Very distressed by what I've just found. Help!

[Waitinginthewings]

I've just discovered lots of tiny, tiny bugs in a backroom. They are all over a big book shelf, kids art stuff and toys. It's a room I haven't been in for ages. I had an operation and have been recovering. It's a ages since room has been cleaned properly. What can I do?! The place looks like there are probably hundreds, maybe more of these minute creatures. I've just killed 10. They don't fly. I would just throw everything out and bleach everywhere but I don't want to lose all my books. There's lots of paperwork/ books that I don't want to lose if possible. Any suggestions?! I'm desperate to get rid of them as fast as possible and hopefully stop them spreading round the house. I've not seen them anywhere else- all other rooms are cleaned every week. Thanks!

Silverfish? Just spray them with something, open windows and Hoover them up

I think your first course of action needs to be properly identifying them so you know how to handle this.

Yep sounds like silverfish.

No. Not silverfish. These tiny bugs have legs. They are crawling on my stuff. The problem is they are all over stuff/ there's lots of clutter in the room. Any recommendations what I can use to kill them?

Can you take a photo?

They are so small, when they aren't moving they just look like tiny dots/ specks on the floor. You wouldn't notice them until they move.

You could try a big fogger? Remember to unplug any smoke alarms in the room though!

Paper mites? You could try something like a flea bomb?

Are they book lice?
bpca.org.uk/pest-aware/Page-3/booklice-control-how-to-get-rid-of-booklice-psocids-bpca-pests/189178

This is what I do with my 5 year old phone and lap top:
Take a close up/enlarged photo on your phone. Send it to your lap top via email or whatsapp. Right click on the photo and select reverse google image. Then you will be able to identify it.

If it’s ants, beetles or silverfish a salt line can keep them in one place while you hoover them all up.

If the room’s been shut up and unventilated, it might be a bit damp in there? Book lice thrive in damp & advice is usually to ventilate well a d use a dehumidifier once you’ve cleaned the surfaces.

Book lice?

I don't think there's a damp problem in the room. I'm really struggling to get a picture. They move very fast and are microscopically small.

You do t necessarily need to have a damp problem, just that if it’s been closed off the air hasn’t been circulating.

Google some images of book lice. They are tiny.

I know you can buy flea killer bombs - you light a candle type thing, leave the room with the door closed, and it releases a gas that kills fleas. Not sure if would be a general pesticide or not.

What colour are they? If there are loads you may need pest control. Or you could see if they die in extreme heat heat up the room? Alternatively, empty everything into the the garden, spring clean the room and then hoover every single item before it goes back in.

Ooh is the room high up? They could be mites of some sort, we had bird mites from a nest in the eaves.

Are they dust mites op? www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=fe64eK6%2b&id=98CDE1A1EF0BF01EF467F203C80BE85E899C387C&thid=OIP.fe64eK6-E2uKnLpOPI4IegHaEr&mediaurl=https%3a%2f%2fi0.wp.com%2fwww.straitstimes.com%2fsites%2fdefault%2ffiles%2farticles%2f2016%2f05%2f17%2fjldustmite.jpg&cdnurl=https%3a%2f%2fth.bing.com%2fth%2fid%2fR.7deeb878aebe136b8a9cba4e3c8e087a%3frik%3dfDiciV7oC8gD8g%26pid%3dImgRaw&exph=970&expw=1536&q=Dust+Mites+in+Home&simid=608011217114122172&FORM=IRPRST&ck=B36F71B57F6E40CA841732F27605E1D8&selectedIndex=9&ajaxhist=0&ajaxserp=0

Thunderbugs? They're currently everywhere.

Could you just use a fly spray on them?

Could they be bird mites? Do you have a birds nest outside?

Could they be dust mites? Look a little bit like tiny minuscule spider type things? I had a similar situation, big op so no deep cleaning done for months and months and they were behind a piece of furniture where a lot of dust had gathered so I assumed thats what they were.

Hoovered up and mopped the floor. Never saw them again

I get the panic, but slow down and stop listening to everyone throwing out ideas to fix it without knowing the problem.

You have to identify the bug. I had this happen in my reception room. One day we suddenly had hundreds of tiny black dots everywhere. It was insane. I captured one in a clear container with a lid and hit the internet. I was able to figure out It was a carpet beetle. Once I had that information, it was very easy to know how to get rid of them. We ended up having our exterminator do the work because we have a contract anyway because our house is in an area with venomous spiders so prevention is essential. If we had not, we would have done it diy because it’s a pretty easy fix.

So get ahold of one and get searching or post a good photo here.

Thunder flies? They are like specks. They aren't around for long if so and no action needed.