Kilts in storage due to bedbugs

[Jay]

Discovered bedbugs last weekend. How we got them, who knows. These little hitchhiking bastards can get a ride from you at work, at a clothing store, or arrive on a vistors coat in your home.


So needless to say, the kilts (and most of my suits) have been treated and packed away in vacuum bags to prevent contamination.

Most of my clothes have been treated and packed away. I have exactly 1 weeks worth of clothing that I am living with.


For anyone that gets bedbugs... my heart goes out to you. It is a helluva lot of work to get rid of these little bastards.

[Father Bill]

In the church it's easy. We baptize 'em, confirm 'em, and we never see them again!

[Jay]

In the church it's easy. We baptize 'em, confirm 'em, and we never see them again!

LOL.

Thank you for that. A little levity makes the situation a little more bearable.

[Dale-of-Cedars]

I must say that I'm going to be a little more careful with what I bring home from thrift stores.

See here for critters near you: http://bedbugregistry.com/ (their UK tab isn't working yet)

[KenB]

Putting those clothing items that can tolerate a clothes dryer through a drying cycle will kill what critters may be hitchhiking on them. Unfortunately sofas, couches and arm chairs wont fit in the drum
These creatures are a real problem in Toronto. Long ago when DDT was still allowed they were run off, but now they have come back with a terror. The sprays are safer now since they use a compound distilled from chrysanthimums.
Nonetheless, these buggers are nasty and difficult to get rid off.

[MrShoe]

In the church it's easy. We baptize 'em, confirm 'em, and we never see them again!

We call them the Hatch, Match and Dispatch one's.

[piperdbh]

Freezing infested clothing for a couple of days will kill them, too. Same thing for moths.

[Whidbey78]

I had an infestation years ago when I was stationed in San Diego. I never figured out where they came from either. We found them a few months after I returned from deployment, so I had a bug problem and unwittingly brought in some illegal aliens. I finally gave in and had an exterminator come in and eradicate the little suckers. It wasn't cheap, but it was worth it.

[Jay]

Believe me, I have researched this high and low.


The little buggers can be quite resiliant. Yes cold kills them, but only if it's colder than -25C. Less than that and they merely hibernate, unless it flash freezing, so home based freezers are out.

Heat kills them too, but only when you can get to them. I have found that fabric steamers are doing a tremendous job of killing the beasties in the couch. I have steamed it every night for a week, but I should note that there was no visible trace after the first treatment.

My fear is if these buggers have made it into the walls. When that happens you can be fighting them for 6 months or more.

Bright side is, a heat of 55C will kill them. So if they are still around come July, I will close all the windows in the house, turn up the heat and maybe run some portable electric heaters too. Get every single room up to that temp and all should be killed off.

[McMurdo]

I know that DDT is bad but honestly, I'd take my chances with a little DDT to get rid of the bastards.