Cricket Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 A few weeks ago I was so excited to find a very nice loft bed at Goodwill. And it was half price day! Well, I'm not so excited now. We only bought the wooden frame but apparently it contained bed bugs. I thought those would only be in mattresses. We had the boys' bedroom treated and quarantined but I just found one in our room! This is probably going to be a very expensive problem to get rid of! Any BTDT advice? I'm ready to torch the house! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justasque Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 No advice, but you might want to let your Goodwill know. They will want to change their inspection/donation process, AND they may have to disinfect their store. ICK! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammyla Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 :iagree: And maybe they owe you a refund.:w00t: No advice, but you might want to let your Goodwill know. They will want to change their inspection/donation process, AND they may have to disinfect their store. ICK! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkacademy Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 I am so stupid...I have always thought these things were just a saying like ya know a joke? WOW! So sorry. Yes call them and good luck getting rid of them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cricket Posted June 12, 2011 Author Share Posted June 12, 2011 :iagree: And maybe they owe you a refund.:w00t: Oh, we will be asking for more than that! We will be contacting the corporate offices tomorrow morning. It has already cost us over $500 and we are just getting started apparently! Completely unacceptable and we are quite furious at the moment! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristusG Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 Oh no!! I had no idea they could be on a bed frame. I've always read not to buy mattresses, sheets, etc from used places, but never a bed frame. I guess it is possible though, if the previous owners had them on the mattress. Maybe the frame just came in and the bugs hadn't had the chance to move on to a different place? That would really stink. Yeah, I'd be wanting some compensation! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oakblossoms Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 Start regular steam cleaning of the house. One room a day and a professional steamer would be best. DE http://www.dirtworks.net/Diatomaceous-Earth/Bed-Bug.html. Not sure about that page in particular. But, it gives you an idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G5052 Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 I've heard of people picking them up in church and concert auditoriums.:001_huh: My youngest and I got bit last summer in a hotel, but thankfully I knew immediately and isolated our suitcases, washed everything, etc. etc. I believe that they never moved into the house. I found a dead one downstairs after we returned, but I've been vacuuming behind things and checking the mattresses every time when change the sheets, and I think that we escaped. We went by a thrift store Friday and one of my kids so wanted to buy a recliner for their room and I said nooooo...! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sputterduck Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 Oh no!! I had no idea they could be on a bed frame. I've always read not to buy mattresses, sheets, etc from used places, but never a bed frame. I guess it is possible though, if the previous owners had them on the mattress. Maybe the frame just came in and the bugs hadn't had the chance to move on to a different place? That would really stink. Yeah, I'd be wanting some compensation! The frequently hide in furniture during the day. They find a little crack and stay there until night time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommy22alyns Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 Oh, eeew! You poor lady! That just gives me the creeps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cricket Posted June 12, 2011 Author Share Posted June 12, 2011 I just called Goodwill and apparently they only check furniture to make sure it is safe and "clean" before they put it out on the floor. They don't check for pests at all. :glare: I'm sure the source was that bed. The first person being bit was our son sleeping in that bed and it was a few days after we set the bed up in his room. I'm on my 32nd load of laundry. I'm so thankful we have a laundromat right here with four dryers. We were washing everything but then our pest guy told us we only have to run the clothes through the dryer at high heat for 30 minutes. It is the high heat that kills them. When I did the bedding yesterday I found bugs in the lint catcher. EEEWWW!!!!! I'm ready to move and leave everything behind!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindy in C-ville Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 I'm sure it's the bed. They will stay in cracks, crevices, etc. all through the day and then come out between 3:00 AM and 6:00 AM. I know more about these guys than I want to ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WistfulRidge Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 No advice, but... EWW! EWW! EWW! :ack2: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cricket Posted June 12, 2011 Author Share Posted June 12, 2011 The hard part now is figuring out where to put all the clothing and bedding because it can't go back into closets and dressers until the rooms are treated. ugh! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sushi's Mom Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 I have been hearing a lot lately of heat treating to get rid of bed bugs. I saw a show where the family had a very large house and heat was pumped into the house to get rid of the bugs. Seems like it worked. http://www.bed-bug.org/kill-bed-bugs-with-heat/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cricket Posted June 13, 2011 Author Share Posted June 13, 2011 I have been hearing a lot lately of heat treating to get rid of bed bugs. I saw a show where the family had a very large house and heat was pumped into the house to get rid of the bugs. Seems like it worked. http://www.bed-bug.org/kill-bed-bugs-with-heat/ Very interesting! It's already 100+ degrees outside. We could just turn the A/C off for a couple of days and do some baking. :lol: I'm going to look into this more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoughCollie Posted June 13, 2011 Share Posted June 13, 2011 (edited) I just called Goodwill and apparently they only check furniture to make sure it is safe and "clean" before they put it out on the floor. I consider bedbug infested furniture to be neither safe nor clean. I'd go higher up the chain of command with Goodwill. It seems to me they have a vested interest in not having their stores and merchandise overrun with bedbugs. Here's their general email address: contactus@goodwill.org You can follow them on Twitter and FB, and post about bedbugs there. The info is here: http://www.goodwill.org/get-involved/online-community/ Edited June 13, 2011 by RoughCollie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SweetMissMagnolia Posted June 13, 2011 Share Posted June 13, 2011 ewwwww yes hope you can get a refund and maybe some help with recouping your losses.....hope you get rid of them all.....another one here who thought they were in things like mattresses/pillows/carpets and not the frame.....yucko Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennyD Posted June 13, 2011 Share Posted June 13, 2011 Yeesh, so sorry you're dealing with this. I brought them home from the hospital (of all places) when I had #2 and it was a very expensive and trying ordeal. The washing, it was ENDLESS. I think poor DH is still recovering from the whole thing. Hang in there, and good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cricket Posted June 13, 2011 Author Share Posted June 13, 2011 I consider bedbug infested furniture to be neither safe nor clean. I'd go higher up the chain of command with Goodwill. It seems to me they have a vested interest in not having their stores and merchandise overrun with bedbugs. Here's their general email address: contactus@goodwill.org You can follow them on Twitter and FB, and post about bedbugs there. The info is here: http://www.goodwill.org/get-involved/online-community/ Thanks for the links. I had planned on talking to the corporate offices tomorrow morning. And one more thing, if you think you might have bed bugs, don't use a house fogger. It only makes them angry. :eek: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnL Posted June 13, 2011 Share Posted June 13, 2011 And one more thing, if you think you might have bed bugs, don't use a house fogger. It only makes them angry. :eek: ICK, ICK, ICK!!!! And to think I was AT Goodwill today, and noticed they had mattresses for sale. Oh my goodness, I am now very hesitant about Craig's list, too! My youngest needs a bed and I guess we will have to splurge and get new. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tree House Academy Posted June 13, 2011 Share Posted June 13, 2011 Oh, I am so sorry! I would definitely be talking to someone at Goodwill's Corporate office. YUCK! The only bed thing I will still buy used is sheets - and I make sure to put them in a plastic bag at the door, bleach them in the wash with hot water, dry on high heat in the dryer, and dispose of the bag I used to carry them inside in a trash can outside. Oh...and I only will buy them from people I know (at yard sales)! LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dinsfamily Posted June 13, 2011 Share Posted June 13, 2011 Some of our friends went through this and we recently had a scare. It was a false alarm for us but I still did a lot of drying and baking. Since it is already hot, you can put non-dryable times like books, hampers, toys, etc. In black plastic trash bags and let them bake in the sun. Heating the house is very effective but the most expensive option. Chemicals and steam are what many companies will use and cost less. Many companies will give you a six month warranty. Every company we contacted said you had to treat the whole house or it just isn't going to work. Yes, it's an expensive pain! So sorry you have to go through all of this! The frequently hide in furniture during the day. They find a little crack and stay there until night time. :iagree: They can hide anywhere and love clutter. Our friends found the biggest clusters hid underneath the carpet edge under the bed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PollyOR Posted June 13, 2011 Share Posted June 13, 2011 We picked them up last summer at a campground. The bunks were wooden and the cabin was very clean...or so we thought. What a nightmare! DH took all of our sleeping bags to a laundromat, but I'm not sure I'll ever be able to sleep in them again. :ohmy: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missmoe Posted June 13, 2011 Share Posted June 13, 2011 I'm so sorry you are dealing with this. We recently found out that a neighbor which we share a wall with had bedbugs. Does anyone know if they can travel through walls? If it matters--the walls are four drywall sheets thick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cshell Posted June 13, 2011 Share Posted June 13, 2011 The hospital??? Oh dear....I just never thought of bringing them home along with your brand new baby!:ohmy: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindy in C-ville Posted June 13, 2011 Share Posted June 13, 2011 I have been hearing a lot lately of heat treating to get rid of bed bugs. I saw a show where the family had a very large house and heat was pumped into the house to get rid of the bugs. Seems like it worked. http://www.bed-bug.org/kill-bed-bugs-with-heat/ Yep. If we had to do it all over again, which I hope we never do, this is exactly what we would do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindy in C-ville Posted June 13, 2011 Share Posted June 13, 2011 I'm so sorry you are dealing with this. We recently found out that a neighbor which we share a wall with had bedbugs. Does anyone know if they can travel through walls? If it matters--the walls are four drywall sheets thick. I'm sure they can. Ugh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cricket Posted June 13, 2011 Author Share Posted June 13, 2011 Yep. If we had to do it all over again, which I hope we never do, this is exactly what we would do. $1800 for heat treatment :blink: But it definitely sounds like the most effective way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cricket Posted June 13, 2011 Author Share Posted June 13, 2011 I'm so sorry you are dealing with this. We recently found out that a neighbor which we share a wall with had bedbugs. Does anyone know if they can travel through walls? If it matters--the walls are four drywall sheets thick. I would keep an eye on that wall! If you have a steam cleaner, I would be steaming the baseboard on that wall every day for a while I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JenC3 Posted June 13, 2011 Share Posted June 13, 2011 I'm so sorry you are dealing with this. We recently found out that a neighbor which we share a wall with had bedbugs. Does anyone know if they can travel through walls? If it matters--the walls are four drywall sheets thick. Yes! This is how my friend was infested. They can go through the electrical outlets. Make sure you foam up the outlet and block them with plug things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trish Posted June 13, 2011 Share Posted June 13, 2011 Heck, if they can hide in book bindings, why not furniture? Particularly BED FRAMES. Always check the Hive Bedbug Threads before purchasing used! The horror stories alone will probably dissaude you. So sorry this happened to you -- please tell us how you end up getting rid of them! Every bit of advice helps. We will all pray for the bedbugs to drop dead and be banished from your home! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cricket Posted June 13, 2011 Author Share Posted June 13, 2011 My dh put a call in to a lawyer we know. I called the state law library and the clerk was very helpful. According to what the clerk and I read, in AZ it is illegal to sell used furniture without first treating, cleaning and disinfecting it. The district office of Goodwill is not returning our phone calls at this point but maybe a call from a lawyer will change that. I'm really going to push for them to pay for heat treating the house. What a nightmare! ETA: I found a case in Indiana a year or so ago where Goodwill did pay for treating a home after a family purchased used furniture from them and ended up with bed bugs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teamturner Posted June 13, 2011 Share Posted June 13, 2011 This possibility is what prevented me from purchasing a lovely chair from Salvation Army. I wondered about the bed bug possibility. I guess used furniture is out now! I hope you get rid of them quickly. I'm so sorry you are dealing with this. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TracieT Posted June 13, 2011 Share Posted June 13, 2011 I'd definitely push it and get a lawyer involved. That is terrible! My in-laws dealt with bed bugs a couple years ago. They had a long-term house guest from another country who brought them along. It took a year to get to SIL's bedroom down the hall which is when they figured out what was going on. They were eating her alive! I know it cost them over $1,000 to have the rooms treated, plus new mattresses. I am not a chemical person, but this is one instance I'd do whatever it took to get rid of them. They freak me out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dsmama Posted June 13, 2011 Share Posted June 13, 2011 We had bedbugs almost two years ago. It was horrendous. DD brought them home from camp. Several months and thousands of dollars later, we finally got rid of them all. I will post a few things here, and feel free to PM me for more info. -- Heat is the only thing that kills bedbugs. A dryer on high heat for 30 minutes will kill them. -- Contact a reputable exterminator. -- Go buy some giant ziploc bags and/or clear garbage bags. Put every piece of clothing and linen in the dryer for 30 mins at a time, then move immediately into a bag and seal tightly. For most items, we used big bags and cable ties. Then I picked about five days' worth of clothes for the big ziplocs. Toss anything you don't want. Seriously. Our entire top floor (bedroom level) we heated clothes and packed up completely. We lived out of our five day bag and then had a separate "dirty bag" (sealed to prevent anything getting out) that would be laundered regularly. Yes, I did this with three small children. It was horrible. -- We bought a Pack-Tite, which is a huge heater. Some exterminators rent them. We put everything that couldn't go in the dryer in the Pack=tite, such as clothes, toys, etc. The good thing is that now my husband puts his suitcase in there after he travels. We bought all new mattresses, or you can buy special bedbug proof covers. We steam heated every inch of the bed frames, dresser drawers, carpet, etc. It was a nightmare, but you CAN get through it. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cricket Posted June 13, 2011 Author Share Posted June 13, 2011 Dh just got off the phone with a district person. Sounds like GW will reimburse us for any out of pocket expenses we have had (almost $700 so far!) PLUS send out their own pest control people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoughCollie Posted June 13, 2011 Share Posted June 13, 2011 Dh just got off the phone with a district person. Sounds like GW will reimburse us for any out of pocket expenses we have had (almost $700 so far!) PLUS send out their own pest control people. That is great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mynyel Posted June 13, 2011 Share Posted June 13, 2011 Here is a thought... http://www.bedbuginfo.com/using-diatomaceous-earth-to-kill-bed-bugs.php We used diatomaceous earth for fleas and ants and it works awesome AND if you get the food grade (which I wouldn't get any other) you don't have to worry about pets or kids getting into it. It is perfectly safe. You can get 10 pounds of the stuff (trust me that is a lot! DE is very light and in a fine powder) for about $30-35. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuirkyKapers Posted June 13, 2011 Share Posted June 13, 2011 My aunt told me about this: http://www.maxblasterusa.com/Hotel_Odor_Bed_Bugs.html It says it works for bed bugs. I would ask an exterminator. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dsmama Posted June 13, 2011 Share Posted June 13, 2011 Glad to hear that GW is starting to cooperate! This is essentially the plan we used: http://www.bedbugbattleplan.com/content/blogcategory/16/33/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missmoe Posted June 13, 2011 Share Posted June 13, 2011 I would keep an eye on that wall! If you have a steam cleaner, I would be steaming the baseboard on that wall every day for a while I think. Good to know. Too bad I don't know which wall! The HOA refuses to tell us which neighbor it was--but they did tell us it has been treated in that residence. Sigh, now I guess I have a new summer project! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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