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

[Milkandacookie]

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.

The fuckers travelled back with me from holiday about 15 years ago. I used ecolab pest control and they were gone after two extensive treatments. I don't recall how much it cost but I would've nuked the bastards if that was the only option. As we don't react to the bites, I didn't realise I had them until they really took hold. It was my nephew staying over and waking up covered in bites that alerted us to what was going on. I tried various treatments like steaming mattress, washing bedding on high and using over the counter treatments. I ended up discarding my kids bunk beds, wardrobes and chest of drawers. They seemed to only be in my kids room

My moral to this horrendous story is that if you get the slightest evidence you have them, go to the professionals straight away.

I still travel a lot but check the mattress in every hotel extensively. I've never had them since and may that remain the case forever.

I brought them back from holiday a few years ago. Reacted very badly to the bites (hospital stay) but thought it was mozzies for ages, till I woke up one night and saw a bedbug on the mattress. They’re very distinctive and much bigger than you expect.

Had whole house sprayed twice, one week apart, and had to move all furniture away from walls, empty all cupboards and drawers and get all bedding and soft furnishings dry cleaned.

once the treatment was done I bought these sort of things to put bed legs on which stop the bedbugs climbing up, and check the mattresses regularly, plus spray them. Also never take luggage upstairs to unpack and leave on a hard surface for a week!

Also got them in south London last year, we don't know where from, maybe the tube.

DM me, I can give you the number of an exterminator. Don't wait around trying other things eg steaming. If you get bites at home or the marks on the bed just get the exterminator in. We didn't know what was going on at first and so the whole thing took months to resolve and nearly broke me (financially and emotionally)

All our family has asthma and we ended up having sprays 4 times (only twice with the decent guy who fixed it) - it didn't affect any of us.

Also kept the house spider and moth free for six months or more!

I heard they hate lavender oil. You dilute lavender essential oil in water in a spray bottle and spray it all over the mattress after steaming it

I can't remember to be honest. I just put the stuff in the room and left it, my daughter slept elsewhere..then I hoovered but didn't go right up to the skirting. I left the mattress covers on permanently.

Oh that sounds brilliant. I wish we had that service!

So budget for 3 visits... Did they come each time you saw them or like at art times?

Oh gosh Paul that was all the things I was going to try and do. 😭

I haven't a clue which professionals to get in. One lady does a spray for 250 but how do you know if they're good or not?

@Johnnyfartpants where did you put everything when you emptied the cupboards and drawers? Did they just spray the bedrooms?

Yes it's knowing which is the good ones that is worrying me. Im happy to get them in.

Also some places say heat treatments are better.

I'm feeling so overwhelmed. I'd love there to be an official person to go to!!

luckily it was summer so I put everything in bags outside, they sprayed all the bedrooms plus the study as it has a sofa bed in, and the lounge. We had to keep the cats away and also ourselves for several hours each time.

I'm literally not sure where we put everything!!!

And what if the bugs were in the things removed. My brain is so spinning.

I had a freak out about eight months ago when I thought we had them. I never saw one, but I had a circle of bites on my lower back and two weeks later a clear line of bites on my upper leg.

We bought one of those mattress covers you zip around the mattress (so they can't get out), took the bed apart and steamed it, then applied a thin layer of Dermataceous earth around the bed, bedside tables etc.

So far, no new bites! 🤞

Oh yes, we also washed all the bedding and clothes on high. Any clothes that would have been wrecked, I put in the freezer instead.

OK so maybe I could sort it if we're early doors like you.

Will do mattress steaming, put mattress protector on, pit earth down. 🤞

It was £290 and they came every 14 days x3 visits. Did you double check your council website to see if they offer this service? The council rates are always cheaper than private.

The biting stopped after visit 2 then 5 days later I found a bedbug when changing the sheets.

290 each time?

Unfortunately our council don't. And I would prefer someone who did repeat visits.

They all seem to offer different things. Just spraying the bed/spraying all the rooms/heat treatment.

Some offer a discount on repeat visits but I've not found any that do it as standard.

@roses2 did they spray everywhere? Did you have to stay out for 6hours?

Did you have to take things out of cupboards or wash every item of clothing or anything?

We're you sure they hadn't made it to the lounge/car?

Unfortunately my mums in hospital and work is busy and my brain is not braining at all.

I haven't actually seen one either...

I didn't get bitten this morning but I did put bug repellant on!

These are my bites. One set on my wrist and other on my forearm. They seem like bites don't they??

But what if I pay for a spray and it turns out they're in the car or I took the hug into the lounge.

290 each time?

No, total for all 3 visits. This was last year and included 4 bedrooms.

did they spray everywhere? Did you have to stay out for 6hours?
They sprayed the mattresses & bedframes only and yes we had to stay out of the bedrooms until evening then slept in the beds at night, at the request of the pest control.

Did you have to take things out of cupboards or wash every item of clothing or anything?
Only clothes in the under bed storage. We didn't touch the items in the wardrobes.

My home insurance offer pest control as an add on. Can you see on the website if yours also offer this? It might be cheaper than going private.

Wow!!

There's nothing like that here. Lots recommend heat treatment at over £1000 and the individual sprays start at 250 a go.

Heat treatment didn't work for us. They just shuttled into the skirting which doesn't make the high temps and then survived.

have a look at the bedbugs subreddit - lots of advice on there.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Bedbugs/

Op you getting lots of great advice but to ensure you get a good person, make sure 1) they are accredited by BPCA British Pest Control Association (you can verify via their website) 2) choose someone who provides some sort of guarantee that they will return until bedbugs are gone. For example guy we used said he will come back until they are gone after if still persist after 6 months any repeat treatment half price. Other companies offer different things but I think that's a sign of them being confident in their ability. Choose someone who specialises in bedbugs as sole pest in their business if possible (not always possible but I found people who do all pests had some weak Knowledge on bedbugs and I do think they require special approach). That's not always possible but just saying worked for us. Well done one decluttering we started the same way and it was such weight off my shoulders too :). Thye will be gone in no time!

Everything online says different things!

And some websites cleverly say your local area even though they arent.

😬😬

@Milkandacookie Fumigated. The pest control guy came with a great big fog (not actually fog, some ingredient that had sharp-edge molecules to kill everything and get through carapace) machine, took about 15min to do the whole house (3 bedrooms, lots of cupboards). I waited outside, paid him, went to the launderette.

It's some newish substance, but did the trick in one setting. I wasn't allowed to hoover for 8 weeks after.