fuck you spez
Now that that’s out of the way, here’s an exclusive Lemmy update on my horrible life with more questions.
After the last post, upon the advice of Lemmy, I put everything in trash bags, showered, and left with new clothes in shopping bags.
I changed into the new clothes in a Starbucks, at which the employees suspected I was an intravenous drug user and asked me if I was okay through the door, likely with Narcan in hand.
I told them I was fine, just washing my hands (which made no sense because I had been loudly placing things into garbage bags and opening sealed clothing packets in an echoey room without any water running). Then I continued to put more things in garbage bags, concealed slyly in large branded bags from Target.
Yes, they all thought I was a homeless junky, but it was actually much worse, and after over 10 minutes I emerged in a new sexy outfit, terrified that the police were being called, then grabbed my Frappachino and ran out.
I managed to get to the bus just in time.
All the bags were frozen for days and the contents washed. Everything was salvageable except my alarm clock radio which only plays static now and blinks strangely. It did not like being frozen and washed.
Since then, I have noticed 1 additional bite. I do not know if it was there before. I am terrified. Multiple days have passed since then, but it doesn’t prove I am safe since bed bugs can go days without feeding. If it turns out I still have them and may have spread them, I will deal with that guilt and agony when I know for sure.
I back with my friend but am now rethinking my approach, contemplating that I should have stayed at the bed bug place.
I did not end the tenancy when I left but did keep the cashier’s check that was the rent. I am still unsure of what to do.
I have a family member who is slowly dying in that area, I work remotely and expect I could lose my job any month, they’ve already gutted 90 percent of the department and I would expect other jobs will be next. I have survived many rounds of layoffs however. This family member lives in a small place and is somewhat crazy. I may not be able to see them if I am not in the area.
My credit has also taken a nosedive, so it will be very hard for me to rent something new. I’m considering going back and suffering instead of looking for something cheap here. I could probably get someone to cosign if I did look for a new place. I know no one in this area except my one friend who is not very social.
My head is completely messed up, even more than it was before. In the last post, people responded about the psychological devastation bed bugs cause. I am already there: 2 days of bed bugs and suddenly fleeing and I am on pins and needles, my normally mildly crazy brain gone extra bonkers with what ifs, fear, and suffering.
I am considering going back. The landlord won’t tell me how many treatments have been done in the past year. This seems concerning. I don’t know what to do. They did however do treatments to the room immediately after bed bugs were found, they said. I didn’t feel like they didn’t take it seriously, but am not entirely sure the building isn’t crawling with them all over in other rooms.
What would you do if you were me? Please, tell me Lemmy.
(in conclusion fuck spez)
Did I just read that you gave Starbucks bed bugs?
Literally that’s what I wrote. Why is this even a question?
Good job… You have spread a parasite, for kicks I guess
Biological terrorism
I prefer to think of it as liberating beautiful outdoor areas of nature from the evil clutches of the Starbucks corporation which turned them into horrible coffee fields
There’s are a few reasonable responses in this thread but I’m a post control professional. If you want to feel free to message me and I’d be glad to tell you what you can do that will actually get rid of them. Diatomaceous Earth isn’t gonna cut it and cold will do nothing. You need heat and chemicals. They have likely laid eggs in the Tufts, or piping of the mattress. Pesticides won’t penetrate eggs so there is no one time treatment that will cure this. Even if you kill what’s alive you need to kill what hatches after before they lay more eggs. Insect growth regulators will also help. It will take time, patience, and professional grade products. If you can get your hands on crossfire or temprid those work best for bed bugs.
Would you recommend I return or is that too risky?
Keep in mind there are many, many small rooms there, over 50 likely.
Oh if there’s that many rooms I would say it’s just gonna be a recurring issue unless they have hired a pest company to deal with this. I have a hotel account that I treat regularly. They have a legal obligation to do so if a customer complains but this is California. When we do find actual evidence of bed bugs we treat every room within 3 doors of that room even if it’s only the one room. They are prolific breeders and unless it’s being professionally addressed I wouldn’t risk it if you can avoid it.
I treat the entire hotel once a month and I still go there at least twice a month to address bed bugs when customers complain. Granted, at a hotel people are constantly coming and going and bringing them with them so it’s a constant battle.
Personally, I would find somewhere else unless the owner is proactively taking care of it. If not, you’ll be going through this more than once I can almost guarantee it.
I don’t want to discourage you or anything by the way, but these fuckers are very hard to control. One of the only bugs that can cause actual psychosis just from fear of them alone. They aren’t dangerous as far as disease and stuff go but they can cause serious mental distress. Again, of you want some recommendations on products you can try I’m happy to help but you might not be able to purchase some of them without a license.
An update: the treatment was a chemical only treatment.
As someone who owns a computer, does this mean that if I hadn’t frozen it for days that the poison wouldn’t have gotten them since they would be living in the computer?
They wouldn’t necessarily move into your computer. They live on your bed because they eat blood. They would starve in your computer. They need humans to survive but they can survive for very long periods of time without eating so who knows? I rarely see them away from anywhere humans are usually relaxing. I’ve seen them behind picture frames and in the cracks of night stands but can honestly say I’ve never looked at a computer. I have checked cable boxes in hotels but never seen them there. Make of that what you will I suppose.
Bed bugs will only die from heat, not cold. You can put things in an industrial dryer at a Laundromat in high heat and it will kill them. That or not feeding them for over a year.
Yeah, I think the cutoff is 122F which isn’t insanely high.
Mark Rober on the topic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JAOTJxYqh8
In the video: putting them in the freezer for three days will also kill them. After watching that video, I feel itchy everywhere.
Bed bugs don’t jump or fly. I’d get a mattress cover and those sticky traps, enough for each leg post and put them in different areas besides just under the posts.
Assuming the bed itself has been deep sanitized I would check the glue traps every day.
I’d also store all of my clothes in bags until I was confident the bugs are gone.
None of this will save them. If the mattress was in the apartment during the original infection they will be throughout it. Doubt the landlord had the place properly treated.
I hope you shared on Reddit that your update is only on Lemmy - we need more traction!
Aw poor clock. You made the right move. Sorry about your family member. We had an infestation before Covid. Moved. Sold all wooden furniture. High heat all clothing and soft toys (some melted, sorry ikea moose). Lived in fear for years. Almost? Over? It? If you go back, just burn the place to the ground. There are treatments, but without your landlord evicting everyone, burning all their furniture and melting all their plushies, I wouldn’t trust a word out of their mouths. One bed bug won’t live that long. Good luck with your credit, it’s doable. Don’t go back!
