How to kill bed bugs?

[Monocrom]

Years ago, my dad and I switched beds because I wouldn't stop growing. His bed was longer.... and infested with bed bugs. (They sure enjoyed having me for dinner for several nights. At first I just thought I had a rash).

Forget about trying to save the mattress. You'll never get all the little critters. And the ones you miss are just likely to reproduce.

Toss the entire bed. Mattress, box-spring, frame, head-board; all of it! Fumigate the home. Replace with a new bed. Yeah, it's not cheap. But it's the only way you'll completely get rid of the problem. Otherwise, they'll be back!

Also, just to clarify, all homes have bugs. Sometimes the problem becomes big. And the solution requires drastic action.

 

[TITAN1833]

Ditto, I always though that bedbugs were mite size. Those things are huge!

Better the devil you know,mites can't be detected so easily.
bedbugs can hide,but their pooh gives them away it's often the size of the animal itself.
BTW They cannot be potty trained,so your bed is their toilet

 

[jinx626]

Arkayne... those are some big bedbugs. I didn't see any of those when changing my bedding... so it's a high chance it's fleas that's having me for their entree?

 

[fnmag]

Not sure, but they look big enough to be ticks.

 

[Rothrandir]

Have you considered the possibility of extraterrestrials coming down while you're asleep and sticking you with needles?

 

[jinx626]

Have you considered the possibility of extraterrestrials coming down while you're asleep and sticking you with needles?

I did think of that...that's why I wore 3 pairs of underwear to sleep... bitting is one thing..probing is another!!!

 

[TITAN1833]

Have you considered the possibility of extraterrestrials coming down while you're asleep and sticking you with needles?

And do they look like this

 

[TITAN1833]

I did think of that...that's why I wore 3 pairs of underwear to sleep... bitting is one thing..probing is another!!!

This thread is funny I visit every night..to itch.

 

[Hitthespot]

 

[AlexGT]

One way to know if its fleas is to put a candle in the center of a plate with soapy water, the fleas will be attracted by the heat and when they jump into it they will land on the soapy water and drown, easy to spot if they are in a plate.

Or see the TV from the carpet, you may see one or two jump past the TV screen and get eaten at the same time LOL!

HTH
AlexGT

 

[jinx626]

One way to know if its fleas is to put a candle in the center of a plate with soapy water, the fleas will be attracted by the heat and when they jump into it they will land on the soapy water and drown, easy to spot if they are in a plate.

Can I use a flashlight on HIGH mode with 2 RCR123A 3.7V... you think it's hot enough to draw them out onto the soapy water? hahaha

 

[yuandrew]

^
I wonder how many fleas would be "drawn to the flame"

A while back, I was messing around at a BBQ with WD-40 and an Aim N Flame (We started the charcoal with that) and I decided to quickly blast a crack in the concrete. Right after, I noticed hundreds of little tiny bugs jumping out of the crack. I pointed it out to my Uncle who said they were fleas. I blasted another spot about two feet away and sure enough, fleas started jumping out of there as well; drawn out by heat. I finally went up and down the entire length of the crack with the flamethrower until I nearly used up the whole can (and made the entire yard smell like diesel engine exhaust)

Even afterwards, there was still a small number of fleas jumping out of the crack. Soaking the remaining fleas with WD-40 (without burning it) seemed to be more effective.

 

[DM51]

Funny thread!

Unfortunately, I think you're going to have to burn that bed - I don't think there is any way of getting rid of bedbugs, if that is what they are (as carbine15 says, the bite pattern is distinctive).

I think Hitthespot's solution in post #29 could also prove fairly effective, lol!

 

[TITAN1833]

The best way to check what they are is "I have it from good authority" If your mattress slides it's bugs! If it jumps up and down it's fleas,good luck lol.

 

[Valolammas]

I've heard they'll die if you leave your matress and bedclothes for several hours in a sub-zero temperature (the colder the better). The adult ones die fast, but it takes hours for the eggs to die. Hmm, though that may have been for dustmites.

If all else fails, napalm works every time!

 

[Tubor]

Arkayne... those are some big bedbugs. I didn't see any of those when changing my bedding... so it's a high chance it's fleas that's having me for their entree?

I had a really bad case of cat fleas - got everywhere - must have been 1000's. Tried everything from spraying the carpet with anti-flea spray, dusting, hoovering, etc. In the end the only thing that got them was a pretty toxic "crawling insect/ant killer" in liquid form in a spray (not aerosol). Hoovered first (remember to throw the bag away afterwards) then sprayed evenly everywhere (until the carpet was damp), in the corners and edges, under furniture and rugs, and left it to dry. Hoovered about a week later. Took a few days to completely eradicate them but that worked. Better than waking up in the middle of the night with about 20 having a "midnight feast". They are pretty easy to spot and are attracted to warmth - walk around with bare legs and you'll see them, they are about 2-3mm long, black and are very difficult to squash unless you get them between your finger nails. I wouldn't do this if you've got pets or intend sleeping on the floor within a few weeks. Maybe a carpet wash after 2-4 weeks if you've got a carpet washer.

Sprinkling salt down on the floor and the edges of the room may also work well, although don't do this in a humid environment or after it's just rained as it will soak up the moisture and make the carpet wet.

Look for evidence of bugs and try to identify them. Or call in the professionals.

Here is a flea entombed in sticky tape.

 

[Hitthespot]

Keep in mind that if it is in fact fleas you must first control them on the animal or all other methods of trying to erradicate them will fail. There are proven methods you place on the animal which will kill fleas. As they die and more of them go from the carpet to the animal, they will die. In some cases (not all) treating the animal is all that is needed. Talk with your vet.

As Tudor stated, if you have them bad enough you can see them jumping as you walk across your carpet. Ankle bites are extremely common.

Bill

 

[jtr1962]

Am I the only one getting really itchy reading this thread? oo::sick2::green:

For cat fleas Frontline works great. The two we have now had fleas when we took them in. Thankfully, we have no carpets and the fleas didn't infest the house before we spotted them. We applied the Frontline to both animals. Next day there were dead and dying fleas all over the floor. The killing action lasts long enough so that when any remaining eggs hatch, they die before they have a chance to mature and reproduce. If you have the patience to give the cat a bath, that'll kill a lot of fleas, too. You can pick them off with a tweezer as you're drying the animal, and put them in a dish of alcohol. That kills them instantly. Yes, they're almost impossible to kill by squashing.

 

[Hitthespot]

Frontline is one of the proven methods and may in fact be the best. It will continue to kill fleas on the animal and in the house as the live fleas move back to the animal.

We only had to use it once but it completely cured our dog and the house. Best if used defensively, then the problem never becomes severe.

Bill

 

[TITAN1833]

Another +on the frontline.Awhile back I went to a empty flat to price a job it was invested with fleas no less,they sensed the warmth as I approached and must have had a gleeful look on their face as they anticipated the feast coming their way.

On returning home I notice I had carried on my clothes around 20 combatants with me,all eager to get to my flesh.On one occasion one attacked my chest,out came a few hairs "pretty quick" I can tell you!

I treated my dog that day with frontline,in reality they prefer animals to humans..anyway the next day there was no sign of them alive Phew:sweat:frontline had saved the day,the battle over I vacuumed up the casualties and burned the contents.
BTW there were no survivors :shakehead

(Frontline mans second best friend) :rock: