Could it be bedbugs? & they're coming to Christmas - UH OH

[goldfinches]

It truly does cost a ton of money. Not to mention replacing mattresses, clothes, etc.

I did not know that a simple $10 bomb or turning the household heat up for a few hours would work. We were told heat would work for clothing, but that it had to be above something like 125*F for a few hours.

Your idea to stay away is a good one, but may cause problems. Can you just go, visit, but not accept presents that may carry the bugs?

 

[zzGypsy]

I think the problem is that the bombs *don't* work... and heat at 90 degrees in the house seems unlikely to be useful either... if that were true, bedbugs would not be a problem in areas with warm temps and no airconditioning. I posted a link from MO extension office, it's a good little video on preventative measures, treatment.

 

[calicokat]

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Yeah, it would certainly get us in the doghouse if we stay away. And in all likelyhood, they would just come to our house when they leave Gr'ma's - we're only a few miles down the road -- so that would bring the problem to my house which is what we are trying to avoid.

So I think we've decided to go. We'll all try to be as careful as possible.

DH & I talked, we are thinking that we might put a change of clothes in the barn for each family member & wear clothes that can sustain high heat and multiple washings. We'll put any gifts we receive into a rubbermaid tote and put that in the back of the truck. Come home and go straight to the barn - change into clothes we set out, bag up clothes we were wearing and bring them inside to the washer for a few repeated washings and then several cycles on high heat in the dryer.

As to the gifts, if it is something someone really LOVEs and it is fabric, we can wash it and run it through the dryer a few cycles on high heat. If it is something you can live without it can go to the brush pile for burning. The good news is, they usually only give each of us one gift, so it should be pretty easy to handle those (and 9 out of 10 years, their gift to me goes straight to the goodwill box anyway, so it won't be much different for me

)

I guess now I'm starting to think about how we are going to have to handle them long-term. Since their ideas of how to handle this are not going to work, and they don't think it's a big deal anyway . . . . . . . . it's not going away any time soon

 

[zzGypsy]

I think the barn clothing swap is a good idea. you may want to watch the link I posted above, it's got details on how to manage situations like this (where you've been somewhere and may be exposed).

what they said is:
1) bag the exposed clothing in plastic bags before taking it in the house (so bugs can't drop off)
2) direct to the dryer on high heat (check the video, it was 20 minutes? 40 minutes? don't remember)
3) those clothes are good to go then... the heat kills all stages of bedbugs.
4) the bag you carried them in goes direct to outside trash container.

they also show methods for inspecting for bugs, where they're likely to hide, etc. so you may be able to use that for inspecting the gifts.

 

[EweSheep]

Just go and drive to the Goodwill box, undress and dump the gifts in there!

You might all go home naked but at least you didn't come home with anything coming with you LOL!

 

[calicokat]

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And on the upside, hey it's Christmas day - there won't be any traffic driving by to see us naked

 

[calicokat]

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Yeah, I wanted to copy that video and send it annonymously to SIL! I'd have to label it as some cool action thriller movie, or a special World of Warfare skills video to get them to watch it though

 

[hdowden]

i personally wouldnt go no matter how upset they would be and would tell them to not come around till the problem is resolved. as a last resort call in the proper athroities to deal with the unsanatary conditions (might get the kids taken away though which i wouldnt wish on anyone) but if its that bad some intervention is a must, not just for their health but the health of the kids as well. living in those conditions can cause many long term health issues such as ashma(sp). i know it is probly hard to think about doing something like that but also think of the benifits it would have on the health of everyone in that house

 

[MeatKing]

Your really going? I wish you luck!

Can you make up a reason that may be life threating, to someone in your household. If they caught them?

 

[goldfinches]

You worried about it going on for years and them not solving it. Bedbugs bite multiple times near the same area, one can wake up with 30 sores in a small spot. They itch worse than a mosquito bite. I don't think they can last more than a few months before seeking help.

If you get something you want to keep, but can't figure out how to wash it, (which I would highly recommend, who knows how long it's been sitting in their house), you could put it in a black plastic bag in your attic, and once summer gets here, your attic will get hot enough at sustained temps to kill them.