# Bed bugs



## KarimT (Oct 10, 2014)

When it comes to bed bugs, I am much worried mainly because quite a few people that I know of have had this problem in the past or recently. Does anyone know if there are measures one can take to prevent those from settling under/on my bed sheets and mattress?

Would be much appreciated.


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## r0ckstarr (Jan 8, 2013)

Don't sleep in their beds, and don't let them sleep in yours.


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## Gustavas (Oct 4, 2014)

despite their name, bed bugs live in many places not just your bed.

The best prevention is to check to make sure you don't bring them into your home. inspect clothing and suitcases after traveling.

you could buy a insect monitor glue trap to monitor your situation and find problem pests before they become a larger infestation.

if you are really worried you could preemptively seal your boxspring with plastic. 

dusting with d earth in cracks and voids would help as well.


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## Startingover (Apr 18, 2012)

I had to attend a seminar on bedbugs.

They live within 8' of where a person sleeps, whether a bed or recliner.

Get mattress covers made especially for them.

Check around edges of mattress or outlet covers for little poop dots.

Juveniles are pale and the size of the letters on a penny.

They can live for months without eating.

As another poster said, inspect things coming into your home.


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## DeCaff2007 (Sep 28, 2014)

I had this problem myself once upon a time.

Like Startingover said, get the mattress cover specially made to trap them. Very expensive but very worth it.

Raid sells a spray product specifically for bedbugs and fleas. It works well. You have to spray in every little crack you can find. 

It will take about a week or so and you will stop seeing the infestation. You can't just spray once and stop, however. You must KEEP SPRAYING. Like another poster said, they can live for months.

We believed the source to be both scummy neighbors (we were in an apartment at the time) and a shady hotel we stayed at.


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## Bob Sanders (Nov 10, 2013)

DeCaff2007 said:


> We believed the source to be both scummy neighbors (we were in an apartment at the time) and a shady hotel we stayed at.


It's not that simple. You can pick them up anywhere now. A movie theater seat, a Bus seat, a piece of second hand furniture you bought.

It's not the live ones which are tough to kill.... it's the eggs. The only thing that really works on the eggs was DDT and that was banned decades ago. Sprays do get the adults but to get everything you really need heat (over 125 degrees F).

We have a heater trailer which you dump all your furniture in and heat past 125, and we also have a heating truck with portable heat coils which heat up rooms or entire houses past 125. For the smaller guy though, one of those steam cleaner guns works well.


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