Bedbugs And Mandolins

[Mandobar]

Try to avoid breathing in the diatomaceous earth. It can create lung and breathing issues.

[lowtone2]

Nuke the site from orbit. It’s the only way to be sure.

[j. condino]

Geckos Eat Bedbugs

Your new band name!

[Jill McAuley]

Geckos Eat Bedbugs

Your new band name!

Or it could be a new business enterprise! Kinda like the folks who rent out their herd of goats to clear weeds and overgrowth - someone could accumulate and then rent out their posse of geckos to deal with bedbug infestations!

[sonic]

A friend of a friend ran a business treating hotel rooms. Some in very posh hotels where chemical treatments are not possible.
He basically tipped the bed and opened the bottom of the divan opening drawers cupboards etc. Then hang heavy wool blankets over the door and windows.
Add a few fan heaters and increase the temperature to 40 degrees centigrade (104F) and kept it there for a number of hours.
The process is not as complicated as some firms might imply and works by desiccation. Dried out bedbugs equals dead ones.

[James Vwaal]

Another thing I learned during my bedbug period is that the Department of Health in my state (Minnesota) has bedbug-sniffing dogs available. I learned this because some colleagues called the DoH to bring over their bedbug sniffer to check out my cubicle while I was out of the office. The dog didn't find any bedbugs, but I was asked to work from home for a while to ease my colleagues' minds.

[journeybear]

A friend of a friend ran a business treating hotel rooms. Some in very posh hotels where chemical treatments are not possible.
He basically tipped the bed and opened the bottom of the divan opening drawers cupboards etc. Then hang heavy wool blankets over the door and windows.
Add a few fan heaters and increase the temperature to 40 degrees centigrade (104F) and kept it there for a number of hours.
The process is not as complicated as some firms might imply and works by desiccation. Dried out bedbugs equals dead ones.

I like this method most. 122°F is what I've seen on the interweb. I'm going to test this with a pillow in the oven.

Nuke the site from orbit. It’s the only way to be sure.

Out of my price range. Collateral damage. Pissing off neighbors. Nah. Heck, if tenting costs too much, this would be way overboard.

[Denis Kearns]

My son introduced bedbugs into my house and it was a F-ing chore to get rid of them. Fortunately, the infestation was limited to only two rooms. I used diatomaceous earth on the floors and made lines of it across all openings. Fortunately, I had previously caulked the baseboards, so there was no hiding places for the bedbugs behind them. It is important that you make sure to get the diatomaceous earth for bedbugs and NOT the pool kind, which can cause lung damage. Heat over 120 for a couple of hours can kill the bedbugs, so I ran all bedding and fabric through the clothes drier. I built a greenhouse on the back patio and put everything not damaged by heat inside - it got to 140 degrees. I kept stuff in there a week or so to insure effectiveness. Some stuff I just put in black plastic trash bags and put outside in the sun (it gets 100+ Here in the summer). I threw away my futons, took my furniture out on the patio, first sprayed diatomaceous earth in the cracks, later alcohol and finally sealed all cracks with silicon. I also used the cup excluders when I brought the furniture back into the room. Also rubbed everything down with lemon oil. Fortunately, the chairs have separate cushions which got the heat treatment. I had a keyboard and one inexpensive guitar that I needed to treat. Both were sealed in plastic with moth crystals (paradichlorobenzine) and put away for a long time. After all this, it appeared that the bugs were gone, but any little itch at night resulted in a flashlight search and The paranoia has finally disappeared. I would go through “defcon 4” before visiting anyone - a hot shower with clothes fresh out of the drier and not bring anything into their house. It was a real pain in the butt and people were afraid to visit (kinda like now!). Good Luck.

[journeybear]

Thanks for that, and also sorry you had to go through it all. But if you come out the other side free and clear, it's worth all it took to get there.

Thinking about heat treating got me to thinking about using my oven. (Clothes drier is down the outside stairs and into a laundry room, to the upper half of a double decker washer/drier, a journey fraught with too many opportunities for escape, and a serious PITA to boot.) I've started putting my clothes in a box that's the right size and shape and baking the little suckers. They die instantly at 122°F. The lowest setting on the oven is 170°F, so it works great. It's an electric, so no fire hazard. And since it's been a bit chilly hear, and we have no heating or insulation, it's adding a feeling of warmth as well as success.

I doubt subjecting instruments to that level of heat would be wise, even for five minutes. I wonder about things like electronics, tapes, CDs, records, remote controls -anything they can crawl into. I was trying to find reliable information about temperature tolerance for videotape last night, with not much luck. I couldn't even find the melting point. Which isn't really what I need, as the point at which tape begins to degrade would be much lower, but I couldn't even find that.

[mclaugh]

Old audio tape with sticky shed syndrome is commonly baked at ~120°F with no ill effects. I don't know about 170, but I don't think I'd go that high.

You could stick a thermometer and a lamp with an incandescent bulb in a box and change the wattage of the bulb until you get the temp you want. Assuming you can find incandescent bulbs.

[bigskygirl]

The bugs generally are in places where they can feed. I know they were in your mando case and mando but they will leave those areas to seek out meals. I would guess they are not in the tapes, books, etc but just inspect them and put them outside/in a separate place like a box or in the tub, etc and keep an eye out for any stragglers.

When I was helping my MIL every little speck resulted in one of us grabbing a flashlight to look closer at. We did find a few - like one or two - crawling on the rug but they mostly stayed in the affected room.

When we came home - out of an abundance of caution - we unpacked the suitcases outside and ran everything thru the washer/dryer and left what could be out in the garage for a few days.

[journeybear]

The bugs generally are in places where they can feed. I know they were in your mando case and mando but they will leave those areas to seek out meals.

They were in the case because I left Molly leaning up against the corner of the wall right by my head, for quick, easy access any time. I got to wondering why some would just show up on that shoulder while I was watching the tube. Well, that's where the colony was. Ick! They must be reincarnated banjo pickers.

Yeah, I've gotten pretty good at spotting them But it's terrifying they can be as small as a coffee ground. And since they do go searching for a meal, they can go a fair distance if I'm not there to provide it. They got into the laundry basket at the foot of the bed, for instance.

You could stick a thermometer and a lamp with an incandescent bulb in a box and change the wattage of the bulb until you get the temp you want. Assuming you can find incandescent bulbs.

Actually got a few, including a couple of spotlights. Good idea. And yes - 170° sounds excessive and damaging. I wonder why the oven has a lower limit on temperature.

[bigskygirl]

So sorry you have to go thru this JB. Prob won’t make you feel better but we found some in hallway and LR...if u can, get the vacuum and go over everything then throw the bag out. Just gotta keep on it, it may be awhile and good news is while gross they aren’t known to transmit diseases.

[journeybear]

Oh, I incinerated the bag straight away. It pained me to do it, but I was SO grossed out. I wanted all those creepy critters dead, immediately.

In retrospect, two things. It would have been smart to take photos and video of the colony, to aid in any possible legal wrangling. At the time, my revulsion was overwhelming. And I didn't want to ever see that awful sight again. But legal proceedings require evidence, and that was that in spades.

The other is I wish I'd known about heat treatment at the time. I could have just baked the bag, killing the little buggers without destroying it. Oh well!

And yeah, definitely going to have the landlord go around the rest of the place as well, especially the baseboards.

[MikeEdgerton]

There is a company in New Jersey that has been advertising their "Bedbug sniffing dog" Roscoe and using "Insta-freeze" to get rid of them for years. I'm thankful that I haven't had to deal with this issue. NFI. Maybe there's someone doing the same thing in Florida.

[Murphy Slaw]

I'm thankful that I haven't had to deal with this issue.

Me too!

Creeping me out just reading the words......

[Mandobar]

JB, if the landlord gives you a hard time, have a little talk with the health inspector. He can facilitate an equitable solution, and will also monitor the situation. All maintenance on rental properties must be performed by licensed professionals in Florida. Which is supposed to circumvent do-it-yourself landlords, and subpar servicing of tenants needs.

[journeybear]

JB, if the landlord gives you a hard time, have a little talk with the health inspector. He can facilitate an equitable solution, and will also monitor the situation. All maintenance on rental properties must be performed by licensed professionals in Florida. Which is supposed to circumvent do-it-yourself landlords, and subpar servicing of tenants needs.

Well, yeah, but. Without a lease, I'm kinda screwed. Month-to-month, no lease, nothing in writing, paying in cash ... Yeesh! Just got off the phone with a lawyer. Rental situation like this, either party can give the other 15 days notice. I have a feeling if I push it with the landlord, he can push back with telling me to move out. Seems best to do it his way and hope for the best. Heat treating is killing them, but it's slow. I'm just trying to do everything within a meter of the bed this way, and hope the ozone machine will take it from there. I haven't seen any of them even that far from the bed, so this should work. Should ...

[MikeEdgerton]

I would try this if it was my place.

[Jon Hall]

I endured and with professional extermination eradicated a b.b infestation of 1500 sq dwelling. We threw away everything that we could afford to dispose of which some badly infested upholstered furniture and mattresses being taken to the landfill. Anything that could survive the high setting on the clothes dryer for 45min. went in dryer. Any items that we didn’t have to use we sealed in leaf bags with sealing tape and starved the bugs to death for six months. Terminus said it was rare to b.b. in the kitchen or bathrooms. I carefully inspected my instruments and cases and didn’t find any signs or bugs. Everything else was bombed in the house which we evacuated for two days. Terminix applied powder pesticide along the baseboards, window and door casings, cabinets and crown mouldings. They returned in two weeks and applied more powder. Any mattresses we kept had to encased with fitted mattress bags. In order for Terminix to warranty the job we had to scrupulously clean the entire house. This was a huge project that required five adult children while I took care of my late wife who was in late stage cancer. The result was a bug free house which I was able to sell at a later date with full disclosure, got rid of truckloads of stuff we didn’t need and paid Terminix $2000.

If you can stand being separated from your instruments and other stuff for 6 months, seal em up and starve the bugs out. I still flinch at the sight of an apple seed and I’m always looking for spots of blood on my pillow. When the day comes that I stay in a hotel room, I’ll check the mattresses before I unpack my suitcase. This is an experience that will last a lifetime.

[Mandobar]

Well, yeah, but. Without a lease, I'm kinda screwed. Month-to-month, no lease, nothing in writing, paying in cash ... Yeesh! Just got off the phone with a lawyer. Rental situation like this, either party can give the other 15 days notice. I have a feeling if I push it with the landlord, he can push back with telling me to move out. Seems best to do it his way and hope for the best. Heat treating is killing them, but it's slow. I'm just trying to do everything within a meter of the bed this way, and hope the ozone machine will take it from there. I haven't seen any of them even that far from the bed, so this should work. Should ...

I wish all tenants were like you. Ours eventually wore us down to the point where I no longer cared to have rental property (even the ones who were several months behind on their rent- with no explanation). I hope this works out for you.

[Steve Ostrander]

I’ll be darned, that really is Lowell George! I had no idea. I don’t recall that episode of F Troop. I can’t say I’m a fan of The Bedbugs, but I’m a huge fan of Little Feat.

[journeybear]

I don't remember it either, though I wasn't a dedicated viewer. I don't understand the surprise on the part of the army types at the sight of the band upon arriving. I do understand their reaction to their music, though. I forget how I learned of this - whether someone told me or I stumbled across it - but like their namesakes, however one encounters them, one can't forget them. Pretty sure that is actually The Factory, Lowell's band between The Mothers Of Invention and Little Feat. They also made an appearance in an episode of Gomer Pyle, as the band playing in a night club. That music is more representative, but still not very good - possibly part of the plan in the script.

[journeybear]

This is an experience that will last a lifetime.

In a word, GAHHH! I hope I don't have to get anywhere near that in depth with this. Holy smokes! I've been heat-treating my belongings and finding much fewer bugs than I was expecting. Perhaps that cluster in the gig bag was a big part of the infestation. It's so weird it was located there. I'm sure there will be more in the mattress when it comes time to address that. But going through the boxes has proved successful. They seem to be close to the bed, and not spread far from it, into the rest of the room. I'm grateful for any bit of good news. And I'm glad my memory sucks. I may forget a lot of this. In time ...

[journeybear]

I would try this if it was my place.

Gee, I wonder. Not a steep buy-in. Worth a shot. Thanks!