bed bugs

[badger]

I'm TERRIFIED of getting them!!

I buy quite a bit online, and it just struck me that I could bring the bugs in my home through something I buy. I hear you can kill the bugs and the eggs if you throw an item in the dryer for 20 minutes, but what to do with stuff you can't throw in the dryer?? And what about hotels and general travel, I could bring some back in my suitcase.

From the sounds of it if you get it, you pretty much have to torch your place to get rid of them. Yikes

[jessmarimba]

and what about if you don't have a dryer?

I travel all the time, I'm so worried about bringing them home from a hotel.

[JennK13]

My husband is an exterminator and deals with bed bugs on a daily basis (Jess, I'm sure you can imagine the influx of calls they've received with all the recent press locally about them!!).
You can actually get rid of them by calling an exterminator - he treats for them all the time without "flames" or heat - he uses a spray to kill them, but only professionals have it (not something you can get from HomeDepot or some thing). The best way to NOT get them is to NOT bring them in. Check the stuff you buy BEFORE bringing it into your house. You can see them; they look like miniature ticks. You can also see their feces (like black dots) on things. Whenever we travel, before we unpack or anything, he pulls up the sheets on the bed and looks at them to see if he sees anything - like I said, it's pretty obvious if they're there.
Something I find really odd (Jess, don't get grossed out!), we moved to Colorado from California. He would do one or two jobs a YEAR in California, mostly at hotels from travellers bringing them in. Here in Denver, he does one or two (or more) A WEEK!!!! A person's financial situation doesn't matter - he services poor people in the ghetto just as often as he services rich people. And usually they are brought in by either people who have recently travelled, or those who have bought furniture used and brought it into their homes, or the college kids who come home for a break (who have bought stuff cheap as college students do).

[Chicken Little]

I leave my luggage in the garage for 24 hours after I get home. The only thing that comes in the house goes directly into the washer/dryer.

[OakLeaf]

I read to take everything out of your luggage outside and put it on white garbage bags. The white plastic makes it easier to see the bugs.

+1 on checking hotel mattresses. Also never put your luggage on the floor.

[jessmarimba]

I'll just hope all of his work here is in hotels too!