My war with bed bugs.

  Recently I was lucky enough to spend time in a group home here in Phoenix.  It was not the best and far from the worst.......BUT, bed bugs are a serious problem in this type of environment.  The problem is even worse with the lack of money and participation of EVERYBODY living in the same space.
  This is not a how to or step by step instructable.  My intention is to provide information to a person who may be as desperate as I was to rid myself of these diabolical, persistent, parasitic BUGS.

Step 1: My only line of defence.

  This worked well and was used throughout this campaign.  My biggest problem was cost and missing spots while trying to "yoga spray" my entire body.  Also while sitting on furniture it would wear off elbows, backs of my legs, and my waist line.... thus waking with small areas of dined on flesh.

Comments

[valkgurl]

Love the "Flee Powder"!!!!

Just today read an article in the NY Times on how BEAN LEAVES have been an Eastern European Folk Remedy for bed bugs for millenia. However science got involved and discovered--IT WORKS.

If you have ever picked beans there is a certain "velcro" quality to the leaves that GRABS the legs and the more they struggle the more entangled they get. I dunno where you would get a large quantity of bean leaves but if you had access and need--well that IS the mother of invention!

Scientists are trying to replicate this as a trap but have not gotten this market worthy yet. Mebbe a farmers market?

I suspect the problem in a communal living space is that there are always NEW bugs being brought in and if you don't get EVERYONE on board---they will never go away.

And--ya know--some of the issues you have here--can you LEAVE Hell On Earth aka Arizona? (We pronounce it somewhat differently but this IS a Family Friendly Site---)

[sprinkles68]

bed bugs freak me out and I think I would totally flip my sh!t if I found them on me or even more horrifying…in my house.

[onrust]

My methods are not for everybody. But you hit the key point, information. Thank you for the link. Its a good article and stresses this can and has the possibility to afflict anyone.
Good luck with your battle and may you rest soundly soon

[aweekfromthursday]

I just moved to NY. I'm favoriting this "just in case." Let's hope I never have to consult this.

[onrust]

I hope you don't either. Good luck.

[SpykeNinja]

Thanks so much for the information! With the mild winters this area has had for 2 years now we've seen an outbreak of them. We're working hard as you seem to have on getting rid of them. The motor oil thing I hadn't heard though, testing it tonight I hope.

[SpykeNinja]

We're Thankfully moving soon though and we were planning do take everything to the laundry too. So one way or the other we will escape!

[onrust]

I truly wish you the best of luck.

[awittnebel]

Blessings to you my friend! Thank you for sharing!

[rimar2000]

Wow, what a problem! A dangerous but effective method is to make black powder rich in sulfur, tightly shut down the house, fire the powder in a can on the floor and get out quickly without breathe.

The sulfur dioxide gas kills nearly every living in minutes. After that treatment you should aerate the house for hours before it can be dwell.

"Rich in sulfur" means to add powdered sulfur to normal black powder until it fires barely and slowly. The try must be done outdoors, don't breathe the smoke, it is very dangerous.

[onrust]

Nice.......sounds like something I'd try.

[randomray]

Be very careful about SO2 he isn't kidding about it being deadly . Very low concentrations can kill you . It's something we deal with where I work " a by product of removing sulfur from gasoline " . The legal limit for short term exposure is 0.25 PPM " parts per million " that's not much . In other words if you light it off get the heck out !

[rimar2000]

Yes, it is dangerous. When I was a young boy (younger than today, I say), doing the experiment with SO2, I accidentally breathed a very little portion of it, and that caused me pain in the lungs, which lasted two days.

After that, I killed with SO2 an impressive cockroach plague in the woodshed of my mother. Sadly, hided in the shed there was a wild cats nest, and the litlle puppies died too. They are very silent, and due to that I don't realized their presence.

[onrust]

Hey Ray! Not likely. The next time I see or even hear of a bed bug, I'm a fart in the wind! But thank you for your input for all others to consider. This can drive people to poor judgment and extremes.

[rimar2000]

Obviously, you shuld take off fron the house all pets: mammals, fishes, birds, ophidians, etc.

[sunshiine]

I don't think I could have gone through that! I read bedbugs are really difficult to get rid of. You were very smart to dry all your clothes because of the eggs. Sorry you had to go through that. Your experience will help a lot of people, so thanks! Keep on shining!
sunshiine

[onrust]

I seriously felt a need to share it. Any average person could be in a situation like this with no job, a DUI, domestic problems, criminal, or mental health issues. Its a serious problem that is going unaddressed fueled by the courts and state funding (here in Arizona). This type of housing is simply an unregulated cash cow.
I saw a lot of people not make it. It brought some people to the point of breaking court orders, probation, and parole with no excuse. BUT, the heart of the problem is, some people just live in filth and don't care.
Hey, what doesn't kill me only makes me stronger. Not to mention its just another interesting chapter in the book of onrust ;)

[sunshiine]

It also builds character! You seem to be glowing these days!

[oddstray]

Good info. Thanks!

[onrust]

You are more than welcome. I hope I could help anyone.

[bajablue]

Thanks for sharing, onrust. There, but for the grace of God, go I.

Wishing you better days, happier trails and peaceful slumber when you rest your head at night.

[onrust]

Sleeping quite well now. Thanks

[iceng]

I agree with heat treating and it kills the bugs.

[quatch]

Glad you're through it.

[VadimS]

Flee powder from Walmart works, cover everything, wait an hour or two, then vacuum. Do that a couple times wile also washing every blanket and piece of clothing.