While I have accepted that it is hard to get much done IN the house on the weekdays, I am determined to get something done everyday.
Today I manage some purchases:
DE
more 91% alcohol (I've found cost of this varies wildly, cheapest I have found is at a chain drug store - $2.99 for a large bottle. I have seen it as much as $4.00+ for a small bottle at a local drug store)
2 Protect-a-Bed AllerZip (tm) pillow covers
I also ordered the AllerZip covers for my mattress and box spring and found a place that will PakTites in by the end of the week.
The AllerZip encasements are reportedly tested to be the best at keeping bug in that are in, out that are out and being bite resistant. They will replace the cheap plastic only (easily torn or poked by cat claws) ones that I initially bought.
Still no prep list from the exterminators. I will give it one more day, if nothing is here when I come home on Wednesday I start calling people.
Also, no word from my homeowner association and no postings. This worries me a great deal and I think I am going to have to spread the word myself. I guess I will start to mentally prepare for the ostricizing.
I do get some cleaning done. Two suitcases that were stored near my bed adn used for storing out of season/rarely worn clothing got emptied, the clothing all bagged up, and the suitcases sprayed down and inspected for bugs or signs of bugs. No bugs found and no signs. Still I will heat treat these and/or dust them with DE once I get the right equipment.
That brings me to DE. I know people who use DE for bugs other than budbugs. Personally, I had never heard of it before this spring. With all the reading I have done now for bedbugs, I have seen a lot of professionals warning about applying DE (even food grade - they absolutely say DO NOT use anything but food grade - thanks tjc) without the proper equipment. It can cause lung problems and is easily disturbed to where one could breathe it in order to cause them. I am not much for taking chances now that a child is around, so I will only be applying the DE when he is in another room or out of the house and I will get a full-on respirator with 100 rated filters. Again, there is a full DE FAQ at bedbugger.com and it gives info on all this.
Spent today:
$261.16 - all the AllerZip covers (even the ones I won't get until later in the week)
$10.88 - DE
$5.98 - Alcohol
Hey there, you do know there are two different kinds of DE? Food grade and not. I use the food grade all the time, all around my house, and it poses no problems for me or my dogs. Just wanted to double check that you weren't using non-food grade, 'cause that's the stuff harmful to lungs.
ReplyDelete--javachik
Oh, good, glad you're using food grade.
ReplyDeleteI hadn't heard about DE either until a couple of years ago when we had a flea problem in our yard. Now I use it all the time, but again, for yard stuff. I hope I never have the bedbug issue - I am exhausted just from reading your blog.
And I can't help but think that others are not as methodical as you when they find them, hence the spreading. Even though I am a continent away, thank you for your diligence!