Archive for the ‘tips’ Category

Crinkle, Crinkle

Thursday, November 9th, 2006

M and I just bought two pillows at a 99 cent store to replace the ones I threw out in July which were full of bed bugs. These pillows came in a kind of cellophane bag, so we decided to tape up the opening of each bag with the pillow still inside to keep the bugs from crawling inside. Then we just stuff the whole thing in a pillowcase. So far we’ve had the pillows for a week and we haven’t seen any bed bugs on them yet. The only drawback is that M and I are both notorious chronic tossers and turners, so the cellophane bag goes “crinkle crinkle” everytime we change positions or basically anytime we touch them.

oh well.

crinkle crinkle.

Bed Bug Detection Tip

Sunday, August 13th, 2006

I just got a really good tip on what to do if you think you have an infestation in your home, but aren’t sure if the perpetrators are bed bugs because you haven’t actually seen them.

Set glue traps on the floor, the really sticky kind used for rats. Make sure you place them in a part of the floor where you won’t be likely to step in it, like under your bed or under furniture. By morning you should have some insect trapped on it. If you can’t identify the trapped bug from the many, many, MANY photos of bed bugs floating around the Web, or if you want a second opinion from a professional, stuff the insect(s) along with the trap (don’t try to touch the trap) into a large Ziploc bag and call 311 to find a Department of Health laboratory who can analyze the specimen and confirm whether the insect is a bed bug or not. I understand this is a free service, I’m not completely sure of that.

Good luck!

Eco-Friendly and Highly Effective Bed Bug Pesticide?

Wednesday, May 3rd, 2006

Could such a thing exist?

I’ve tried spraying bleach where my walls and floor meet, only to end up sneezing uncontrollably from the volatile chemical, plus my apartment ends up smelling like a swimming pool. It bothers the hell out of my sinuses, and once I realized the bleach had a minimal effect on bed bugs I stopped using it altogether.

And oh yeah, I accidentally sprayed some bleach on one of my favorite black shirts, ruining it forever. :(

So I was surprised to find out about Sleep Tight, an all-natural pesticide which was not only designed to kill bed bugs, but has been proven to be highly effective. The best part about this product, besides the fact that it kills bed bugs, is that it is non-toxic to humans.

I read about this new product in a news story from a Tennessee news station’s web site and after learning exactly how it works I decided to peruse the manufacturer’s web site. Apparently the company, Natureplex, has a wide range of natural products that address everything from sexual health to denture care.

I’m really glad to see a product has finally been developed specifically for bed bugs. In an earlier post I wrote about a pesticide made by Dow Chemicals which was designed to kill termites, but can kill bed bugs if used at three times the concentration needed to kill termites. I really didn’t feel safe administering a triple dosage of insecticide in my living space. But I feel confident enough to order Sleep Tight. The site is very informative and doesn’t try to hide anything about this pesticide.

I’m going to order this tonight and see just how well Sleep Tight works. I’ll happily post my review of Sleep Tight on Bugged Out.

Mattress Mayhem

Friday, April 14th, 2006

There are quite a few furniture stores in the neighborhood. To my surprise, however, none of them (even Sleepy’s) carried inflatable mattresses, and a few of the stores’ managers and workers didn’t even know what an inflatable mattress was! I don’t why, but I took the time to try and explain to them the concept of a mattress you pump air into. I felt like I was teaching a class as they looked at me in amazement and bewilderment every time. Two store managers asked me if I was going camping. One shopkeeper, this Greek guy asked, “So it is like a balloon, you fill it with your mouth?”

I tried not to laugh as I imagined myself filling an entire twin-size mattress with air from my own mouth, and passing out by the time it’s completely filled (Thank goodness I don’t have asthma!). I reply, “No, no, it’s much tougher than a balloon, and you use a pump to fill it with air. Some pumps are manual and some are electric.” The guy looked at me like I was making the whole thing up. “Why would someone want such a thing? They can buy one of my mattresses!” I stand there, trying to figure out how to answer the question without mentioning that I had bed bugs. I said, “It’s not for me, it’s for guests who stay over.” He nods and smiles, “Oh, like mother-in-law?” I say, “Yes, like mother-in-law.”

A friend recommended I go to Target to look for inflatable mattresses. Maybe I’ll just surf the Internet and see what I can find. I’m basically looking for a twin-sized mattress which can support at least 500 pounds. Do they make inflatables that can support that much weight? Before you get the wrong idea, I don’t weigh 500 pounds. I just want to be able to have sex on the inflatable without it bursting at the seams. Plus, whenever I’d bring people into my bedroom, like a bunch of people to watch TV or whatever, I usually used the bed as a couch since I only have two chairs.

So if anyone has any advice on inflatable mattresses, I’m all ears.

Save Kitty!

Monday, January 30th, 2006

I remember something my friend Joe told me a while back concerning his bed bug problem. As I mentioned in my first post, Joe’s cat was going nuts from being bitten by the bugs. The cat began acting crazy, attacking Joe to the point where he finally had to call the city to pick up the cat and put it to sleep. Even though bed bugs prefer human blood, they will feed off of any warm-blooded animal lying on the bed. Unfortunately, like many pet owners, Joe allowed his cat to sleep in bed with him. The ultimate result of Joe’s actions was very difficult for him to bear, as he saw his beloved black cat carried away in a net.

No wonder the cat went nuts; its little animal brain couldn’t possibly comprehend what the hell was happening to him. Between the bites, the welts and the possible itching, the cat must have lost all its marbles. The cat obviously couldn’t scratch the itchy bites. I know I would lose my mind if I had an itch I was unable to scratch. My heart goes out to my friend, because I know how much he loved that cat.

Joe always left his bedroom door open so the cat would always walk into the room and onto the bed after he was asleep. So remember, if you want your pet to not lose its mind and have to be put to sleep, once you realize you have bed bugs, do not allow your pet to be in your bedroom after dark and close the door to keep it from entering during the night.

R.I.P. “Sammy”
b. ? – 2005