Any tips to prevent bedbugs?
My husband has a lot of travel coming up, much of it to areas where they are having problems with bedbugs. Any tips or hints to prevent them coming home with him would be great.
Does reciting the old saying help, at all, to banish them? : )
by
pickypickypicky
asked 8 months ago
Tell him to drop off his clothes a laundry or wash them at a laundromat before coming home. If those suckas get in your house you will be sad.
@ohcheri: I am almost afraid of the idea of picking them up there, could that happen, do you know?
If he's traveling casually, have him go to a resale store and buy a bunch of cheap clothes and just toss them as he wears them. Only bring home what he's wearing on the plane. If you do get an infestation, In understand diotomaceous earth (DE) works on them.
@pickypickypicky: You mean getting bedbugs from a laundromat? I think they prefer a dark and dry climate. Here is a good article:
omg...just reading that is making my skin crawl....i, however, am of no help but i can sympathize with the fear
Don't stay in cheap hotels.
@zachnolan: Actually they have been found in some of the best hotels in many major cities. Probably, they are more proactive about treating them, than, say, a fleabag motel.
@ohcheri: I read some forums discussing this, I don't think Laundromats are their natural habitat, but in areas where they are prominent, it might be a place your stuff can get contaminated. As people shake out their stuff, eggs and bugs fall out, you put your stuff down to fold it, and next thing you know, itchy, itchy. May also be an urban legend thing, most stories are friends of friends, so I am skeptical, but cautious. Great website BTW, thanks.
@moondrake: Unfortunately, he wears a uniform, but that was a good idea. I love the diatomaceous earth idea, even better, since I already have some on hand. I will send him with one of those giant zip-lock bags, with a little in the bottom, for dirty clothes. When he gets back, I'll dust the luggage well, and wash everything, clean or dirty, in hot water. It'll be a good excuse for me to make him strip in the garage, I'm picturing the scene in "Pulp Fiction", LOL. Thank goodness they don't live on people.
@gretchena: Your sympathy is appreciated, they give me the heebie jeebies too. I watched a Discovery Channel show, which didn't have any good solutions, and now I am paranoid. Hubby, is on the same page, and today recited a list of planned precautions, while on the road. Yuck.
Always use proper syntax in bed.
@gregorylikescheapstu: LMAO!
I do quite a bit of traveling for work, so while I am not an exterminator, nor am I an entemologist....I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last week!
When I check into a hotel, I immediately put all my luggage in the bathroom, usually in the bathtub. I then pull out my trusty little maglight and take a look around the room. If you examine the mattress, particularly under those little plastic corner protectors by the headboard and footboard, you can see if there is any evidence of the little terrors. Look for the bugs themselves, or for their "leavings".
In the interest of full disclosure, my travel is primarily in the midwest, with some trips to the southeast and southwest. I have only once found anything approaching evidence, and that was questionable. I did, however, request a new room which upon inspection, did not have any evidence. Most hotels, particularly the larger chains, won't give you too much static about switching rooms, provided there are others available.
@srdavies: Thanks so much, for that great idea, putting the luggage into the tub, while you inspect. Those luggage stands are only able to hold so much, you know. We already do the flashlight thing. He is mostly traveling on the eastern seaboard, where reports are increasing, so we want to be prudent, but reasonable. Which sounds like what you are doing too. Here's wishing we never encounter them!
use precautionary measures. like a repellent spray in your suit case to discourage them from climbing in. Always, always, always! check the mattress for signs of bed bugs, even the nicest hotels have them. dont put your luggage on the floor, use the rack they provide and throughly check before bringing that luggage home. it only takes one bed bug to start an infestation!
Heres a few websites/products I found useful-
http://bedbugregistry.com/
http://www.amazon.com/Rest-Easy-Spray-2-Ounce-Bottles/dp/B001F0RFBG
https://www.eucoclean.com/
The first one is a website that you can research a hotel/motel before staying in it, the next two are sprays products that help to repel the bugs.
Hope that helps! and good luck!
ewwww i hope you cant get them from the laundry mat, i go there weekly!
haha, i always feel gross about using those wheely push carts...
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