# If you have to do a bug bomb...?



## JamieCatheryn (Dec 31, 2005)

DH is going to bug bomb our house. He gets up at night and swears there are roaches everywhere. I see maybe 1 at a time ever but whatever. I've already secured all our food so they couldn't get in to it and rinse all our dishes right away and we've tried bait stations. He's disgusted and worried and therefore gets really pissy with me about it. I'm 7 months pregnant and we have a 3 year old. Poison scares me way more than bugs do, bugs live everywhere outside so what's the big deal about them being in? In my mom's old house in Florida bugs just got in, no way around it, and down there we had some scary looking ones.

I told him my idea of a compromise is DS and I must stay away for 2 days and DH has to air it out the whole time and clean all the surfaces before we come back. He says I'm making it impossible, I think I'm still taking a huge risk but trying to work it out with him. What's the safest way to deal with this? I'm thinking what I'll do is:

bag and box up all clothes and blankets from the closets
roll up the rugs and cover them
take out all food and dishes/ store things in the fridge
cover couches in towels
relocate the cat to the garage for the first day

Pack up and leave for 2 days and 2 nights, though the package says 6 hours plus 3 to air out
Only let DH use the minimum recommended number of canisters for our cu ft
Make sure the pilot light on the water heater is off, apparently the stuff's combustible.

Have DH air the place out then wash the bedcovers and the towels I covered couches with, clean the counters, and mop the floors before we return.

Come home, unpack and return the rugs and clothes and such where they were

What would be the best cleaning solution to clean the surfaces after this? Would my usual vinegar/water help? And for the laundry things, would regular All F&C help? What other precautions would you take?


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## mouso (Feb 8, 2007)

Have you thought of calling an exterminator before you bomb?
Very often problems like roaches are hard to get rid of with one bomb. Itmost likely will kill some but not all, and those will just make more bugs.

A professional using bait and/or sprays might be less toxic and more likely to work over time.

I grew up in NYC and we had a monthly exterminator(not expensive at all) and
no bugs. Here we have one for our ant problem and it works so much better than when I was trying to do it myself.

We bombed for fleas once and the cleanup was a real pain.
Good luck!


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## sonomama (Aug 25, 2006)

I am so sorry you have to go through this! I feel your pain, my parents are always bombing for spiders (!?). I hate going over there after I know they have, it really creeps me out, all those chemicals.

What about borax. We thought we had roaches a few years ago, turns out they were harmless outdoor roaches not the ones that invade your home. Having three young kids and a bunch of pets I didn't want to bomb, so I looked online to see what else I could do. I remember reading that borax sprinkled around crevices and cracks in cabinets and around the kitchen and where ever else you think they are will eliminate them. It is a desiccant Dries them up or something like that. Also, I imagine rare earth (diatomaceous earth) which is also a desiccant, works to kill fleas in your carpet, so that may work as well. Both are fairly benign, but you don't want the kids near them, because this stuff is really bad if it gets in your eyes or other mucous membranes. Still is the least toxic method I know of.

Just to make sure I wasn't giving you bad information I did a quick check online, check these sites out (and show your hubby too!):
http://roachkillerproducts.com/
http://www.wikihow.com/Get-Rid-of-Roaches-with-Borax
http://www.mouthstick.net/tipsbits/boric.htm

Good Luck!


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## annekevdbroek (Jun 5, 2005)

I would call a professional. I know that we used to have the outside of the house treated - and there are organic nontoxic treatments - and that helped. A bomb just sprays pesticide *everywhere*. YUCK! Professional would just spray along the cracks of all floors/walls, under the sink, etc. I mean a bug bomb will throw spray on everything - you don't need that - your beds, curtains, bookshelves, blankets, etc. treated. You just need the areas with roaches treated.

I HATE bugs. We had an invasion of spider-crickets in our house. They are the most terrifying combination of spider+cricket you can imagine! Anyhow, I finally broke down and sprayed bug spray at the wall/floor joints - I KNEW where it went - and it totally took care of the problem.

If your husband insists on a bug bomb then I agree with your plan to leave and cover/wash everything!


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## Dabble (Jun 14, 2007)

I think a professional exterminator would be a far more reasonable choice than all of that work and worry. I also doubt that a one time bug bombing is going to rid the house of roaches, and having to do all of that work over again would be very disheartening.

A professional exterminator can take into consideration that is a small child and a pregnant woman in the house and make informed choices about what chemicals to use. Your DH at the store grabbing bug bombs might not even know what to look for/avoid. Some of those chemicals can have serious consequences when used incorrectly.

BTW, you're not being overprotective or overly concerned. The threat of a birth defect is nothing to be taken lightly.


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## Barbee (Nov 27, 2004)

i agree with calling a professional. but, another option is borax mixed with peanut butter and hidden in places where your three year old can't get to it. i used it in my garden when roaches invaded one of my garden beds.







anyway, they were gone in a few days and never returned. i feel the same way about chemicals in my house and would freak if i had to deal with that while also pregnant. good luck mama


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## thixle (Sep 26, 2007)

Bombs do nothing for roaches. The roaches hide and only the ones in direct contact with the bomb die. Still leaves eggs. Though I have done exactly what you describe for fleas (and had to do it every 3 weeks until we moved
















The gel/paste stuff sold next to the bombs work well and you control where it goes. You just squirt a little in the corners and cracks. So, even though you are using poison, it's not airborne or in contact with kids/toys/pregnant ladies


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