Bed Bugs

MeenLoch · Dec 21, 2007

I saw some in my house. Want to get rid of them permanently.
Any solutions ?
They have bitten me too :-(
Did two pesticide treatments for bed bugs. Costed 100$. No relief.
I usually wash clothes in hot water. This doesnt help it either.
I use an anti bug spray every night. temporarily helped, but no permanet solution.

Please share your experience dear friends !!!

Aarushi · Dec 21, 2007

It might be the mattress...did you buy it second hand? If yes, then you could try replacing that. The bed bugs might be coming from it....

Hope this helps,

love,
Aarushi

durgees · Dec 21, 2007

Hi,

Dont use any sprays, because it will spread the eggs of the bugs, making them spread more.

I ironed the corners of the bed daily and killed all the bugs and their eggs. May seem cruel, but no other go. shakehead After ironing, use the spray gently.

Better change the bed, or do this method.

~Durga

MeenLoch · Dec 21, 2007

Dear Arushi,
Thanks for the reply. It was a new mattress, my husband bought 2 years back. Bed bugs reside in it, and we do the anti-bug spray on bed too. Have to throw and buy a new one. Wondering what can be done on the ones that have spread to carpet and some clothes...

Aarushi · Dec 22, 2007

Dear MeenLoch,

After getting rid of the mattress (I would strongly recommend it because after the source of the bugs is gone, you will have better success in getting rid of them from the rest of your house also), you could try steam cleaning the carpet...(you'll get the steam vac in stores like kroger, publix on rent). I don't know how effective it will be, but when one of my friends had a water leakage problem in her apartment and the carpet got soaked and started smelling, they tried this and it worked.

Hope this helps,
Aarushi

Sujimallige · Dec 22, 2007

Dear Meenloch,

Pls follow the suggestions given by our other friends.
But I have one suggestion,u can try this if u like.Crush garlic cloves along with the skin.(dont make it paste just it must open up a little).Keep these crushed garlic cloves at various places in ur house.
This home remedy works in India but i am not sure abt US.But anyway no harn in trying.

Suji

Anandchitra · Dec 25, 2007

I have a contract with pesticide company. continous treatment works in the long run.

Vidya24 · Dec 25, 2007

MeenLoch,

I watched a BBC programme on Good Housekeeping. These tips are from there. For sheets, washing at 6degreees C with soap and a good dash of eucalyptus oil will kill bed bugs.

For mattress, as Aarushi says, steam cleaning is good. You can pour a solution of detergent and eucalyptus oil and then steam clean.

When we lived in Norway, the locals had a simple, effective method of killing bed bugs. You can try it too, since u r in Canada and temperatures in winter will go well below zero. When it is freezing, take all your bed clothes out in the open and keep them, hang them out for ten minutes. All the bed bugs will die.

Goodluck.

regards
Vidya

MeenLoch · Jan 2, 2008

Thanks for all the replies. Would like to get some more ideas.
Vidya, I stay in texas. It s never that cold here. But that steam cleaning is one thing I would like to try.
Also we have decided to throw the cot and mattress in a week. After that carpet cleaning we intend to buy a new one.

There are some on our clothes. Wondering how to treat that. Please tell me if anyone knows.Vidya I did try washing the clothes in hot water. The treatment company had asked us to do so. The bugs die but keep coming back from other sources.

A person I know, who had bed bugs in Dallas, was asked to throw all her
clothes permanently.Someone had even suggested us to shift apartments.

Let me see if the first few solutions work and I ll get back to everyone on this.