Question by PenneySue:
I need more information about Bed Bugs?
I have been told that my apartment has bed bugs. How do I get rid of them? Do I have toi get rid of my bed that I bought just over a year ago? As well as all my granddaughters dolls & stuff animals?
Best answer:
Answer by Justin Bower
Have you experienced bites? Have you noticed bedbugs in your apartment, or are they just in your building?
If you have not had any bedbugs yet, then you should be taking preventative measures, not reactive ones. Throwing away a bed or other items may be useless if you don’t already have the bugs. If they are spreading throughout the building, they may very well infest a new bed. So if you don’t already have an infestation in your apartment, then you should consider doing what you can to pest-proof your house. There are several places online that give preventative tips (google bed bug prevention).
If you already have them, then that’s another story. You should probably try pest control before completely throwing out your bed, etc.
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There many websites offering detailed information on bedbugs and how to deal with them.
I would recommend you first pray to Jesus (really) for mercy, and then and using a respirator and with open windows, spray Phantom (if legal in your state), a non-repellent, relatively safe spray with long residual kill, into any size cracks within 15 feet of your bed, including ceiling and the wall area up there beginning furthest away.
Important: you do not want to repel the bugs, and in fact you want them to come near your bed to feed.
2. With a fine spray bottle filled with 70% or higher rubbing alcohol in hand, strip your bed carefully, and directly spray any bugs you see or little white eggs. Then wash bedding and all clothes nearby in hot water, AND dry them at the highest heat setting for 45 minutes or more. The drying is what kills them. Clean clothes without metal may actually be microwaved for a minute or two if watched. Then store clothes and bedding in an area far away, even outside. Small items like books can be frozen for a few hours at at least -5F degrees to kill bugs and eggs.
3. Take apart your bed and look for bugs or eggs and kill as per above any you see. Then spray Phantom or Bedlam in the seams of the mattress and cracks.
4. Pull your bed about a foot or more away from any wall place, and the legs of your bed in smooth plastic or metal cans, and sprinkle talcum powder in inside. You may also coat the legs with 4 inches of petroleum jelly.
5. Vacuum floors and discard the bag in an airtight bag. Then caulk any cracks you see within 15 feet of your bed, if possible.
6. Using a respirator, sprinkle food grade diatomaceous earth all around the bedding area, using a paint brush. And being careful about kids or pests, sprinkle Drione or Tempo 1% dust around the edges of floors.
7. Deal with the source of bugs if they are coming from somewhere else, and thank God for His help.
You can buy stuff for this all at places like http://www.domyownpestcontrol.com
http://www.doyourownpestcontrol.com/bed-bugs.htm and others i found.
Note, if you live in a climate where the outside temp is below zero F day and night, then you could try ventilating the house with a fan for a week, after first turning off the water and draining the pipes. If you can get the temperature up to 130 for a few hours, windows sealed, or over 115 steady for a couple days, that also should kill all bugs and eggs.
For much more info see this article, http://conservapedia.com/Bedbug