dsmama Posted July 4, 2012 Share Posted July 4, 2012 We are in a tough spot, etiquette-wise. We live in central VA, where the tornado/storms hit. We have no power in our home, and have had none since Friday. We have friends -- good friends -- who contacted us Saturday via email and wrote, "We are headed on a cruise, we have heard our neighborhood has power. You are welcome to stay in our home for the week. Here is the code for the key and alarm." So we thankfully go. We are very blessed. I have done my best to help keep things clean, do the laundry they left at home, clean the kitchen, be a good guest, etc. And then, the bites start. And the itching. The kids and I have welts growing on us and are scratching like crazy. And then my DH sees what he thinks is a bedbug in the master bed. And there is weird stuff in the mattress lining We have lived through bedbugs before. To say it was HE double toothpicks would be a complete understatement. So....oh, my goodness. What do we say? "Thank you for letting us into your home. Two years ago, we had bedbugs, and now we think you do?" Any help? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kroe1 Posted July 4, 2012 Share Posted July 4, 2012 Ugh, you're in a pickle. Since you've had them before, you know to just throw away everything you brought with you. If you are brave, you can heat up everything to 120 degrees F for 30 minutes and take it into your house, right? I would tell them what you have found and that you are covered in them. Then I would tell them that it isn't nice that they just spread those critters while on vacation. Personally, I think your friends are jerks or incredibly naive. At any rate, I would highly encourage them to report their bedbugs to all the hotels they are currently staying in. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted July 4, 2012 Share Posted July 4, 2012 "Thank you for letting us into your home. Two years ago, we had bedbugs, and now we think you do?" Pretty much, yes. Is there anything you can do to help them get rid of them as a thank you for letting you stay there free of charge? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted July 4, 2012 Share Posted July 4, 2012 OK, I'd probably not say a thing. I'd clean the house and make sure I didn't bring any home. And just thank them for the use of their house. I don't know how you can bring that up. How do you treat bed bugs? Is that something you can easily do as a repayment for using the house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kricau Posted July 4, 2012 Share Posted July 4, 2012 I'd be afriad if you did tell them , they might think you are the ones who brought them in :( You know how to get rid of them? Or just not spread them? I would FREAK OUT!!! I had lice as a child and it was a nightmare. Are bed bugs comparable? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dsmama Posted July 4, 2012 Author Share Posted July 4, 2012 Thanks for all the replies. Bed bugs and lice are somewhat comparable in the ick-factor, but lice are relatively easy to kill, whereas bedbugs are tough to kill and very long-lasting (they can survive for months). We are still wondering what to say. We are going to torch the h%ck out of our stuff at the laundromat (and we have a Pack-Tite, since my husband travels regularly). And I still want to help our friends, but, wow, this is tough! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalanamak Posted July 4, 2012 Share Posted July 4, 2012 I'd be afriad if you did tell them , they might think you are the ones who brought them in :( /QUOTE] I think if you *don't* tell them, and they come home to it, they'll think you gave it to them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canadianmumof5 Posted July 4, 2012 Share Posted July 4, 2012 I'd be afriad if you did tell them , they might think you are the ones who brought them in :( /QUOTE] I think if you *don't* tell them, and they come home to it, they'll think you gave it to them. :iagree: And see what you can do to help start the process of getting rid of them at the house before your friends return. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissad2 Posted July 4, 2012 Share Posted July 4, 2012 :svengo: Oh my goodness what a mess! I think you have to tell them but what an awkward position to be in! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myfunnybunch Posted July 4, 2012 Share Posted July 4, 2012 I think if you *don't* tell them, and they come home to it, they'll think you gave it to them. :iagree: Not to mention that if they ever did find out that you knew and didn't tell them, it would be very upsetting. :grouphug: It's unlikely a bedbug infestation could be as bad as you're describing if you'd brought bedbugs with you, so they can't really blame you. I think you need to tell them. Sorry you have to deal with this. Cat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KnitWit Posted July 4, 2012 Share Posted July 4, 2012 Oh my goodness! I feel so badly for you! I agree that you must tell them. Give them the details that you gave us, the timeframe as to when they appeared. Tell them what you are doing and what still must be done. If I were them, I would SO appreciate the fact that you began the battle for me! :grouphug::grouphug::grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest submarines Posted July 4, 2012 Share Posted July 4, 2012 Take pictures, if you can, of the extent of the infestation. If the relationship goes sour and they try to blame you after you tell them, at least you'll have the evidence that the infestation was already there when you arrived. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garga Posted July 4, 2012 Share Posted July 4, 2012 Oh! I had bedbugs. I wrote all about it here. It was horrible, as you know, and it cost about $1000 total to treat--and that was after the exterminator only charged us half his normal fee. You have to tell them. When I had bedbugs, we were being bit, but didn't have any visible bites on our skin. Some people don't react to the bugbites, and they really might not know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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