To throw out my suitcase due to potential bed bugs?

[singme]

Last day on holiday in the US at the moment and I think the last hotel we stayed at had bed bugs. My friend and I are covered in bites and when we read previous reviews bed bugs were mentioned! It’s definitely not mosquitoes as it’s mainly my back which isn’t exposed. Some on arms and legs too.

We have hot washed and dried all our clothes and put into plastic bags, we’ve closed our cases which mainly have shoes etc in. I’ve inspected all the cases and contents and haven’t found anything.

Showered about 20 times.

Plan is- fly home in the clean clothes from the sealed bag. Still going to have stuff in my carry on suitcase and will check the main suitcase with shoes etc in it. When I get home put all clothes on a hot wash, freezer shoes but should I throw out my suitcases?? Also had my hand bag in bed with me last night- do I just chuck it?? It’s not expensive but annoyed at having to replace suitcases. However the cost of bed bugs at home is way worse.

I wouldn't even consider bringing that suitcase into my home. No fucking way. If there are bed bugs in that bag, it would be a nightmare. It's just not worth the risk.

What about clothes, handbag, purse etc? Shoes even?? Or is the case more risky?

I wouldn’t even take your cases into the house!

You could vacuum them thoroughly I suppose. Or seal them in plastic and leave them in the garage, if you have one, for the longest a big could survive.

My friend said we should just turn up home naked and I can’t see any other way really

Could you put the purse in a pillow case and put it in the dryer on the highest temp for a full cycle? As for the shoes, I just don't know. All I do know if that the thought of bed bugs in my home is enough to make we want to burn it to the ground. They are so hard to get rid of.

I would either keep the suitcase in the garage or get rid. We keep all our luggage in the garage for this exact reason. Freezing won't kill bed bugs I'm afraid, only heat treatment. You will need to tumble dry your clothes to kill them as well. You have my sympathies!

From what I understand, vacuuming and sealing in plastic bags isn't effective against bed bugs.

I know someone who brought them home from a trip and the only way to get rid of them is chemicals and heat treatment, and even that is frequently a long process. This family literally lived a nightmare.

It sounds horrid

I think I will probably just chuck the suitcases then. Both new this year. They are hard cases but with fabric inside. Not sure what to do about clothes, jackets, bags etc. I don’t have a tumble drier

Go straight to a laundrette and tumble dry absolutely everything on high heat. Chuck everything you can’t tumble dry.

BUT do google pictures of bed bug bites first and make sure that’s what they look like - they’re quite distinctive.

Yes, bed bug bites tend to go in a line.

Bin them or burn them. I'd be tempted by the burning option, personally. Together with all the clothes, as they are so tiny, you just won't see them.

And go straight through the front door, disposing of clothes as you go (ie, on to a superhot wash if not straight into the bin) into a superhot shower. And I'd spray the insides of my shoes with bug spray (if I couldn't afford to replace them).

Repulsive bastarding things.

Yeah they definitely are bed bug bites. Argh

I'm reading this in bed.

Now I itch....

Thanks!

I think I would ditch the suitcase in the US and buy a new one. Not sure about the shoes though. If they can’t be de-bugged I think I would leave those behind too.

Oh op. How awful for you! I would be so upset. I actually love bugs, but bed bugs are a nightmare. I had to deal with fleas once several years ago, but it wasn't that big of a problem and it was sorted right away. Bed bugs are a plague upon humanity. I think I would be tempted to get rid of everything. The friend I mentioned earlier had to get new matresses, pillows, great the house a LOAD of times. It was awful.

Yes!

Things that can be washed at 60 degs kills them

Putting things in the freezer kills them (not sure for how long)

The problem is how to get them to a washing machine or freezer without contaminating your house . ,

The person I know who it happened to lived I a cottage away from other people and could sort their things outside the house taking most things straight to the bin

Good luck!

Sprinkle them with diacremateous earth and seal them in plastic bags. The DE essentially destroys their exoskeleton. No chemicals and very effective.

When I got bed bugged on a trip I left the case and contents outside when I got home. But it was the Middle East in July and was almost 50 degrees, and the yard is fully paved so can see any bugs on the tiles. I blasted everything with the flea and tick spray I got when we brought home a rescue dog off the street. I blasted everything twice a day for 3 days before I let anything into my house.

Thankfully hadn’t taken much stuff as it was a 3 day trip.

Didn’t have any issues though.

Thanks all. I think I’ll leave the case outside, take the stuff I want to wash in in bin bags, put the case in a big bin bag, get undressed at the washing machine, hot wash for the clothes and jump in the shower. Maybe chuck my shoes and handbag as they are getting old. Do not want to risk bringing them in!! Then I’ll either treat the case or throw it.

Thanks for the tip re: DE

Sounds like you're taking sensible precautions. If you're wearing freshly hot-washed clothes that should be fine but if you're worried you could buy a cheap set of new clothes to go home in.

Unless you have a chest freezer, freezing is not effective. Your best weapon is heat.

Washing things at 60 or above works.

Tumble drying dry items on high for 1/2 hour works - this may be an option for shoes and bags.

Steaming works.

If the suitcase was cheap then yes, I would chuck it, preferably before you return to the UK. If you need it for your return journey it should ideally be sealed in pallet wrap before checking in. Sometimes they have rolls of this at the airport you can help yourself to.

Showering won't make a difference, the bugs don't hang around on people. It probably makes you feel better though.

DE sort of works a bit eventually. If you're still in the US, try and get hold of some CimeXa which is far more effective and not available in the UK.

If you want to starve them out you need to keep items completely sealed for at least 18 months.

I'm so sorry your holiday has ended like this

Open everything in a bath- you can see them them. Spray it all in the bath.

Claim travel insurance- if it is a chain hotel also ask them to pay

Don't buy a new suitcase in the US. Bedbugs often transfer when on the plane so your new suitcase could pick up a hitchhiker. If you're getting rid of it get rid once you're gone.

It's a good idea to unpack in the bath if you don't have space outside because if there's anything crawling it won't be able to escape. However it's extremely easy to miss eggs and newly hatched bugs. They really are tiny.

Bugs are becoming immune to all insecticides. You might kill them with a direct hit but you can do the same with diluted washing up liquid which is far less toxic to people and pets.