Preventing Bed Bugs from traveling into my Apartment? (hardwood floors, apartments)

[Bluecollarbred]

Hello, I have an apartment in a farily large sized apartment building and so far we have been lucky enough to not hear about any infestations.

What can I do to prevent bedbugs from invading my apartment in the first place?

We have hardwood floors throughout. Is that a good thing?

[cityinfonow]

Don't hang out with anyone who has bedbugs. Hardwood floors isn't exactly a bedbug killer - but letting them rot in the sunlight will usually do them in. But again, don't hang around any people who may have bedbugs. Translation - Don't hang around anyone from Brooklyn.

[jakecastle]

lol nice

[Mr. Klato]

Urinate all over the furniture. Mark your territory.

[Bluecollarbred]

Great answers so far, no really.

[Kefir King]

I think a bead of caulk at the base of the all the walls is a good precaution...I will get around to it soon.
Where I can into the walls, I puff in boric acid. Diatomaceous Earth is better but to fill walls it can get expensive. On old place I took out a barge bathrrom mirrored medicine chest and puffed a half pound of boric acid in covering pipes to both my bathroom and kitchen. It worked for 20 years.
I know it is not claimed to be very effective against bedbugs but every deterrent helps. Besided it will kill roaches or sliverfish if they wander into the wall.

NOBODY is coming in with a suitcase unless I inspect it first...and maybe not even then.

Don't "find" any soft furniture on recycling day. If you find something wooden or plastic, inspect it carefully, wash it, or use a hair dryer on any crevices.

Check mattress seams carefully every time you change sheets. Learrn what to look for.

Check clothes and fabric stuff you buy. If Abercrombie and Fitch can be infected, anyone can. The AMC Empire twelve-plex theaters on 42nd had to be fumigated...so check theater seats (arouund the seams) before you sit down.

I guess getting them will be inevitable but I am going to try my best to safely avoid them for as long as I can.

[Oleg Bach]

These imports from third world countries are a plague - and these insects are brighter than you think..You had better make sure they have not invaded your place - and if they have - ever square inch must be examined and dealt with - When they spray these creatures - they run...along the wiring system - the edges of the pumbing system - They simply vacate and escape. People do not realize that they hunt for humans through the discharge of carbon dioxide ( your breath)..They can travel hundereds of feet down the edges of an apartment hall way - come in under your door...feed on you - then simply leave and go back to their hiding spot..which might be a long way from your home.

If you are checking the seems of a mattress..you have to be extremely careful - they are called bed bugs but they really like to find a place where there is no distrubing motion...yes some will go for the bed - the smarter ones will find place to nest..in the cracks of furniture...in behind light and socket areas...

Professional exterminators are not very good at getting rid of these pests - YOU have to take responsiblity and do it yourself..do not underestimate their cleverness..IF you are going to take them on - remember..Launder everything...put the dryer on high - bleach and spay ever bit of area you can - wash all floors and if you must - toss stuff out..bag it firmly and just get rid of anything that is clutter..

It's a stressful world as it is. The only real peace we have these days is the comfort of our beds and a good night sleep-...This is a curse - and can drive you nuts - don't panic - wage war on them ..>I know of some smart folks who were relentless...and it took them a few months to rid their apartments of bed bugs...The problem can be handled easily if you live in a single dwelling - but in a common building such as an apartment block..You will always be re-infested - because to put it brutally - most people are to stupid and not diligent enough to get rid of them - they mirgrate...apartment blocks are the worst....also - don't tell anyone that you have them if it is the case - You will be persecuted..deal with the problem...and if in an apartment building - kalk and tape every crack...under kitchen sinks - electrical out lets etc...and at night - tape up your entrance.


Best if you can - do not live in an apartment building...once they have entered - they are almost impossible to get rid of...If you find even ONE bug - do ALL of your laundry...face it as if there are a million on their way - cos they breed.....I have had an infestation last year ..It took me a couple of weeks to get rid of them - I live in a private dwelling - others who live in mulitiple dwellings are beside themselves and are brought to tears by this plauge...most end up moving.

[lowkeystatus]

I dealt with an infestation over the summer and wound up having to move not even 2 months after seeing the first bug. Anyone who has dealt with them will tell you how these bugs can literally take over your life. The infestation started when a new family moved into an apartment below me (I lived in a 3 floor building) and then traveled up to my apartment. Numerous visits from the exterminator didn't do a thing. I moved into a 2 family house and have been bug-free since (knock on wood). Here's what I'm doing now to try to avoid any possible reinfestation:

1) When I visit friend's houses, I don't sit on the bed nor leave my coat/purse on the bed.

2) Have a mattress cover on my bed now.

3) Wash all my bedding weekly in hot water/dry on high heat.

4) Do not shop at any kind of second hand place.

5) Any new piece of clothing I buy is sealed in a plastic bag and then washed in hot water before I put it in the closet/drawers.

6) Don't sit on the wooden benches in the subway.

I admit I haven't gone to the movies since learning they've been found there, but I have gone to the library and took out a book...was just sure to bring it home wrapped in a bag and then inspect all the pages. I also have a small steamer I use to steam individual items.

I recently saw a documentary on Animal Planet called "Beg Bug Apocolypse" which said the bed bug we are seeing now is actually a mutant type of "superbug" and thus is resistant to all the typical chemicals the exterminators use.

[Kefir King]

also - don't tell anyone that you have them if it is the case - You will be persecuted

That is both true and unfortunate. Everyone keeping infestations secret only benefits the spreading of the bugs. In this case, the more accurate information we have the better. But then who wants to be persecuted? The ultimate, and probably COMMON, case is someone who has bugs and wants to keep it a secret so he doesn't even telll management, gets NO extermination...and then continues to share bugs with his neighbors ad iinfinitum.

I applaud whoever started that BEDBUG REGISTRY. Knowledge is power.

How many of us have had a neighbor who insisted she didn't have roaches and thus would never allow an exterminator in. Then she moved out and the place looked like the set of a horror movie: IT CAME FROM BENEATH THE SINK, starring Linus Roche! See it in 3-D at a theater near you (glasses extra.)

[mf_colon]

loykeystatus had some good suggestions.

One simple thing I have done is get bed sheet covers for bedbugs/dust mites, etc for all the mattresses in my house. Sleepy's has them as well as Target.