Bedbugs: Round 1.5
So. Bedbugs?
I think so as in I am being bitten in the night (Emmett is VERY itchy) and I have ruled out fleas and mosquitoes, so we are left with bedbugs.
After extensive research … I dunno! I have seen none of the signs: rusty blood/bedbug poop spots… on sheets or my bright, white mattress. But, I’m not sure what else it could be.
I first thought mosquitoe bites, but so many and overnight and no waking up to the whining of them … plus, at this point of Summer with heat and dry, it is very RARE to have mosquitoes here.
Fleas … rare also, plus Auggie and Emmett are both on Flea/Tick preventative. AND I brushed them both on a white sheet … nothing. AND Auggie had his yearly checkup on Friday … flying colors and all of that plus no mention of any skin anomalies.
What’s left? Revenge of the spiders ( I am not a spider fan and if they make an appearance inside … history), or bedbugs. Considering the regularity of the bites (nightly) and amount ( a LOT!) … I am left with bedbugs.
Whatever, I decided bedbugs. I first laundered all bedding and hoped for the best.
Sill being bitten, I decided on a DRASTIC course of action: Full on steam clean, throw out some old pillows/bedding, launder or dry at high heat all other stuff.
Here we go!
Bedroom mid steam clean. Steam/heat is recommended. I steam cleaned the mattress, the platform base (I have a platform bed, no box springs) … platform is slats with plenty of air! Anyway, I took my bedroom apart and steamed the platform, the mattress, baseboards, walls, ceiling trim, floor, furniture … the bedroom was steam cleaned after an all over vaccum.
Airing out after the steam…
Same thing in the “boys room” which has a mattress/box spring day bed.
A lot of mouse poop, dust, etc. behind the day bed … but no evidence of bedbugs ???
BUT, I did find a long lost toy…
Lousy photo, but Emmett was thrilled at the toy find and has been keeping it close :)
All of the pillows and bedding got tossed outside. Per my reading, it is very easy to allow for the little buggers to transfer, hence … everything outside. Some things will be trashed, but some are to be laundered and dried at HIGH HEAT.
Yikes! Well, I have high hopes for no transference inside … We will see.
The boys’ room: vacuumed, steam cleaned and awaiting laundered bedding … while currently being blocked off to at least Emmett.
Kind of crazy. This is my first issue with overnight bites and considering the woods, dust, pets on everything … I don’t know what lead to this catastrophe!
As in the boys’ room, my bedroom awaits clean bedding.
I hope this works, but per my reading it sometimes takes multiple cleanings. I’ve ordered some residual bedbug stuff, some bed leg traps AND an ultrasonic device…
GAH!
Stay tuned. We’ll see how the fight goes.
3 Responses to “Bedbugs: Round 1.5”
Possibly chigger bites? I know that when I’ve had them the itching doesn’t start right away…seems to be later. And do they itch! Worst place I’ve encountered them is a blackberry patch and also hiking in the mountains. Mosquitoes are bad here, even in the hot daytime and I’ve got a bunch on my right leg that are just clustered together. At least I can stop the itching, almost immediately, with a hot wet paper towel applied to the area, but it needs to be really hot and left on for a minute or two. Hope you get some relief! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, a day early, if I remember correctly.
And Sue!!! The hot towel trick worked for itchy bites! It is always as I get into bed that a bunch seem to get itchy. I got a wash cloth as hot as I could and it really did the trick! And the itch did not come back like when you scratch them. Thank you!!!
Thanks for the birthday wishes, Sue … yes 8/16 :).
I was wondering about chigger bites as nothing has changed in the house as far as bedding, etc. AND that I could not find sign of anything on light colored sheets/mattresses/comfortters. The thing that IS different is the woods grasses and vegetation are extra tall and thick from our very wet Spring.
And Happy Belated (by 15 days ) birthday to you!!
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