Bedbugs

My middle-floor tenant called me this morning with the happy news that he’d just found a dead unengorged bedbug in the bed. This, so far, is the only evidence — and yes, I looked at it, it’s definitely a bedbug. No bites, they have a mattress protector, he thinks it came home from the hospital with them when they brought their new baby home a week ago. Neither my top-floor tenant not I have found any evidence of bedbugs. The entire house was gut-renovated a year ago. Needless to say, I am not a happy camper. I’ve been reading the Forum, including Curiosity’s very helpful post, and I am about to begin The Search. I’ll check out Curiosity’s recommendation, but would like to also ask if anyone else has had any recent positive experience with exterminators. And because we don’t want to poison the new baby (or ourselves) — and because the tenants have loads of stuff crammed into their one-bedroom apt. — I’m looking for a safe form of extermination. Also, any information on effect of this thermal treatment Curiosity speaks about on paint and other finishes in a newly renovated apartment.

Silvermax

in Exterminator 13 years and 3 months ago

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Dquinn | 12 years and 7 months ago

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If you suspect that you may have bed bugs, the first thing that you want to do is have your home inspected by a bed bug detection dog.  DQ Pest Control http://www.dqpestcontrol.com has a bedbug dog that can pinpoint bedbugs in a home.  If you want to stay away from chemicals, because of the baby, then a heat treatment is your next best option.

bobjohn | 13 years and 3 months ago

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what other said. is there any live bugs – they will go hunting for blood. If tenants will not get bitemarks within 5 days – there is no bugs around.

Silvermax | 13 years and 3 months ago

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thanks, everyone, for your responses. Def. going to look into eucalyptus oil. Everything in sight has been washed, dried, bagged. Using heat on nonwashables. Vacuuming crevices, Checking for crevices — new renovation, so not many cracks, but in an old house, there are always some. We’re going with cold + chemicals for now, and keeping our fingers crossed. Tenants moving out temporarily. I’ll report back on what works, what doesn’t.

curiositykilledthecat | 13 years and 3 months ago

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Glad you found my earlier post helpful.  I can tell you that there were no adverse effects on paint, finishes, etc. I can also tell you that the entire house continues to be bedbug free 15 months since treatment.  Did we go overboard, kiilling the proverbial fly with sledgehammer?  Maybe, but if I had to do it again, I wouldn’t change a thing. Best of luck to you.

slick | 13 years and 3 months ago

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Interestingly, we found that eucalyptus oil works, but you have to keep putting it out.

slimc | 13 years and 3 months ago

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Use a good vacuum with a crevice attachment to suck up the baseboards, flooring and wall cracks, nooks and crannies in furniture, etc. Caulking the crevices where casement and molding meet wall and floor is a good idea. Wash linens in super hot water,

Silvermax | 13 years and 3 months ago

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thanks to you both. We’re all cleaning and wash/drying and bagging like mad. I have an inspector coming this afternoon — strong recommendation from someone with major problem. But I’m also reading everything in sight. Anyone try diatomacious soil? Or freezing?

chmod | 13 years and 3 months ago

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This may be an unpopular stand but…. I have found a ( single and dead) bedbug twice in my home. Both times a member of the family had returned from a trip. First time I bagged everything in the drawers and washed and vacumed, etc.Second time I just looked around, vacumed, etc. No one ever had bites, and there were never any live bugs. Just one of the downsides of life, I think. Don’t panic. I would ask the tenants to keep an eye out for the next week, vacume around the bed, etc, and see what happens. Seems better than poisen around a newborn.

esther | 13 years and 3 months ago

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Cesar Soto 646.478.5501 can solve your problem

ppwest | 13 years and 3 months ago

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you might be able to nip in bug. a VERY thorough cleaning, the powder [non toxic] you can buy laundry [as per instructions on bedbug sites] and very careful vaccumming can help a lot. no need to treat whole building [except maybe common areas] unless the problem spreads.