Help! Bedbugs! How did you get rid of yours?

Milkandacookie · 2024-09-15T04:53:50+00:00

I've found out I've been somewhere that had bed bugs and have got quite anxious that I might have them now. I thought it was unlikely but yesterday I had 4 bites all near each other. I'm already going quite anxious reading about how hard it is to get rid of them. We have very little money or I'd just give an exterminator my bank card... I'm also aware anyone can buy a spray/heater and set themselves up so if we do have to pay someone it needs to work. Has anyone ever had bedbugs? How did you get rid of them? We have a small house and no garage so not a lot of working space. I'm terrified.

Caspianberg · 15/09/2024 06:03

Depends where you think you have them. Genuheat kills them. So wash any bedding or clothing at 60, Handheld mattress steamers help if you have one

Original poster

Milkandacookie · 15/09/2024 06:24

We've just bought a steamer and picked it up last night (hand held one from argos) but we got in late.

I've worked up early with all he worry. We were going to wash bedsheets and try and steam the bed today (and kids beds??)

But I'm anxious they could be anywhere.. Or their eggs could be.

Maybe we need to borrow money to get someone out. And what if it doesn't work/they're cowboys.

I'm in a state already 😭.

OP posts:

peekabooooooooo1991 · 15/09/2024 06:31

Oh OP I feel for you. We brought them home from hospital after I given birth at Kings last summer. So horrible and stressful with newborn. I had paranoia for months after. Both my partner and I get very obvious reactions to them (especially him, painful bites ect). So we caught it SUPER early. We tried the steamer and powder first as obv didn't want any chemicals around baby and cat. But I think it just slowed down the process slightly so I wish I went with an exterminator right away. I found a local guy who was lovely and didn't give me the usual hard sell, listened to my anxieties and followed up with me for weeks after. We were lucky as it was so early one spray was sufficient. Baby and cat and me went to my mums for a two days to stay away from chemicals (although he showed me guidelines 8 hours was sufficient!). If you are in south London let me know I can share details. Honestly he was reasonably priced too. I was worried about money too but for peace of mind it's worth it. I think I saw posts on Reddit of people who managed to do it themselves but it sounded stressful and like a lot of work. Bedbugs are very very good at hiding. Good luck OP!

peekabooooooooo1991 · 15/09/2024 06:34

And to add I know it's stressful finding the right person. I called like 10 local companies and they are sounded like cowboys! This guy we ended up with actually suggested cheaper treatment. I initially wanted the super high heat one but he said no point as it's so early and we got a small place!

Original poster

Milkandacookie · 15/09/2024 06:39

Well done! Must have been stressful after having a baby too.

Yes I expect I'm reading the same things online about how hard it is to DIY.

Our house is very small and very full. (it was fine pre kids!) and I'm so overhwlemed also at the tbought of getting someone in. I thought we needed the heat treatment too which for a 3 bed would be a lot of money to borrow.

And I've no idea which company is legit. We are a couple of hours away from London or I'd take you up on it!

OP posts:

peekabooooooooo1991 · 15/09/2024 06:47

I done a lot of research on bedbugs that summer, and it does sound like it's very early stages for you too. I know it feels like they are everywhere but they wouldn't be. Keep sleeping in the same bed so you don't spread them around. They keep very close to their food source so likelihood is that they are close to the bed. Have you looked around? We found one in mattress crease. The guy that came over to do the spray found one under our bed (we have an ottoman and it was under the slabs!). We never found them anywhere else.

SM33 · 15/09/2024 06:53

peekabooooooooo1991 · 15/09/2024 06:31

Oh OP I feel for you. We brought them home from hospital after I given birth at Kings last summer. So horrible and stressful with newborn. I had paranoia for months after. Both my partner and I get very obvious reactions to them (especially him, painful bites ect). So we caught it SUPER early. We tried the steamer and powder first as obv didn't want any chemicals around baby and cat. But I think it just slowed down the process slightly so I wish I went with an exterminator right away. I found a local guy who was lovely and didn't give me the usual hard sell, listened to my anxieties and followed up with me for weeks after. We were lucky as it was so early one spray was sufficient. Baby and cat and me went to my mums for a two days to stay away from chemicals (although he showed me guidelines 8 hours was sufficient!). If you are in south London let me know I can share details. Honestly he was reasonably priced too. I was worried about money too but for peace of mind it's worth it. I think I saw posts on Reddit of people who managed to do it themselves but it sounded stressful and like a lot of work. Bedbugs are very very good at hiding. Good luck OP!

Could I have the details of the company? Thanks

MumonabikeE5 · 15/09/2024 07:00

Do not try to get rid of them yourself. I did this. For 18months, because I could not afford it. it was a distressing and unpleasant time. The whole house became infected because the spray and powder used made the bugs go further and further from the bed. They burrow in plaster, they hide under skirting boards, they can walk up walls and along ceilings. They bit the crap out of my kids and kept my husband and I up.
And then I spent £1k having the house heated up and that worked instantly.
2 years on. And I still marvel out how quickly it all stopped.

Damnloginpopup · 15/09/2024 07:12

Dermataceous earth over the entire carpet and skirting and on the mattress (which went into a zipped cover) did it for me, along with bed disassembly and popping the little fuckers. All bedding and garments tumble dried. Nothing else worked.

12BottlesOfVintageChampagne · 15/09/2024 07:24

Proceed with caution if using Diatomaceous Earth - it is not without risk:

academic.oup.com/jinsectscience/article/19/5/13/5586712

Haruka · 15/09/2024 09:29

I took no chances when we found four and a few eggs.

Had the house fumigated. Took half a day, plus schlepping all bedding to the lauderette for a 60 degree wash and tumble dry.

£450 all in, but it killed everything - my house was even spider free for a good 6 months after.

Original poster

Milkandacookie · 15/09/2024 09:37

Haruka by fumigate you mean sprayed? And it worked once and done? Some things say spraying needs to be done more than once which is why I was wondering about heat treatment but I think that's over a grand.

Thanks everyone. I've got the diamateceaus earth coming today and a spray and we were going to launder bedding etc but don't want to send them further out... Would be good if we could get rid of tjem

With the earth I have asthma so I'm also worried about that (I have anxiety, not normally bad but the bugs and the thought of them and fear of the costs is setting it off big time).

I've got a mask and it looks like it's fine if once it's put down you don't disturb it but covering the carpet for example would disturb it wouldn't it. One website suggests putting it in the mattress but that would be disturbed wouldn't it!!

I don't know how much I need to worry about that either.

Anyone got any south coast contacts...

Thankyou

OP posts:

Original poster

Milkandacookie · 15/09/2024 09:39

Damnloginpopup · 15/09/2024 07:12

Dermataceous earth over the entire carpet and skirting and on the mattress (which went into a zipped cover) did it for me, along with bed disassembly and popping the little fuckers. All bedding and garments tumble dried. Nothing else worked.

@Damnloginpopup How long did that take. We were going to steam the whole bed, put a bed bug cover on the bed and put earth down round the bed today...

But also aware like a pp said that they could be elsewhere or move.

Maybe I do this first and then get someone in. I just don't know.

OP posts:

peekabooooooooo1991 · 15/09/2024 10:08

For person who asked, company I used: bedbughunters.co.uk sorry didn't know how to tag you!

Scentsless · 15/09/2024 10:38

We had them once and we got the local council's pest control out to deal with them. Cheaper than a private contractor, although we did have to pay.

Original poster

Milkandacookie · 15/09/2024 11:57

Frustratingly our council don't do bed bugs. They do wasps /mice etc but not bed bugs or I'd go with them!

OP posts:

Original poster

Milkandacookie · 15/09/2024 11:58

Scentsless · 15/09/2024 10:38

We had them once and we got the local council's pest control out to deal with them. Cheaper than a private contractor, although we did have to pay.

Did they spray it or heat it? Did it work once and done?

What did you have to do before they came in?

Thankyou

OP posts:

Original poster

Milkandacookie · 15/09/2024 11:59

Grr.

Help! Bedbugs! How did you get rid of yours?

OP posts:

BlueglassesBlondehair · 15/09/2024 11:59

peekabooooooooo1991 · 15/09/2024 06:31

Oh OP I feel for you. We brought them home from hospital after I given birth at Kings last summer. So horrible and stressful with newborn. I had paranoia for months after. Both my partner and I get very obvious reactions to them (especially him, painful bites ect). So we caught it SUPER early. We tried the steamer and powder first as obv didn't want any chemicals around baby and cat. But I think it just slowed down the process slightly so I wish I went with an exterminator right away. I found a local guy who was lovely and didn't give me the usual hard sell, listened to my anxieties and followed up with me for weeks after. We were lucky as it was so early one spray was sufficient. Baby and cat and me went to my mums for a two days to stay away from chemicals (although he showed me guidelines 8 hours was sufficient!). If you are in south London let me know I can share details. Honestly he was reasonably priced too. I was worried about money too but for peace of mind it's worth it. I think I saw posts on Reddit of people who managed to do it themselves but it sounded stressful and like a lot of work. Bedbugs are very very good at hiding. Good luck OP!

From hospital???? Aren’t the mattresses plastic ?

Original poster

Milkandacookie · 15/09/2024 12:02

Gosh yes last place you'd hope to pick them up!!!!

I've heard the tube sometimes had them but you can't start thinking about that.

Its a bit like headlice you start wondering how come everyone doesn't have them and they've taken over compeltely!!

OP posts:

Scentsless · 15/09/2024 13:03

Milkandacookie · 15/09/2024 11:58

Did they spray it or heat it? Did it work once and done?

What did you have to do before they came in?

Thankyou

Show quote history

It was a few years ago now, but I think they used chemicals. However we did end up getting rid of the bed and mattress. They treated all the bedrooms, not just the one where the bed bugs were.

I think my son picked them up from the house of a friend he used to play with, whose DF used to travel a lot.

peekabooooooooo1991 · 15/09/2024 15:25

Yep!

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-48264319.amp

Clearly they haven't fixed it. Bedbugs are good at travelling. We made a mistake of putting one of the bags on the bed whilst we were there I guess 🤦‍♀️

Original poster

Milkandacookie · 15/09/2024 18:20

Gosh! That's crazy in a hospital. You'd imagine they're hot washing and cleaning and things and yet it still spread 😬😬😬. No wonder I've picked them up if its that easy.

Weve started decluttering our bedroom. I guess we'd need to do this either way whether we home treat or get someone in.

I'm trying not to panic about everything potentially being contaminated. It feels like covid again.

OP posts:

Original poster

Milkandacookie · 15/09/2024 21:33

So I've managed to decluttering our bedroom (it's a small house and the default place to put stuff "out the way") and got rid of clothes I thought would find "one day", old kids craft kits, randomnfeafts I've started.... Etc. Felt a bit nostalgic for the kids childhoods and so wish we had more space.

Anyway. Haven't got as far as steaming the bedding/hot washing it. That will be tomorrow. But I feel a step closer towards being able to get rid.

My kids have tidied their rooms hut their rooms are chocka as they're kids and have tiny weeny rooms...

Weve steam cleaned the car too so hopefully any that came that way are gone.

I'm terrified of taking them room to room on my clothes, or back out in the car...

And the local person I emailed said 250 for a spray but already how you know if they're just doing the bed or if they manage to get everything. It's so much money but I guess a spray is a good start as they'll have stronger chemicals than I have.

OP posts:

roses2 · 15/09/2024 21:43

I had them last year and called the local council who sent pest control round. They sprayed all the bedrooms and did three visits for a fixed cost.

They are really hard to get rid of without professional treatment.