Mike Deakin ran a post today about bed bugs – a situation about which I am now an expert due to a nasty infestation in my guest room discovered just over one month ago.
Once eradicated in the US until the late 1990s, they have made a strong comeback with the elimination of DDT.
I hereby share my learnings in case you receive the nasty visitors:
1. ACT QUICKLY: As soon as I discovered them, I hired an exterminator through my building management company – always check with your landlord first. They often have an existing relationship with an exterminator and may know of other infestations in a building. They can also warn other tenants to be on the lookout.
2. WASH OR DISCARD ROOM CONTENTS: My ex had been living in the room (he wasn’t the cause of the bed bugs) and just about everything that was in there was removed when he moved out. His bedding and clothing all had to be laundered in a hot wash to kill any eggs, etc. All that remained was the bed (with mattresses) and carpet. I would suggest discarding linens and bedding just to play it safe, though.
I also scrubbed and washed my bed frame, shampooed the carpet, and painted the walls. Not only did the room need a fresh coat from wear and tear, but bed bugs leave their feces on the wall where they congregated behind a painting and along the mattress. Quite gross!
3. PROFESSIONALLY EXTERMINATE: The extermination took three sessions over one month and cost about $500. I had to vacate the loft for six hours following each extermination but we seemed to get them all. I took my dog, Louie, with me to work those days – be sure to plan accordingly if you have pets.
4. SALVAGE WHAT YOU CAN: The critters tend to live in crevices (between box spring and mattress, in electrical outlets, behind framed art on the wall, etc.). They don’t necessarily live IN the mattress contrary to what I had heard previously.
5. AVOID IN THE FIRST PLACE: I believe that the problem originated in our French tenant bringing a “perfectly good” suitcase into the house that he found on the street. It was probably abandoned and full of eggs or the bugs themselves. Lesson learned – there is probably a reason that a “perfectly good” suitcase is abandoned!
Hotels in San Francisco have had this issue from Europeans and others traveling from areas where bed bugs were never eradicated. So, be wary of your visitors and make sure that they examine their luggage to make sure they are bed-bug free.
I will keep you posted on my success. Bug me if I don’t.
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