When I woke up this morning there was a single bug sitting on my comforter next to me. I have no bites or anything. I have been planning a trip that is happening in a few weeks, so have been researching bed bugs in hotels and know what they look like and how to find them and what not… At first I figured it was a tick, but it did not have the legs like a tick and was flat and brown. I immediately looked up pictures and it is in fact a bed bug. I have a brand new bed that i bought before moving into this apartment about 8 months back and the apartments do not have any other bed bug issues. Also, Immediately after finding the bug, I killed it and flushed it down the toilet, then searched around my bed all over in it and around it, Removed my blankets, sheets, and mattress cover, and threw them into a garbage bags and tied it up. I then grabbed all of my laundry and the bags with my bedding stuff and went to the Laundromat. I put all the pillows in the dryer for 40 min and washed and dried everything on hot. I have vacuumed and sprayed bleach all over everything in my room (carpet, mattress, frame, etc..). I have searched my bed thoroughly in all cracks and what not, and see absolutely no signs of them anywhere (no casings, shells, blood spots, bugs… nothing) I have a completely bright white mattress too, so i figure it should be fairly easy to spot them. I think that the one could have been brought in by my friend who goes out of town every week for work and is constantly staying in hotels. He came over and was in my room the night he got back into town (which was Saturday night), and I found the bug the following Tuesday morning. Do you think I have an infestation?????? should i be worried? Im already scared to sleep in my bed now..,
How does an infestation start, then, if there can never be just ONE?
Isnt it quite possible that the bug I found was just one that was carried over from my friend?

Technorati Tags: bed bug, bed bugs, bedding, blankets, bleach, blood spots, carpet, casings, comforter, cracks, garbage bags, laundromat, laundry, mattress cover, pillows, planning a trip, saturday night, shells, tick, tuesday morning

im staying at a friends place and will be moving out in 2 days. I noticed that there are tiny black bugs here …they look like fleas? they jump around when i try to kill them or when i press on them hard. Im really paranoid about this. I have my blanket, pillows, suit case with clothes and a big lunch bag here. What should i do with these ?? How would i clean it!!!!

Blanket: Im thinking just throw it away (its old)!
Pillows: I cant sleep without these pillows. CAN I WASH THEM?
Suit Case: how to clean this? Im going to throw the clothes in washer immeditely with hot water when i get home.
Lunch Bag: How do i clean this?

can you guys just list solutions with colons. PLease. thank you!!

Technorati Tags: black bugs, cant sleep, clothes, fleas, friends place, hot water, lunch, pillows, sleep, suit case

i was wondering if dust mites poop make pillows soft because i remember something like that. i tried researching a little bit about dust mites but all i got was prevention of them and allergies and stuff. so can someone clarify if dust mites make pillows and mattresses soft?

Technorati Tags: allergies, Dust Mites, little bit, mattresses, pillows, prevention

Today as I was cleaning a wound on my leg, i noticed a little grey/black beetle sort of bug, so I flicked it off, i looked where it landed and there was about 4 near my window (not on the window, still on the floor)
So I kill them, I then look at another part of the floor and I notice another, I keep looking and found 2 more hiding under my wardrobe ect. I then decide it’s best to hoover up and keep a few on the floor so I can show my parents later, I’ve just went under my bed, which I used to store all my crap (books, magasines, old boxes, along with alot of dust and a few tiny bits of food and sand which got swept under there over the years) and I hoovered under there and i found more! I’ve not found any so far on my walls or my bed, I’ve checked for bed bugs and nothing, looked at the different types of carpet beetles and none of them look like them! They look like a lady bug but half the size with a black shell and little grey patterns on it, and they crunch when they get squished lol! Any idea as to what they could be and how to get rid of them? Will they crawl on me when I’m sleeping? None of my fabrics are damaged whatsoever, my bed sheets and pillows had none on,

I’m getting a double bed soon and that means I have a chance to clear all the crap from under my bed and get rid of the bastards, the new bed won’t be able to have things underneath it either, so how can I get rid of them??

Look like these but black and grey and no antenna, the legs are more tucked in too.

http://www.howdididoit.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/yellow-ladybug.jpg

PS: I have wooden floors and as far as I know, I have little to no fabric under my bed…

Technorati Tags: alot, antenna, bastards, bed bugs, bed sheets, black shell, carpet beetles, crap, crunch, fabric, fabrics, hoover, lady bug, ladybug, legs, old boxes, pillows, tiny bits, wardrobe, wooden floors

Okay. I heard that you should replace your pillows every 2 yrs. The reason for this is that you could get tons of dust mites on it. However you live with dust mites most of the time. I know you can eliminate dust mites as much as you can. Can’t you just wash your old pillows and reuse them again after two yrs and their will be less dust mites either way. What are you thoughts on this?
Hey, I hate dust mites when they get bad. They can cause problems over time.

Technorati Tags: Dust Mites, pillows

So for a few weeks now almost every night I find a single bug crawling around (quite quickly) in my bed always on my sheets. And every night when I find it I capture it in a tissue and stab it through the tissue and it’s blood and crap pops out the I flush it. It’s like the size of a tic I think, and has the appearance of a head lice bug a little bit but is of course much bigger. Ik it’s not bed bugs because for one I’d be waking up with many bites and I don’t think I’ve had any bites. Plus I’m pretty sure bed bugs are too small to see with the naked eye. I’ve tried washing my sheets, blankets, pillows, pillow cases, and the stuffed animals on my bed, I even got completely new bedding and everything and nothings worked and I really am not comfortable with finding a strange bug in my bed every night does anybody know what this might be and know what I can do?!?! I just killed one like 5 minutes ago please help me!! my mom hasn’t known what to do either we’ve been spraying my bed with hair spray that’s the same brand as the shampoo I started using for a while when I was little to get rid o head lice (Paul Mitchell is the brand) I’ve never had lice since btw so if you are readin this and happen to have lice, use that stuff. The store treatments and mayonnaise don’t work. But anyway, please help me

Technorati Tags: appearance, bed bugs, bedding, blankets, btw, crap, hair spray, head lice, little bit, mayonnaise, mom, naked eye, paul mitchell, pillow cases, pillows, shampoo, stab, strange bug, stuffed animals, tic

I had bed bugs since a year ago. i did not notice them since july of 2010. I tried cleaning the house by sweeping, watching sheets and spraying chemicals but they are still there. i kill like 50 everyday and they don’t seem to decrease numbers. i believe they are sucking at least a liter of my blood every week . I called the bug exterminator and after spraying chemicals he told me not to stay in the house for 3 days until the chemical effect is done. i waited in my friends house for three days and when i return they are still some left. i bought new mattress, bed sheets and pillows and they still there. man, why aren’t they disappearing. one night in the middle of the night i found 5- 10 of them in my legs sucking my blood. i got up and seek to stay in my friends house. i mean they are found in my bed room living room and kitchen. What? do i have to now move out to different apartment for them to get off my house? Any bed bugs experts out there. man they are the worst bugs in the world. i wished i had mice or roaches instead of them. can you please give me advise?

Technorati Tags: apartment, bed bugs, bed sheets, bug exterminator, chemicals, disappearing one, legs, liter, living room, mattress, mice, pillows, roaches

Today as I was cleaning a wound on my leg, i noticed a little grey/black beetle sort of bug, so I flicked it off, i looked where it landed and there was about 4 near my window (not on the window, still on the floor)
So I kill them, I then look at another part of the floor and I notice another, I keep looking and found 2 more hiding under my wardrobe ect. I then decide it’s best to hoover up and keep a few on the floor so I can show my parents later, I’ve just went under my bed, which I used to store all my crap (books, magasines, old boxes, along with alot of dust and a few tiny bits of food and sand which got swept under there over the years) and I hoovered under there and i found more! I’ve not found any so far on my walls or my bed, I’ve checked for bed bugs and nothing, looked at the different types of carpet beetles and none of them look like them! They look like a lady bug but half the size with a black shell and little grey patterns on it, and they crunch when they get squished lol! Any idea as to what they could be and how to get rid of them? Will they crawl on me when I’m sleeping? None of my fabrics are damaged whatsoever, my bed sheets and pillows had none on,

I’m getting a double bed soon and that means I have a chance to clear all the crap from under my bed and get rid of the bastards, the new bed won’t be able to have things underneath it either, so how can I get rid of them??

PS: I have wooden floors and as far as I know, I have little to no fabric under my bed…
Definitely not kissing bugs, more no legs are visible without flipping them over, like I said like a ladybug.
Look like these but black and grey and no antenna, the legs are more tucked in too.

http://www.howdididoit.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/yellow-ladybug.jpg

Technorati Tags: alot, antenna, bastards, bed bugs, bed sheets, black shell, carpet beetles, crap, crunch, fabric, fabrics, hoover, kissing bugs, lady bug, legs, old boxes, pillows, tiny bits, wardrobe, wooden floors

I RECENTLY FOUND A WORM LIKE BUT ON MY BLANKET I THREW IT OUT AND DIDNT THINK ANYTHING OF IT. THEN A WEEK LATER I FOUND ANOTHER ONE AND WENT SEARCHING FOR WHERE IT COULD HAVE BEEN COMING FROM. WHAT I FOUND WAS EXTREAMLY FURRY WORM LIKE BUGS IT THE CREASE OF MY PILLOW TOP MATTRESS. THEY VARIED IN SIZE FROM ABOUT A CM TO A 1/4 INCH. THEY ARE WHITE WITH BLACK AT THE HEAD AND TAIL NO OTHER COLOR. THEY ARE VERY SLOW MOVING. IN ONE CORNER OF THE BED I ALSO FOUND WHAT LOOKED LIKE CASINGS FROM WHICH THEY SHED. THERE WAS ABOUT AS MANY CASINGS AS I FOUND BUGS. THE CASING WERE ABOUT THE SIZE OF A HALF GRAIN OF RICE AND YELLOWISH IN COLOR. I KILLED ALL THAT I FOUND. WHICH WHEN I KILLED THEM ALL THEY DID WAS FLATTEN. I LIVE IN NJ. MIGHT U KNOW WHAT THESE BUGS ARE AND HOW I CAN GET FID OF THEM? I THINK HAVE RULED OUT MANY OF THE USUAL SUBJECTS. FROM WHAT I HAVE RESEARCHED SO FAR THEM RESEMBEL THE CARPET BETTLE MOSTLY HOWEVER THEY DID NOT SEEM TO HAVE COLORFUL STIPES. I DO NOT NORMALLY HAVE FOOD IN MY BEDROOM AND THE SPOT I FOUND THE CASINGS IN WAS ON THE SIDE OF MY BED I DO NOT SLEEP ON (I HAVE A QUEEN SIZE BED) AND ALWAYS UNDER A BATTERY OF PILLOWS. MY ROOM IS VERY DUSTY THO. PLEASE HELP ME.

Technorati Tags: bugs, carpet, casing, casings, crease, grain of rice, pillow top mattress, pillows, queen size bed, sleep, tho, worm

I have to buy new pillows and I was told that my pillows are causing my allergies to act up. Is there an alternative that I can get a really down feeling pillow without the dust mites?

Technorati Tags: allergies, Dust Mites, pillows

I threw my old bed away nd curtains and pillows cause they had bed bugs nd i got new curtains and a new bed but today my mom told me that she saw a bed bug crawling up the curtains. What do I do? And what should I do?I threw my old bed away nd curtains and pillows cause they had bed bugs nd i got new curtains and a new bed

Technorati Tags: bed bug, bed bugs, curtains, mom, pillows

i found bed bugs on my mattress and bed frame last night, so today i went out and bought a couple cans of otc lice/bed bug spray and sprayed all over the carpet around my bed, mattress, frame, head board, and walls with the spray. lets say i soaked everything, and i have a bunk bed so i sprayed everything up there too. but i didn’t see any signs of bugs up there, i don’t think they woudl be on top though cause no one has slept up there in years.
i even threw away my pillows that i sleep on every night.

i am not, at least not planning on gettin rid of the mattress. don’t know if they’re gone yet, but does this sound good enough to you?

and yes i washed the sheets in hot water.

Technorati Tags: Bed Bug Spray, bed bugs, bed mattress, bunk bed, cans, carpet, hot water, lice, mattress and bed frame, otc, pillows, signs, sleep

For the past 3 or 4 weeks I have woken up with these mysterious bites that keep appearing every morning when I wake up. I thought they were mosquito bites that came from my bus stop every morning. So I just ignored it for a couple of days, but more and more came in. My cats also had the fleas at the time, but when my mom analyzed the bites, they were too big to be flea bites. Every morning I woke up, I would get more and more bites by the minute. That’s when I started wearing bug spray. I sprayed some on my body before I went to school, but the next morning more bites came in. I was shocked. Most of the bites appeared to be on my feet and ankles. My mom said if it’s not the fleas, they are bed bugs. I learned that bed bugs usually come in when you’re dirty. I don’t see how that’s possible because I take showers every day, and if I eat in my room, I’d pick up the food. So, I bombed my room twice, vacuumed my room and my mattress from head to toe, washed my sheets, and used bug spray, and absolutely nothing helped whatsoever. I even tried making my own bed out of clean pillows, sheets and a sleeping bag, and I lasted without bugs for only 2 days. After 2 days, they fed on me even in my clean pillows and sheets. How many tries does it take to kill these little bastards? Would changing the sheets work?

I am so sick and tired of waking up every morning with new bites! What do I do to kill them? Thank you.
My room is clean, I cleaned it like 5 times already!

Technorati Tags: ankles, bastards, bed bugs, bug spray, cats, couple of days, flea bites, fleas, mattress, mom, mosquito, mosquito bites, next morning, pillows, showers, sleeping bag

Like it says in the question-
last year we signed a lease at what looked like a decent apartment just to find out after we signed the lease that the place was infested with cockroaches and bed bugs. We’ve spent the last year working with pest control companies and fighting against our crappy landlord but there are just too many bugs, so matter how many times we kill the ones in our apartment it doesn’t matter because there are still bugs in the rest of the building to come back again.

So finally our lease is up and my husband, our 3 month old son, scent hound, house cat, 2 dwarf hamsters, and I will be moving out of our disgusting bug infested apartment into a brand new never-lived in condo, without bugs, and we need to know how to move all our things, without bringing the bugs to infest our new home.

We’ll be moving over-sized leather couches, mattresses, the carpeted cat tree, doggie beds, closets full of clothes, luggage, blankets, baby toys, pillows, etc…
and we don’t want to bring the bugs with us.
So any suggestions would be greatly appreciated- thanks!

Technorati Tags: baby toys, bed bugs, beds, blankets, cat tree, closets, clothes, cockroaches, decent apartment, dwarf hamsters, hamsters, house cat, landlord, leather couches, luggage, mattresses, pest control companies, pillows, scent hound

It is said that millions of dust mites may reside in our pillows or beds. Does that mean that our faces or skins are also covered with creeping dust mites?

Technorati Tags: beds, Dust Mites, faces, pillows, skins

I read several medical articles that recommend dry cleaning infested sheets and pillow cases. It kills 100% of the bugs and eggs and at everystage of their development.

Even large pillows can be dry cleaned by good cleaners.

But its a big hassle, because to do a thorough job I also have to send out my rugs and some of my clothes that are infested.

No big deal I guess because they pick up and deliver.

But here is the question… where did they come from?
My pets, my guests or from me?

I never wear clothes more then twice, most are dry cleaned or washed weekly.

Should I send my pets out to be cleaned with special insecticide shampoos? How do I know if they are infested ?
Good stuff.
Thanks.

My pets rarely scratch so I guess its not form them.

Oh, I wouldn’t send to a dry cleaners a infested sheet without sealing it in a plastic bag and labeling it. And once its in the machine everything is dead anyway and protected in a plastic bag before its returned. I wouldn’t infest the employees for my own sake. Besides they know what they are doing. Its a demand common enough that they seem to have protocals for it.

The articles say that washing infested clothes will not kill the infestation if they are in the larval phase. And I never use bleach on my clothes. (really top of the line stuff). And I dry on habgers or low heat. So washing is useless for infestations.

But just in case I may bath my pets. Because if my sheets are infested some are bound to be on them.

My body is not covered with bites. Ouch! Ichy! Gross.

Money is nooooo object!!!
I’ll pay to have stuff cleaned all at once!!!
It doesn’t happen often, but if it does its WAR!!!
Good stuff.
Thanks.

My pets rarely scratch so I guess its not form them.

Oh, I wouldn’t send to a dry cleaners a infested sheet without sealing it in a plastic bag and labeling it. And once its in the machine everything is dead anyway and protected in a plastic bag before its returned. I wouldn’t infest the employees for my own sake. Besides they know what they are doing. Its a demand common enough that they seem to have protocals for it.

The articles say that washing infested clothes will not kill the infestation if they are in the larval phase. And I never use bleach on my clothes. (really top of the line stuff). And I dry on habgers or low heat. So washing is useless for infestations.

But just in case I may bath my pets. Because if my sheets are infested some are bound to be on them.

My body is now covered with bites. Ouch! Ichy! Gross.

Money is nooooo object!!!
I’ll pay to have stuff cleaned all at once!!!
It doesn’t happen often, but if it does its WAR!!!

Technorati Tags: big hassle, bleach, bugs, clothes, dry cleaners, eggs, good stuff, infestations, insecticide, job, larval phase, medical articles, money, pets, pillow cases, pillows, rugs, sake, top of the line

It’s not lice we checked. there is no bites any where else on us just on our head. there red with a white head. if its bed bugs how did we get them. our bed we got brand new a year ago so are the pillows.

Technorati Tags: bed bugs, lice, pillows

Thanks everyone for your answers. I decided to buy new pillows rather than wash them, because I don’t want to take the fluff out of them. I value extra firm pillows!

Technorati Tags: extra firm, fluff, pillows

Like it says in the question-
last year we signed a lease at what looked like a decent apartment just to find out after we signed the lease that the place was infested with cockroaches and bed bugs. We’ve spent the last year working with pest control companies and fighting against our crappy landlord but there are just too many bugs, so matter how many times we kill the ones in our apartment it doesn’t matter because there are still bugs in the rest of the building to come back again.

So finally our lease is up and my husband, our 3 month old son, scent hound, house cat, 2 dwarf hamsters, and I will be moving out of our disgusting bug infested apartment into a brand new never-lived in condo, without bugs, and we need to know how to move all our things, without bringing the bugs to infest our new home.

We’ll be moving over-sized leather couches, mattresses, the carpeted cat tree, doggie beds, closets full of clothes, luggage, blankets, baby toys, pillows, etc…
and we don’t want to bring the bugs with us.
So any suggestions would be greatly appreciated- thanks!
I ask in this section since this is where I usually get the best answers

Technorati Tags: baby toys, bed bugs, beds, blankets, cat tree, closets, clothes, cockroaches, decent apartment, dwarf hamsters, hamsters, house cat, landlord, leather couches, luggage, mattresses, pest control companies, pillows, scent hound

I am not 100% sure I have them, but I have only had allergies while living in the appartment I do now. (I was watching the Oprah show where they show how long people keep things and find how unsanitary it is and a bell went off about all my allergies to dust)

How do I go about getting rid of dust mites if I do have them? If I vaccume with a HEPA vaccume cleaner that might get rid of some, but otherwise do I have to throw out all my pillows, quilts, duvets and sheets and get all new allergen ones? Are there any chemicals or sprays I can buy to kill them?

Technorati Tags: allergen, allergies, appartment, chemicals, Dust Mites, duvets, getting rid of dust mites, oprah show, pillows, vaccume cleaner

i need to know if I have bed bugs before I really freak out. I’ve been getting bitten, once last night, once two nights before, a few times a few weeks ago. i assumed they were mosquito bites, but reading up on bed bugs… that’s what they may be. they only itch when i scratch them or my clothes rub up against them, that’s why i put cortizone and covered them with bandaids.

i just vacuumed every inch of my bed, washed the sheets and comforter and pillowcases. i saw a round brown thing on the box spring which looked like the picture of a bed bug (which i never want to see again), but i vacuumed it up. what should I do next? my room is pretty cluttered so i’m working on cleaning it up, i’ve just read horror stories of these things living in the cracks in the floor and the baseboards and stuff. what do i do next? i’m not positive i have them but the signs point to yes. should i get some mattress covers and new pillows? is there even any point? what do i do?

Technorati Tags: baseboards, bed bug, bed bugs, box spring, clothes, comforter, freak out, horror stories, living in the cracks, mattress, mosquito, mosquito bites, pillowcases, pillows, signs

everything in my room is covered with dust mites. my futon, my carpet especially, and my bed and pillows, not to mention dvds, and anything on the floor……..i need a cure! what can i use that is safe to breath but will kill these buggers? im so frustrated and its making me sick to the point where i cant breath at night, and i wake up with sore throat every morning. and i think im developing asthma because of it…..please someone help!!!! thanks in advance
what brand of spray/powder should i use? where can i buy it? thx

Technorati Tags: asthma, buggers, carpet, Dust Mites, dvds, futon, pillows, sore throat, spray powder, thanks in advance

I have bed bugs in my apartment, I have done my research and know the difference between bed bugs and dust mites. I have webmd’ the bites on the arm and they are also a match for bed bugs. My plan is to vacuum out all my carpet and closet and dust everything, then to use the Bayer advanced indoor insect spray. then to vacuum my mattress and clean it dry so it doesn’t get mold with 20 mule team borax. then bagging up the mattress and box spring with tight hypo-allergenic covers, then buy new sheets,pillowcases, and pillows, any ideas to make this better? I’m a college student living in my apartment so needless to say I’m not loaded with money so calling the exterminator or replacing the mattress are too pricey for me right now. My landlord won’t do it for me, I’ve asked several times. PLEASE HELP ME!!! I WANT THOSE BUGS DEAD!!

Technorati Tags: apartment, bayer advanced, bed bugs, box spring, carpet, Dust Mites, exterminator, hypo allergenic, insect spray, landlord, match, mattress, mold, money, mule team borax, pillows, several times, sheets pillowcases

Ok so last monday morning(june 11th) I woke up with a large number of insect bites on my arms and legs, and in turn had a pretty good amount of swelling due to allergies to whatever caused it. Because of this I proceeded to move my bed to the other side of the room, fully cleaned all sheets and pillows(but did not change the mattress)

Over the last week I have not received any new bites, and have only witnessed two separate insects in my room. One a rounded bug on my arm with tiny wings that i quickly killed and inspected, and didnt seem to resemble a bedbug from pictures online. The other insect was thinner and longer, and had no wings, and looked rather wide towards the mouth, as if it had more developed jaws or something, this was also killed promptly.

Anyone have an explanation as to why i woke up with so many bites in one night, and have witnessed almost no activity over the course of a week?

Technorati Tags: allergies, arms and legs, bedbug, insect bites, insects, jaws, last monday morning, mattress, pillows, tiny wings

Does anyone have any tips on getting rid of dust mites (or at least preventing them from causing allergies)? I have dust mite covers on my mattress, box spring and pillows. What vacuum cleaners work best? I’ve been considering a Dyson Animal (because I have cats). Your thoughts?

Thanks!

Technorati Tags: allergies, box spring, cats, dust mite, Dust Mites, dyson, getting rid of dust mites, mattress, pillows, vacuum cleaners

I have to buy new pillows and I was told that my pillows are causing my allergies to act up. Is there an alternative that I can get a really down feeling pillow without the dust mites?

Technorati Tags: allergies, Dust Mites, pillows

I saw a special on Oprah that says that dust mites mainly feed off our skin cells and are all over our homes, especially our beds and pillows! I know vacuuming is a good way, but the best systems such as Rainbow cost about 00! Are there any cheaper alternatives?

Technorati Tags: beds, Dust Mites, oprah, pillows, skin cells

I have bed bugs. I get multiple bites on my hands almost every night.

I have enclosed the boxspring with a latex cover, but the bites continue. I've sprayed with Home Depot insecticide, which says on the bottle that it kills bedbugs. I've sprayed every inch of my bedroom with this junk, multiple MULTIPLE times, including spraying the mattress. I've also done the routine of washing all bedding in hot water (I do it just about weekly).

I've spent so much money on this, it's ridiculous, from replacing pillows to paying exterminators to buying mattress enclosures. Do I really have to just accept that insects dine on my blood nightly and smear it on my sheets as they depart? Do I have to move and trash all furniture and belongings? Should I go to bed in a beekeeper's suit? What's a guy to do?

Technorati Tags: bed bugs, bedbugs, bedding, beekeeper, belongings, boxspring, exterminators, furniture, home depot, hot water, insecticide, insects, latex, mattress, much money, multiple times, pillows