something non-chemical. I have not gotten bed bug bites for years!



Anyway, I wish you posted this question before you gave your landlord a notice. But if it is not too late, try the powder. That will save you a lot of $$$ and have your non-bed bugs home back!



Good luck.

Answer 2

The safest approach is to hire a mover that uses a heat chamber. You belongings are placed in the chamber and heated to the required 120 degrees. This will kill 100% of all bed bugs and eggs and is chemical free.



If you can't find a mover or exterminator with a heat chamber, then I'd dispose of everything. A fogger is not effective against bed bugs as they cause them to disperse. Even bringing 1 pregnant female with you can result in 500 nymphs (baby bed bugs).



I know that this sounds over cautious, but then again, you lived first hand through the nightmare a bed bug problem can cause.

Answer 3

did you also tape up along the baseboards, outlets, or any possible cracks? either way i would move if i were you and its best to get rid of your mattresses but until then, here is a for sure solution the only difference with your situation is leave a perimeter of boraxal (borax & salt) etc. after you vacuum & follow directions below, BUT MAKE SURE YOU VACUUM ALL OUTLETS AND CRACKS IN BASEBOARDS, also i don't know if it matters but i didn't use duct tape i used masking tape, i read one article where this man put his bed posts in tupperware containers with masking tape around it. when you have bed bugs it won't hurt to try

Bed bugs are the worst torment there could ever be but I have a simple solution. Before this I had spent over $200.00 on chemicals that never worked. This is a very thorough process but if you want to get rid of bed bugs forever then this is your remedy. Things you'll need:



Old Salt shaker (I used an old garlic powder shaker with the big holes on top

Borax 20 mule team laundry detergent

Salt *regular table salt kosher iodized doesn't matter

vacuum

garbage bags



I personally did all my things, clothes, boxes, important documents in containers, carpet, everything. Even if the floor was tile. I took my mattresses outside (you'll want to)

1st you mix the borax with the salt *1/2 with 1/2

Then shake up and shake powder mixture over everything. When you get to your mattress its best to do outside because you will immediately see them pop off.

2nd with the powder mixture I place all my clothes in plastic garbage bags and then all my shoes and left them in the sun for 3 days

I left mix on my carpet mattresses etc for 24 hours and then vacuumed up. I even vacuumed all the mattress seams and on top of it sides box spring.

Then I made sure i got every corner and outlets, cracks etc. I washed all my sheets blankets in hot water and washed all my clothes in hot water too.

Then I taped up base boards and outlets with masking tape. and even tho it didn't look stylish I left it I repeated the whole process 2 more times after that and 3 years later no bed bugs .

It really is a lot of work but is worth it. everything costs less than 10.00

Answer 4

Bed bugs crawl all over the places and items thus I would say there's still a 20% possibility that they'll survive. Send the clothing and blankets to the laundrette for washing and request them to vacuum-packed them. Then bring these items directly to your mum's place.



For rest of items, wash and sterilize (boil) them and bring them to your mum's place immediately. Make sure the vehicle you intend to bring these items are bug-free.