Leaving Bed Bugs Behind When We Move - help!

[crenellated.livejournal.com]

My housemates and I are moving at the end of this week from our place in Somerville, and are stressing about potentially taking the tail end of a months' long bed bug infestation with us to our new place. Does the community have any updated advice since the last time this was discussed? And does anyone local have a PackTite (or know someone who knows someone) we might borrow or rent for a few days? We're worried that our high efficiency drier is a little too energy efficient to properly fry bedding beyond a doubt, and we have other items like suitcases that aren't suitable for driers.

Comments

[scarletcarsen.livejournal.com]

1.) clean all your clothing and fabrics in hot water and put them in a dyer for at least 30 minutes and then plastic bag them. 2.) Plastic bin belongings that can not be washed and put a Nuvan Prostrip in each bin. (label bins to remember how long the strips have been in use.)
3.) I would strongly recommend that you just throw away the mattresses and box springs and any soft furniture that may have come in contact with the bugs. You could try bed protectors and steaming your furniture but if you didn't get an exterminator to come to the old place first to fight the infestation you may run a risk of bringing them over to the new place.

[crenellated.livejournal.com]

Thanks, scarletcarsen. We'll have a final extermination treatment on Thursday (we're moving Friday), but one of my housemates is more than a bit in denial about the danger of bringing her box springs, so encasement may be as much as I can get her to do.

It's not a matter of not having had an exterminator — we've been getting treatments for months. They just keep coming back.

[clevernonsense.livejournal.com]

Box springs and mattresses are basically the place bed bugs are most likely to hide and survive pesticide treatments.

[anyee.livejournal.com]

An extremely high-quality bedbug-proof encasement will keep the bugs within until they die out 18 months later.

[anyee.livejournal.com]

Nuvan strips require months to work. You can also drive your stuff out to the folks at Pure Heat (http://www.pureheat.com/) and they will roast your stuff for you.

[marphod.livejournal.com]

(Alas, the weather will not be cold enough to kill bed bugs. It would need to be sustained at tonight's lows for 2-3 days. If there is another cold snap before you move, it could be an option.)

[smammy]

Burn all your things. Start fresh. It's the only sure way.

[secretlyironic.livejournal.com]

FTFY: Nuke it from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.