Eek!

[Homicidalheathen]

My buddy has bed bugs. I go over there allot. What are the chances I bring them back with me......I was thinking of just staying away until she knows for sure they are gone....?

It is making me itchy just the thought of it.

I read they are extremely contageous. I mean, If I am just sitting in her kitchen and its a tiled floor I figure I am safe.....?

I can't stop this creep feeling though its grossing me out. She says they are gone but I just don't know......I might have someone come out and spray just to be safe....? I have carpenter ants again anyway.

At night I can't stop thinking about it and I have insomnia. Bugs on the body feeding on blood......just creeps me out.

[freydis]

We seem to be having an influx of spiders, so i know what you mean.

Bugs creep me out, too.

[TygerLili]

Re: bed bugs

Don't sit on anything like a bed, couch, cushioned chair, anything bugs can crawl into and nest, be careful around carpet, too. Believe me, they don't just stay in the bedroom. Also, be careful about putting your bag or purse on the floor or the furniture. One can jump onto your bag and you'll bring it home with you.

They are a bitch to get rid of. We ended up having to move and get rid of about 1/3 of our stuff.

[Homicidalheathen]

Yah I left my bag outside all night after I came home hoping that would help.

I hear there is an epidemic these days???

Just the words 'nest of bugs' is giving me the creeps. I may just stay away.

[ManicQueen]

Eww.. I'm all ichy now after reading this nastiness!

Thanks alot

Edited October 18, 2007 by ManicQueen

[Homicidalheathen]

I might go borrow one of $$ sleepy pills lol

[Homicidalheathen]

I am reviving this thread. Why? It seems someone ELSE I know has them. This is a person I clean house for.

We used a carpet shampooer of which I purchased a long time ago so I can add deep cleaning to my list of things to offer.

Water kills them. We washed EVERYTHING and he is not getting bit anymore.

We even washed the mattresses and the posts and the walls.

I heard there is some shell powder that kills them and/or keeps them off you but its not good to breathe that shit in...you would have to sleep with a mask on.

The best thing to do is be clean in the first place. Vacume at least once a week...under the couches.

People there were fucking maggots on his kitchen table. I almost threw up.

fucking eating where there are maggotts...I mean, if your maid breaks her ankle...do you just stop doing dishes???? NO!

I got undressed in the car when I came home. Bagged my clothes....got redressed and went down stairs and washed my clothes INCLUDING THE ONES i PUT ON and left my car window open as they don't like cold just in case one got stuck to me as they are THAT contageous.

[AstralCrux]

Do not go into a house that has bed bugs. I know people that have had them... The only way to assure the bugs are gone is to destroy all the furniture and have the house sprayed for the bugs. It takes weeks to remove them, by professionals. And the professionals will re-inspect before you go back in.

[jynxxxedangel]

Do not go into a house that has bed bugs. I know people that have had them... The only way to assure the bugs are gone is to destroy all the furniture and have the house sprayed for the bugs. It takes weeks to remove them, by professionals. And the professionals will re-inspect before you go back in.

+ 10,000

[Homicidalheathen]

so far he hasn't been bit again but yah I may drop him off my cleaning list.

I wonder if he would lie and say they are all gone...how can you know if someone has them???

I don't trust anyone.

Hell I don't even want to visit anyone anymore and I heard you can get them from a movie theater???!!

I always wear a hoodie in there so I don't get head lice.

[AmieLamie]

Omg, what do these things look like?

A bunch of people have been telling me about bed bugs going around everywhere in Michigan.

Like, there is an outbreak of them in the whole state.

The scary part is that i have been getting bit by something all the time.

I went to the doctor and at first he thought it was bed bugs biting me, but then he thought it was mosquitoes. (even though it's no longer summer..) I thought it was flea bites from one of my friend's house who has them.

AND. I work for this guy who pays me to clean his house and do his laundry and stuff,

and a couple months ago he was telling me that his entire apartment building had to be sprayed for BED BUGS.

He says that they are gone, now but idk. He lives in Sterling Heights and he was told my the exterminators that there have been a lot of cases of bed bugs in that area.

Maybe that's what I keep getting bit by. I need to see if I see a pattern in the time frame of working for him when I go to his apartment and when I get the bites.

THE MYSTERY MAY SOON BE SOLVED!

[AmieLamie]

OMFG. I would die if I saw those in my bed!!! Yick.

Sorry to post these uglies, but if someone thinks they may have them they should know what to look out for.

[Homicidalheathen]

Thing is I didn't see ANYTHING he just showed me the welts. And we went through EVERYTHING. They hide in electric sockets even.

We used a steamer/shampooer though, I actually think its the heat that kills them.

Edited December 2, 2009 by Homicidalheathen

[Tyger]

They can get into anything. And I think, they live for days without any food. The only way to really get rid of them is to hire a bug exterminator company and spray them out. Or either that, get ride of your stuff and vacate the premises for a while... They are so ugly.

I always wear a hoodie in there so I don't get head lice.

You can get head lice from leaning against a wall if someone leaned against the wall before you leaned on it... They are sneaky things...

[taysteewonderbunny]

They can get into anything. And I think, they live for days without any food. The only way to really get rid of them is to hire a bug exterminator company and spray them out. Or either that, get ride of your stuff and vacate the premises for a while... They are so ugly.

You can get head lice from leaning against a wall if someone leaned against the wall before you leaned on it... They are sneaky things...

Days? Bedbugs can live MONTHS without food. They go into a kind of hibernation state.

Yeah, besides heavy doses of insecticide (to which the bugs have increasing tolerance) heat and diatomaceous earth are about the only things that effectively kill them. Steam heat works best. Wash fabrics in hot water---at least 110 degrees. Freezing won't kill them.

Physical removal of bugs and eggs helps immensely, but if you think a mattress is infested, they can hide so far inside the mattress that you are likely best off sealing it in plastic and having it removed to the landfill or incinerated; please be responsible and clearly mark it as infested or as bio-hazard. Don't let curb-surfers pick up your mattress.

Vacuum all areas of the infested living quarters thoroughly. After each vacuuming, place the vacuum bag or contents of the canister in a plastic bag before discarding. Clean canisters with hot water (at least 120 degrees).

All clothing and soft furnishings should be treated by washing in very hot water, with bleach where possible. DO NOT SEND INFECTED MATERIALS TO THE DRY CLEANERS.

Diatomaceous earth is essentially chalk--the remains of calciferous single cell organisms from eons back that lived in the oceans in gigantic cloud-like colonies. The crushed exoskeletons of those organisms are harmless to humans and other mammals, but are of a crystalline structure so sharp and fine that they pulverize the exoskeletons of the bugs that walk through the material, causing the bugs to desiccate. Sprinkling this material around the perimeter of the room and around the bed may help. Blowing the material into cracks and crevices in the floors, walls, and crawlspaces is even more effective.

Often, insecticides are added to diatomaceous earth, but if you have pets, this may be less desirable.

Bedbugs can also jump up to 18 inches. Mattresses should be elevated at least 18 inches from the ground and be about two feet from the wall.

These methods, in combination, are the most effective, but should be repeated monthly for consecutive months until it has been at least 90 days since the last sign of infestation. Bedbugs are very good at hiding and can hibernate.

How do I know this? I researched and wrote a 90 page report when I was working at a housing facility some years ago that had an infestation. [several of the tenants had brought the bugs back with them after visiting family in Tamil and soon four buildings in the housing system were overrun.] The place where I worked (I won't name them) used exclusively pesticides for control, but this was not proving effective. I wrote the report and a two-page summary to try to convince them to use a coordinated multi-method approach. If they did listen, they didn't enact my recommendations until after I left.

HH, if you are treating this issue for your house-cleaning client, be sure that your client is also following up with pest control. And ask for more money. You are taking a risk of having the bugs hitchhike on your clothes, shoes, and cleaning materials.

How do you know you have been bitten? Typically, the bite is painless and won't wake the victim. Bedbugs are most active between 3 am and 6 am. They usually bite three times over an area and leave three small welts in a line.

[Homicidalheathen]

Days? Bedbugs can live MONTHS without food. They go into a kind of hibernation state.

I heard they live up to a year no food. They go dormant. After we cleaned, a few days later when sure he wasn't being bitten, we put this shell powder he found online (he is totally anti pesticide) everywhere the place looked like baby powder. He is complaining of sneezing and wheezing so I am not so sure this stuff is good to breathe in. The video showed them putting it on the mattress and around the bed posts where they touch the floor and around and somewhat in the electrical outlets and heat vent. This is to kill any that may hatch if we missed a few eggs. If its sharp enough to hurt a hard bug shell it can't be good for your lungs...? His dog gets in it and brings it on the bed. The dogs eyes are watering as well. May have to vacume that shit up.

Diatomaceous earth is essentially chalk--the remains of calciferous single cell organisms from eons back that lived in the oceans in gigantic cloud-like colonies. The crushed exoskeletons of those organisms are harmless to humans and other mammals, but are of a crystalline structure so sharp and fine that they pulverize the exoskeletons of the bugs that walk through the material, causing the bugs to desiccate. Sprinkling this material around the perimeter of the room and around the bed may help. Blowing the material into cracks and crevices in the floors, walls, and crawlspaces is even more effective.

[Nienna]

I had them about a year ago. my gross neighbors upstairs had a raging infestation and they came down through the walls into my unit. The entire building was overrun in no time. These things are a NIGHTMARE. They can live up to 18 months without food. I still have scars from some of the bites. It took about 6 months and exhaustive effort to rid my life of them. I lost about half of my wardrobe and all of my furniture. I'm now 1 year bug free but I still am so paranoid about it that I check every hotel I stay in, just in case. They can hide anywhere BTW. My friend who was staying with me during this time found a dead one.. in her vitamins. That's right, it got into the bottle and died. Stay FAR FAR FAR away from anywhere that is currently infested. They can be gotten rid of, but it takes a professional, and it costs alot of money.

Edited December 9, 2009 by Nienna

[AmieLamie]

Ugh, I hope I don't have them.

I haven't been getting bit lately, though.

So that's a good sign!

[Homicidalheathen]

Ok so far my buddy in Lincoln P says...the only thing thats kept the damn critters away...is the shell powder.

He now sleeps in this crap...says his eyes still water a bit...but its the only thing that works.

Just an update in case anyone else has this problem.

Oh he also put borax powder around his house for other critters and so far has no bug problems of any kind...all I can say is at least its natural. And affordable.

[Homicidalheathen]

Oh I just wanted to add...hope this thread helps someone...that its boric acid powder he is using for ants

Not borax which is a cleaning agent...

those torro ant traps work real good but it leaks and makes a huuuge mess and is poison....

also...my cat got stuck to a glue trap once and although its quite amusing...kitty was NOT happy. Pay more and get the covered kind

ants can be as bad as termites

(so far no bed bugs over here...cross fingers...I have been in that mans house that has them 3x)

wow...the vitamin bottle...

[AstralCrux]

*bump* for Hille

[Slogo]

Thanks everyone...So who plans on coming over and rocking me to sleep?

[AmieLamie]

I haven't been bit (or whatever) in a couple months now, but about a week ago I did have a few of those same bumps but they immediately went away, about a day later. Nothing since then. I still don't know what it was. I'm just happy it gone..or at least I HOPE.

[pomba gira]

Thanks, AC!

Still not entirely sure what I have is bedbugs, but I don't know what else it could be. Thought I got rid of them by laundering all the bed linens & couch covers, vacuuming everything, and blasting the entire place with eucalyptus spray. Didn't have any fresh bites for a few days but think I have one today, grrr. So I'm going to auntie's tomorrow to get some diatomaceous earth from her pool house (pain in the ass going down there in winter). Bites are NASTY- worse than any bug bite I've ever had... they spread, turn to bruises, and take forever to go away. I want these filthy vermin out of my house NOW!

And BTW the diatomaceous earth is OK for healthy folk... but is NOT recommended for use if anyone in the household has asthma or other respiratory issues.

[Homicidalheathen]

so...I have been informed that the shell powder works, works well...and is the ONLY thing that works.

One more friend got them...from another friend...

this is an epidemic and does NOT mean your nasty and dirty.

I clean 2-3 houses so I hear about this...in 3 different counties in the area.

anyway they are tiny and light colored so you may never actually see one...

put this powder IN your bed, under your bed around your bed on carpets...couches...hell powder your whole body with it.

they will get in your clothes and ride with you then bite you later and jump off.

...starve them out with the powder for 1-2 yrs, they can't bite much through the powder. I mean, lift your sheet...put some in a baby powder bottle...and poof it in there then close your covers and go to bed an hour later. Do the mattress...AND the carpet...anything and everything.

Starve them out by doing this...don't let them eat you...

...the eggs will all be hatched by then. It is such an epidemic I am going to sprinkle some on my carpets in case I bring them home

they go dormant in the cold...so my leaving my gear outside over night and changing and washing my clothes as soon as I got home wasn't really good advice...although it works for now...

perma guard pure diatomaceous earth products fossil shell powder anti caking agent good grade composed of ground Diatomaceous earth (fresh water type)

and a pound of this shit is inexpensive and goes a long way...just get a baby powder bottle at the $ store to put it in.

I got bit after sitting on my friends couch...3x on my belly...I didn't even SEE anything...well he had not repowdered in a week...so now he does it every week and it stopped completely. I swear. DONT THROW OUT ALL YOUR STUFF! You can bring them home from a frickin dressing room. just use the powder.