Should I feel safe after having 4 bed bug treatments?

Question

So, here's the deal. I was having a birthday celebration not too long ago. My best friend was at my house getting dressed, and we were expecting to meet up with others. I get a phone call (well my bff did, and handed me the phone) from my bff's friend, who asks did she want us to meet up, or could she come to my house. I was kind of hesitant to answer because she had a bed bug problem, that she had not gotten treated. So I end up telling her to come to my place because I thought we'd be ready before she got there and we were only going literally 3 minutes up the street. My bff and I talked about the situation, and then I hear a knock on my door, and my neighbor (who had been relaxing downstairs) answered it, and here comes the chick with the bed bug problem. OMG! So, to make this horrible story a little shorter, about a week later my boyfriend started noticing that he was getting bites on his arm at night. So, I didn't think anything of it, until he became real adamant about it, so I recalled that night of the party and something told me to check the mattress, so I did, and there they were on the creases...live bed bugs! I went into my daughters room, and checked her mattress, they were on hers too. So, I ended up getting 4 treatments at $80.06 each time. Even went through so many problems with the rental office and the people who came out and treated. Every single time the guy came out he would say he didn't see anything. But I would see them and my boyfriend was suffering with the bites. He ended up not getting get bit, but after the 3rd treatment my daughter started to get bit. Now I've had my 4th treatment, and I'm hoping it will work. I just think it's pretty coincidental that after this chick comes over we start having this problem. From looking at the mattresses it looks like there were about 15-20 bed bugs maybe more on each, but that definitely doesn't count the ones that we didn't see. So, I figured the problem had just began. But, you never know...

Answer 1

After four treatments, the infestation should be completely gone.



Make sure to clean and scrub all surfaces to remove the pesticide - wear a mask/gloves while doing so.



Best of wishes,

Andrew G.

Answer 2

First of all, it is highly unlikely that you would be seeing that level of infestation (finding 15-20 live bed bugs in multiple areas is actually indicative of a relatively serious problem) if they were only introduced a week prior. As for the treatments, there is no way that the PMP was doing an adequate job. Material and labor alone should cost more than $80.06 per treatment.



I would recommend looking into getting a heat treatment if possible. With heat, a professional operator uses specialized heaters to raise the ambient air temperature of your apartment to above 120 degrees and maintain it for two to three hours. This kills all stages of bed bugs in one shot instead of applying potentially harmful chemicals multiple times. Based on your story, it seems unlikely that your exterminator will have the problem under control any time soon. Here is some information... www.tricountypestco.com/thermal-remediation.asp

Answer 3

It isn't unusual for a home or apartment to require 2 to 3 bed bug treatments. Since your home has been treated 4 times, it sounds like the exterminator is not being thorough in treating your home. The fact that you are seeing bed bugs in multiple rooms indicates that you have a large infestation. The cost of the treatments, $80.06 sounds far below what is usually charged, and also indicates that your exterminator didn't do a thorough job. It should take 2 people an entire day to treat an apartment or home. A typical treatment should cost $300 to $1000 depending on the size of the home.



Your local department of health might be of help in assessing whether the treatments are going to solve your problem.

Answer 4

TMI. What kind of treatment did you have done 4 times? Maybe you should have trashed the mattresses. Consider steam, heat and Cryonite, 3 ways to kill bed bugs and that are poison-free.



What is a bed bug question doing in Infectious Diseases???

Answer 5

maybe..but try to check every edge's, curtain's cabinets etc. the'y multiply easily. i think thy're not aggresive when the environment is cold. if u can manage to have a general cleaning every week do it.. clean everything.. and try to check every tip of your curtains.