# How did you get rid of bed bugs?



## APToddlerMama

A very low income family I know has a terrible bed bug infestation. Mom also has a lower IQ. I need some ideas to share with her on how to get rid of these things....preferably simple and cheap ideas but any ideas are greatly appreciated. Her kids are absolutely covered in bites and miserable. TIA

Eta: the ideas do not need to be natural.


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## montanamomof3

does she rent or own? if she rents then maybe her landlord can help. but i do believe that every last square inch of everything has to be cleaned. including rugs, clothing...everything! probably wil have to buy new mattresses tho. maybe a local thrift store can donate?


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## K1329

Bedbugs are difficult to get rid of. My dh, while employed at a hotel, watched the entire process of getting rid of them. The hotel had limited success with poisons, as eggs hatched a short time later. What finally worked was heat treatment. They heated the infested room & surrounding areas up to a certain temp for a certain amount of time. Try looking up info on heat treatment. What an awful situation! Are they renting? If so, I'd consider moving, leaving any fabric, cloth items behind & starting completely over. That poor family. You're wonderful to try to help them.


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## VocalMinority

The good news is, *some* natural remedies are genuinely more effective than chemicals, in this case!

I read about bedbugs when our family and the one across the street (8 kids, between us - all best friends) came down with lice, this summer. Lice and bedbugs are typically treated with similar or identical chemicals. Both have been on the rise in the US lately, due to overuse of those chemicals. The nice, gentle-sounding alternatives like tea tree or grapefruit oil, I found ineffective. But both bugs can be very effectively killed, by *heat*! There is good science to support this, if you research online. Like any other living thing, these bugs have a limited range of temperatures in which they can sustain life.

Wash everything you can put in a washing machine, in hot water, on the longest cycle and dry everything on high heat, in a dryer. Don't forget things like pillows, stuffed animals and curtains. Carefully quarantine disinfected items, so they are not exposed to bugs from unwashed items - even clothing the washer is wearing. A low-IQ person would need help with this, since one mistake can mess up the whole process.

A steam cleaner will kill bugs on carpet and upholstery that won't fit in a washing machine. I'm not talking about the steam cleaners you rent and put chemicals in. I rented one, during our lovely lice episode, and had trouble getting the soapy water that came out of the machine to be very hot. The steam cleaners you can buy (which may be marketed as wallpaper removers) use only water and get nice and hot. They cost ~$60 at places like Lowes or Home Depot. Perhaps you could buy one and let your friend use it (I get a lot of use out of mine, for various cleaning jobs around the house); or she could buy it and you could help her resell it on Craigslist after she clears up her problem. It's important to let the steam sit in one place for several minutes, not just sweep over it for a second or two, with the wand. It will get things like mattresses and cushions pretty wet - you'll need some fans, for thorough drying - but it's better than bugs!

Bugs on humans (more of an issue with lice, but it can still be an issue, with a serious bedbug infestation) can be killed by sitting in a hot sauna for 20 minutes. *This is 100% effective!* Can you get a trial membership at a Y and bring your friend and her family, as guests? Or, she may be eligible for a discount or free membership, based on low income. Obviously, hit the sauna before allowing any of them to sit down on furniture or do anything else that might spread the infestation to other members.

Bedbugs can also survive - temporarily - in clutter, like stacks of papers. Get rid of what you can. Put what you can in sealed, plastic bags for several weeks. The bugs can't survive indefinitely, if they never get access to a living food source. Expose what you can't store, to heat: clean everything possible with scalding hot water; if possible, turn up the heat in their home as high as you can and have them all leave the house for a day; or, if you're in a warm-weather area, you can drag things outside in the heat of the day and expose them to sunlight for as long as possible. It may be impossible to heat-treat every last thing in the house. But the fabrics that come into contact with human bodies are the key things to treat. If that is done meticulously, then cleaning other items as best you can should be enough.


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## Ellien C

I would first make sure it's really bed bugs and not fleas, lice, dust mites, bird mites or even just kind of allergy - to cheap laundry detergent or dust or pets or something else.

Bed bugs are visible - about a quarter inch long. You should be able to SEE them on the mattresses and bedding. I thought we had bed bugs but later determined it was mites which are invisible.

If you google bed bug you will find a lot of information on how to get rid of them. Agreed that heat treatment seems to be the best.


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## chel

I've heard the sauna only works for items that can be bagged (so bugs don't escape) and had to be left in for hours


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## VocalMinority

Here's where it would be nice to have an expert of some sort, because I only know what I read and what worked for me, on lice.

I read that 15-20 minutes in a 120-degree sauna (which sounds extreme, but saunas can get much hotter. Kids can sit through 120 degrees, if an adult is with them.) will kill any bugs on a person or their clothing. I know that worked, for lice. I hate to be gross, but they were definitely dead, not escaped.









I also read that items which can benefit from a longer exposure to heat are deep things, like mattresses. I.e., it doesn't take hours to kill the bugs with heat, but the longer the exposure, the deeper the heat penetrates.

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *chel*
> 
> I've heard the sauna only works for items that can be bagged (so bugs don't escape) and had to be left in for hours


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## mkksmom

Bedbugs can survive for a very very long time without a food source... I can't recall how long but think months to over a year. I agree about making sure they are really bedbugs. Do the mattresses have the tell tale signs? Have they actually seen any of them?


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## youngspiritmom

Oh goodness. I had an apartment with bed bugs years ago - turned on the light in the middle of the night and saw the little red suckers all over the bedroom wall, lamp shade, bed etc. To be honest, bed bugs are HARD to get rid of. You can have someone come in and fumigate. But I moved out of the place and got rid of my mattress and all my furniture. If she doesn't have the money to fumigate and/or replace furniture and MOVE if at all possible, I would recommend contacting local Health and Human Services or organizations like Emergency Family Assistance who could provide funds to help her pay for this. It's a health concern!


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## VocalMinority

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *youngspiritmom*
> 
> I had an apartment with bed bugs years ago - turned on the light in the middle of the night and saw the little red suckers all over the bedroom wall, lamp shade, bed etc.


OMG! Poor thing! Yuck!


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## Billbo58

I had Bed bugs here, I first noted them last spring. I deliver airfreight by grd. I assumed I had stayed in a infested hotel in New York. I tried everything,over $2000 and no success.. I finely used the "heat treatment" I heated my home to 125 degree for 6 hours. Killed all signs of bed bugs, even had a few on my bed. carpet and other odd places, dead!. Melted the face off some of my electronics in the house. 9 months later we are re-infested again. This leads me to believe the infestation is coming from another source. Now it's the waiting game for warm weather to come and reheat the entire house. FYI, these little vampires are possibly the worlds best hitch hikers. HEAT (over 120 degree for at least 6 hours to insure nesting or hiding bugs are affected, "killed") is the ONLY weapon I found to kill all bugs, eggs and molting larvae. Good luck to this family your trying to help.


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## Billbo58

BTW, DDT is the only pesticide known to kill bed bugs. The fact is due to the harm to a certain butterfly the FDA and EPA has ban the use of DDT in the USA. Other Country's are allowed to use DDT. Until the USA allows the return of this pesticide we will not deal with this issue properly. Bring back DDT for in home use to kill bed bugs. I love butterfly's. I love my children and my sanity more! DDT will not harm you, your children or pets. Research the facts about DDT before you start to hate on me please. Some things are a necessity. If you have never been infested with these little vampires, you have no clue of their effect on the mind and your family's sanity. Thanks and God bless..


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## APToddlerMama

Thank you all!! I'm sorry it has taken me so long to respond. Something weird happened and I thought this didn't end up actually posting due to a server error. Glad it did though. They are still dealing with this though so I'll share these ideas. And yes, they are definitely bed bugs. She bagged one and brought it into the children's hospital here because her kids were covered in bites and rashes.


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## Help21

Did you heat your home yourself?? I'm thinking about trying myself and don't think it will be a proble living in the south? If so how di you do it? Thanks


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## PeacefulSeams

Bed bugs are horrible. I lived in a tudio apartment and was given a recliner. Little did i know it was infested and eventually evrything i owned was infested as well. We tried everything but eventually had to move and leave most things behind. We moved to a house and bought a used furniture set. Turns out...it had bugs in it. So once again I tried everything. After months of dealing with bites and thinking they were gone, we moved and brought only our clothes and small mementos. Bed bugs can live anywhere and can squeeze into the smallest holes. The only thing that really works is extreme heat done by a professional. I tried every natural thing, every chemical, spray, exterminator I could find and nothing worked. They can live for over a year without eating. They generally live near their food source ie...us. I have heard of bed bug seeking dogs...maybe that could work to find where they are living.


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## PeacefulSeams

Oh and they will hitch a ride to other peoples homes on their clothes, coats, purses, etc.


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## 4evermom

Some relatives just went through this... They did notice pretty quickly what the problem was, so it wasn't a big infestation yet. They decided on the heat treatment. I'm pretty sure that's not a great idea to do yourself. All the furniture needed to be pulled away from walls, drawers opened, boxes unpacked, etc, because the heat won't necessarily penetrate a tightly packed box and the bugs can crawl into the depths to hide from the heat. In addition, the edges of all the rooms get sprayed with some sort of poison so the bugs have to go through that if they try to hide in the walls. The company brought in heaters and put them throughout the house to bring it up to the recommended temperature for a recommended number of hours.


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## clayton16

Hi, I am new on this forum. May this help, the easiest way to get rid from bed bug is heat up that place and the other way they can consult with pest control service too.


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## Merc12

PeacefulSeams said:


> Bed bugs are horrible. I lived in a tudio apartment and was given a recliner. Little did i know it was infested and eventually evrything i owned was infested as well. We tried everything but eventually had to move and leave most things behind. We moved to a house and bought a used furniture set. Turns out...it had bugs in it. So once again I tried everything. After months of dealing with bites and thinking they were gone, we moved and brought only our clothes and small mementos. Bed bugs can live anywhere and can squeeze into the smallest holes. The only thing that really works is extreme heat done by a professional. I tried every natural thing, every chemical, spray, exterminator I could find and nothing worked. They can live for over a year without eating. They generally live near their food source ie...us. I have heard of bed bug seeking dogs...maybe that could work to find where they are living.


Oh that sounds horrendous !! That's so bad that absolutely nothing worked properly :crying:!


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## dlz628

*Bed bugs*

This was the best thing I ever read regarding treating bed bugs cheaply on your own. 
The Ultimate Guide to Killing Bed Bugs
There are a lot of misconceptions out there about what "home remedies" work.
-Over the counter foggers
-Boric acid
-Sonic repellent devices
-Rubbing alcohol
-Heating on your own with portable heaters
*NOT EFFECTIVE*
-Diatomaceous earth or CimeXa (dessicants that kill bugs but are safe to humans/pets)
-Bed post interceptors
-Mattress and pillow encasements
*EFFECTIVE!*
Hope this helps!


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## Lisa Lyles

*The Only Thing That Actually Works*



APToddlerMama said:


> A very low income family I know has a terrible bed bug infestation. Mom also has a lower IQ. I need some ideas to share with her on how to get rid of these things....preferably simple and cheap ideas but any ideas are greatly appreciated. Her kids are absolutely covered in bites and miserable. TIA
> 
> Eta: the ideas do not need to be natural.


I had bed bugs and almost gave up. Everything seems to not be what kills them. That's when I found this stuff. It is great and not only eliminated my problem, but makes me feel safe to not get them again. Bed bugs are HORRIBLE! *Bless her heart! *Check it out here: naturalbedbugsolutions.com


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## Lowel Kasey

It would be good to use natural remedies for treating termites if the family is poor enough. But instead of not using natural, it's better to use chemicals with the reference of pest control specialist at reasonable price. Pest control expert will deduce the extent of damage and then help you decide the proper option to remedy it.


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## applejuice

Recently a family aboard British Airways were infested with bedbugs that were living in the seats on the airplane. The family could see the critters going in and out of the video frame on the seat ahead of them!

And a library near me closed down because homeless persons had brought bed bugs into the library where they established themselves in the upholstery and carpets. 

Bed bugs are everywhere.

I have for years had a policy to put my baggage on the front porch until I can get the hot water running into the washing machine and I toss everything in there. Anything that should not get wet is laid out in the sunlight for a week or two such as the suitcase, shoes, boots, etc.


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## greenbeanbuddy

One thing I wish to add is the fact of how important the inspection procedure is... While you can treat with any product. The process of knowing the most popular hiding locations is crucial.

To help you and your friend, have them look thru these locations. See if they spot any bed bugs.


Mattress
Boxspring
Mattress encasements
Pillows and pillow cases
Sofa and cushions
Recliners and furniture
Bed posts and wooden frames
Dresser drawers
Base boards
Electrical wall outlets
Window sills
Picture frames
Now the second thing to consider is external sources.... these are other ways the bed bugs will re-infest the home. Below are common way bed bugs come back. Thus, why so many folks have a hard time getting rid of them.


Neighbors or family with bed bugs stopping by
Public transportation (bus, taxi, flight)
Bringing in used furniture in your home
Picking up items from a garage sale
Doctors offices or health faciltiies
Lastly, the treatments that will work the best are formulations which have a residual. This basically means something which settles on the surface of the furniture or bedding and will kill bed bugs or cause them to scatter away. This will help prevent a re-infestation.


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## Rebeckah_84

So I am 7 months pregnant and my SO gave in to my whining and bought me a pregnancy pillow. 3,3m of pure comfort or so I thought .... 2 months on we have bed bugs 😭
So after blood tests to make sure it’s nothing to do with baby I woke up this morning and decided to literally take everything in the bedroom apart so screwdriver in hand I found several bed bug nests actually in the wooden frame of the bed. No evidence on the sheets or pillows. So desperately searching online for a remedy and the news looked so bleak pesticides not working etc etc. The only real way heat treatment ... not being overly wealthy I started looking for a steam machine online that I could use then it hit me I own a steam iron 🎉🎉🎉🎉 so I am abouts to start steam ironing my entire bedroom I will keep you posted on how it goes 🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞


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## AnaRy

Maybe you tried bed bug killer spray?


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## shirleyasher

Pests are the pesky creatures on this planet.


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## Cotoneph

I tried and it did work.


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## SkyMJ

AnaRy said:


> Maybe you tried bed bug killer spray?


A spray might work, actually. Depends on the severity of infestation though. Most of the bed bug sprays available on the market are safe to use on various fabrics, check this page for reference. If you don't like it you still may use a fogger instead. But don't forget to ventilate the room after using it.


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## Osmoses

chel said:


> I've heard the sauna only works for items that can be bagged (so bugs don't escape) and had to be left in for hours


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## StephanieHarmon

First, you have to identify all infested areas, then contain the infestation.

Wash bedding and clothes in hot water for 30 minutes. Then put them in a dryer on the highest heat setting for 30 minutes.
Use a steamer on mattresses, couches, and other places where bedbugs hide.
Pack up infested items in black bags and leave them outside on a hot day (95 degrees) or in a closed car. In cooler temperatures, it can take two to five months to kill sealed-up bugs.
Put bags containing bedbugs in the freezer at 0°F (-17°C). Use a thermometer to check the temperature. Leave them in there for at least four days.


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## ranch

Greetings I've not found any sign of bed bugs nor have i found any bugs that look in any way like the bugs shown on the internet.
I have found a bug quite and think these may bite..

I have gotten bites that look like those shown on the net, long lasting itchy bites. 

I've sprayed, washed, dusted with DE, set traps (nothing) put traps under bed legs, got a mattress cover. and much else.

Family members tell me I'm wrong there are no bed bugs here. But how to account for the bites.


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## inesw

Bed bugs are insects from the genus Cimex that feed on blood, usually at night.


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