My Business In Jeapordy

[Toregone]

YIKES! In Edmonton there is a bed bug explosion! A few years ago I lived in an apartment and even though it turns out my apartment didn't have them many others in the building did so we all got sprayed. I believe it took 2 treatments that were done within a week of each other. My brother lives in a building and in the year he's been in there his places has been sprayed three times, again luckily he didn't have them, just apartments around him.

Call an exterminator asap and have them come out right away. What was recommended to me when I had to get sprayed was to pack up ALL clothes, linens, blankets EVERYTHING and bring it to a commerical wash facility/laundry mat. The washers there usually have a sanitize cycle which kills them. Freezing things before you wash them also helps if I remember correctly. Leave everything in your car or garage in garbage bags until you are certian that your home is clear.

If you have/can rent/can buy a steam machine go over all mattresses, cots, couches etc with the steam machine and also rubbing alcohol. Vaccum everywhere, steam everywhere, spray everywhere. Empty your drawers and steam/spray along all seams. Do this with all furniture. Bed bugs are tenacious! You can get rid of them but it's a time consuming process. Luckily however it often can be done within a week or so. I really hope some of your larger items (mattresses, couch etc) aren't a write off. In the apartment I lived in a friend living in the building had to chuck his mattress as it was infested and couldn't be saved.

As for the parent that will be pulling her child... an over reaction IMO. Bed bugs can get anywhere from anything. It doesn't mean you don't keep a clean house. You can visit a public place, sit on an affected piece of furniture, bring a couple home on your shoe and then they multiply! Yes they give me the willies and I would be upset as a parent to have my child in an infected home but I would understand that it can happen to anyone.

Very sorry you're having to deal with this, keep me posted on how things go!