[cue dramaic music] ...BED BUGS [dun dun duuunnn!!]

Hi everybody-

Long time lurker, occasional poster Looking for some... advice? reassurance? general thoughts? I ran a search so apologies if this has already been covered.

Has anyone has any problems with the recent bed bug scare? I personally haven't, but as my collection is growing, and i live in a small studio apartment, I'm starting to get concerned. Of course, emails from a panicked Mom who watches too much Fox News isn't helping matters.

I'm usually quite careful, and check things as thouroughly as I can, but I'd like to get a little more proactive. I've read that washing and drying on hot (drying for dry clean only) kills them, but about 20% of my items are too old for me to want to risk it or formal wear. Anbody have any ideas on what to do with those?

Of course I COULD sell things faster than I buy, which would reduce the racks lining the wall... but I'm not ashamed to admit there's no way in heck i'm going to stop treasure hunting until what I have is gone

 

Bed bugs? I'm not familiar with their fabric-munching ways, but I am wary of moths, carpet beetles and silverfish and I imagine the same would hold true: clean your clothes before you store them, make sure they're in good places away from the sun and dust. Best to store in cardboard boxes with no holes for the critters to climb in, and check every six months for damage.

If I were you, I'd get everything out of where ever you have it stored, clean and vacuum the area (room? cupboard? wardrobe?) to get any eggs or casings, perhaps spray the area with some sort of bug control and then go through your goodies, preferably somewhere with good lighting and air - eg, outside - go over each one looking for signs of infestation. Give it all a good but gentle shake as you go - as long as you don't find anything, you can put them all away again (giving the storage area time to de-toxify) and then don't worry for another six months.

If you do find insect damage, I recommend that you clean those items (or hang them in the sun or freeze for a week. Obviously some of these are better for vintage than others) and any in the vicinity and then after putting them away, check again in a few weeks to make sure you've got them.

Beasties like quiet and the dark and dirty clothes. If you deprive them of these, you shouldn't have a problem.

Nicole

 

I thought they were flea-like critters that sucked blood so they don't live for long without human contact, which is why they thrive in beds. I hadn't considered them to be an issue with old clothes although I always keep new acquisitions away from the collection (I learned the hard way when I got a moth infestation about twenty-years ago.)

 

They don't live off clothes, but they are found in worn clothing and in bed clothes. There have been all kinds of stories in the news about being careful when buying used clothing, as they could potentially have bedbugs in them.

The best advice I've read is to visually inspect all cloth articles (not just used, as they are showing up in stores of all kinds) you buy before taking it into your house. You can see bedbugs; they are about 1/4 inch long. Do not take any article you suspect has a bedbug on it into your house, because once in they quickly spread and hide.

I don't know if freezing will kill bedbugs, but putting used items in plastic bags and then into your freezer is a good idea for moth larvae so that wouldn't hurt.

 

Bedbugs are definitely making the news lately and the invasion seems to be getting worse. It is no longer the skid row houses, etc., that are troubled by these critters. In New York several
high end stores, a number of classy hotels and other locations that you would never dream would have an infestation have had to close and be pest-controlled. The same is true for Toronto, Montreal and other large cities in Canada - and the US.

To feel really buggy, just do a Google news search for bedbugs:

Scarey

It is not safe any longer to rescue furniture items from the curb and precautions, such as washing second hand clothing in hot water and drying in a hot dryer immediately (i.e. in bag from store, straight to washer and dryer) is imperative. I read somewhere that leaving clothing in a dark tightly sealed bag in the hot sun for several days will do the same thing.

Anything I have read indicates that bedbugs are a PITA to
get rid of and they can live up to 18 months between meals.

My hubby travels for business a lot and I make him leave his suitcase on the porch now when he returns as I'm petrified of
him bringing something back with him.

Sue

 

They hate high heat.. so steam anything you add to your collection from an unknown source

 

Erk. I felt like I had phantom creepy crawlers on me all night after I posted this...

Thanks for all the advice! It's been in the back of my mind for awhile now, but I wasn't too TOO concerned until I read an article this week that said Ohio has it the worst- I live in western PA and often head over the border to shop. I was planning on heading out to a couple of my favorite haunts this weekend, but now I'm thinking twice.

Apparently heat is the way to go- freezing doesn't work unless you have a freezer that can can get down to -29C, and even then it takes a week. I'm thinking of investing in one of these, if I can find out if they are safe to have around pets:

http://www.bedbugcentral.com/shop/products.cfm/bed-bug-beacon

I really hope I'm overthinking this whole thing! But better safe than sorry I guess

 

Hi,

They are just awful to get rid of. If you travel, even to a fine hotel, DON''T put your suitcase on the bed when packing or unpacking, and DONT lay your clothing on the bed (especially right after wearing it), as that is how they get into your suitcase or clothing and then they crawl out to your home and your own bed when you unpack at home. YUCK!

You can even pick them up on airplanes now. Horrors!

Shower as soon as you get home from your trip, and leave your traveling clothing outside for inspection or wash it immediately.

Yuck

Barbara

 

A good rule of thumb when traveling is to pull the fitted sheet away and the mattress away from the headboard to check the top of the box spring and edge. They only like dark places. They don't like spaces that are frequently disturbed, such as the top of the bed or a suitcase sitting in the sun, open. But I agree on not putting a suitcase on the bed because they could see that as a dark place.

Basic clothes - like shirts, etc, are not a big deal because you can put them in the dryer or wash and dry them and that will take care of it, as long as you don't bring them into the home until they are cleaned, or clean them immediately (from car to dryer). Or hang them out in the sun, inside out with the pockets turned inside out. Upholstered items are of bigger interest for them, and linings of thick coats and sofas.