Got a question I didn't really see in your article:
We picked up some hitchhiking bedbugs at a hotel and brought em back to our
apartment.
We read online and buy a vapor cleaner. Lots of hours and bagging later,
we decided to just toss our bedframes, mattresses, and some other
furniture. Then we moved.
At the new place, we brought in no furniture from the old place. Only
sealed bagged washed items. We brought in a mattress and some furniture
from our old house (tied up in litigation) that has no pest problems and
has been uninhabited for over a year.
We sleep on the floor, but start getting bit again. We bring our baby in
to the pediatrician, and he says these are flea bites - probably from the
last tenant. He says it is safe to bomb the house if you stay out a few
hours past when the can says.
We wash everything and vaporclean the hell out of that room.
To be safe, we call in a bedbug seeking K-9.
The dog IDs 3 spots for bedbugs. I don't get it. The dog did not ID
anything in the structure. She ID'd the mattress we brought over, which
was encased the 3rd day we had it here. She ID'd a sealed bag of washed
laundry (washed in scalding hot water) and she ID'd a piece of furniture
that was next to the mattress she ID'd - but had been vapored before
bringing it in.
No spots on carpet, wallboards etc.
How could she ID the garbage bag of laundry that had been hot washed? It
was 1 bag in a big pile of other bags.
I hope we are near the end of our trials. This has taken a ton of effort
and I have been afraid to use pesticides due to the kids, so I have been
painstakingly vaporing everything or what cannot be putting it in the
deepfreeze for 10 days.
Do the dogs hit or miss that much? Could she be correct - nothing on the
carpet but with the mattress, bedstand, and bag of laundry? Her handler
could find no evidence of them at all and advised us not to spray and just
forget about them.
Mattress Cover Ratings
Summary: We have rated the various bed bug mattress covers available and describe them in detail. Take a look at this article for the facts on getting the best bargain for your money for mattress covers.
Many of you read my first article on bed bug mattress covers describing the different types available for purchase. I thought it necessary to write another article comparing the products to better give you get an idea of what you are buying before you go maxing out your credit card. Remember! We are interested in bed bug control, but not at the cost of sleepless, uncomfortable nights. Let's start at the bottom and work our way up the list beginning with vinyl mattress covers.
The heavy-duty six gauge vinyl mattress cover is priced around $16.
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Compared to thinner vinyl covers, this six-gauger is proven to tear less. It lasts at least a year under normal conditions and is ideal for use in cribs or on toddlers' beds. It is a nice bargain, but the compromise is that you will be sleeping on vinyl fabric which may not always be the most comfortable. This cover gets a rating of a 2.
The cotton-polyester blend mattress cover, priced at about $64, is a mix of two materials. The cotton material is great for comfort, but still less expensive than 100% cotton mattress covers. Some versions may also be waterproof, which is an added bonus if your plumbing breaks in the middle of the night. We rate this bed bug mattress cover as good, not great. On hot nights you know you are sleeping on polyester. It gets a 4.
Breathable, 100% white terry cotton bed bug mattress covers will run you about $90. This fabric is the industry standard against bed bugs. Hotels tend to buy this kind of cover most often. One brand, called the AllerZip, states that it is 100% proven to trap any bed bugs you may have. The theory is that you can put the mattress cover over your bed bug-infested mattress and the bugs will be unable to escape. They will eventually die and you will not have to worry about the pesky critters again. However, if you get a new infestation of bugs after you have encased your bed, you are back to square one. The advantages to this type of cover are comfort and it also helps keep out dust mites which are allergens for some people. This cover is also less bulky and will sufficiently cool you down in the warm summer months. This is the best bet for anyone who has a severe bed bug infestation, but does not want to shell out the big bucks for a top-of-the-line product. The 100% cotton mattress cover is the most ideal for the average customer with a bed bug infestation. We give it a rating of 8.
The soft and supple micro-weave 100% polyester fabric bed bug mattress cover costs around $95. One brand, called the Pristine Luxury mattress cover, is proven to not only protect against bed bugs, but does a great job against allergens, as well. It has very small pore sizes and is the best choice for someone with many allergies who also happens to have a bed bug infestation. Because it is not quite as heavenly-soft as the 100% cotton mattress cover, we give it a 7.
Finally, we get to the ultimate in bed bug mattress covers, the Peruvian organic cotton cover, priced at about $230. This is the epitome of protection against bed bugs that provides the most luxury. The Nahanni 1000 Flannel Pad from Obasan eliminates the threat of bed bugs while ensuring a peaceful night of sleep. It also helps to absorb body moisture. An organic mattress cover is ideal for people who wish to be environmentally friendly. Because this is the most comfortable bed bug mattress cover, we give it a rating of 10. However, if you purchase this kind, don't be surprised when your wallet is thinner.
For more bed bug information please click here .
Comments
David
09 Aug 2009, 13:48
09 Aug 2009, 13:48
Yasmine Hecker
24 Aug 2009, 14:19
24 Aug 2009, 14:19
Do air tight bags kill bed bugs? If so, how long should one keep their
belongings in air tight bags before opening?
Diana
01 Sep 2009, 01:58
01 Sep 2009, 01:58
Hi, Does Neem oil or Cedar oil really work for bedbugs? Or it is just over
marketed items? I heard it really does...
We went to the camp and brought some unexpected bedbugs back. Found where the infestation was-vacuumed the mattress, frames, cleaned mattress with lysol wipes also used a magical chinese chock for insecticide all over the bedframe, floors.
What type of zipped mattress cover u also recommend the most.
Thank you.
We went to the camp and brought some unexpected bedbugs back. Found where the infestation was-vacuumed the mattress, frames, cleaned mattress with lysol wipes also used a magical chinese chock for insecticide all over the bedframe, floors.
What type of zipped mattress cover u also recommend the most.
Thank you.
john
07 Dec 2009, 21:54
07 Dec 2009, 21:54
Never mind safety. The Chinese do not have a clue. I bought a plastic
mattress cover recently. Made in China of course, but how can you #%&* up a
rectangular piece of plastic sown to four other rectangular pieces of
plastic. Well guess what. It is round. No corners??? Needless to say it fit
my king size bed poorly. It is now a very small round cover which does not
fit at all. Behind all this I am sure their is an American firm which
simply does not give a &*%$ as long as they make money selling this crap.