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Bed Bugs in Library Books :(


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http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/06/garden/bedbugs-hitch-a-ride-on-library-books.html?src=dayp&_r=0

 

Oh no....bed bugs in library books? I never thought of this. We use a lot of library books for homeschool. Also, my kids read books in bed. One time my husband said they shouldn't bring the library books into bed with them and I just thought he was being annoying (he's a germaphobe).

 

I am still going to be going to the library, but I will just keep this in my mind and perhaps keep library books out of bed.

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I just emailed our city libary system to see what kind of policies they have in place. Our city has a big bed bug problem - it appears on those lists of "10 cities with highest bed bug reports." Serveral houses our block have had infestations. And earlier this year, a local school was repported as having bed bugs and got treatment. So, this article doesn't come as a big surprise. Still, it does get me concerned, as we use the libraries a lot, borrowing dozens of books each week. Aigh. This is going to complicate things.

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We had bed bugs in 2008 (I brought them home from the hospital after having middle DS). My germophobic DH was totally traumatized by the experience and for ages was very unhappy about all kinds of unavoidable things, including my bringing home library books. I did it anyway, of course, and he's calmed down over time. When I saw the article in today's paper I immediately put the paper in the recycling but he is surely going to see it online.

 

If he gets really wound up I am going to suggest getting one of those heat machines. That would be far, far cheaper than buying all of our books.

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Ugh. I will be freaking out about this now. And you can't protect your home by simply not reading the books in the bed. As soon as they come into your house, they can start moving into all the furniture, carpets, and anything else they might wander into.

 

I wonder if you can microwave books.

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Best-sellers that have rested on many night tables are high-risk, he explained, as are hardcovers with spines where a female can lay eggs. “You probably don’t want to check out a popular book,†he said. “Maybe try old history books.â€

 

Whew. I think we're good. Old history books is, like, 90% of what we check out. :rolleyes:

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Here's good information about bed bugs and how to kill them:

http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/bedbugs/html/home/home.shtml

and

bedbugger.com

 

But basically, the experts do not recommend trying to heat items in a car in the summer. It's hard to measure the temperature of the object. One wants to make sure that the item reaches 120 degrees F through and through and that that temperature is maintained for at least an hour. Also, it takes a longer time for freezing temperatures to kill bed bugs and their eggs.

 

The machines mentioned by JennyD (Packtite) work well with books.

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Not reading the article, but yes, I've heard this before. In the summer, I tend to leave the books in the car for awhile. If it's 120 outside, I can only imagine that my car is a little oven. In the winter, I just try not to think about it.

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Oh goodness! I did NOT need to see this.

 

I am a germaphobe as well. My family picks on me because I always wipe the books down with a wet bleach cloth when we bring them home. But my girls read in their bed every night. Now I'll be concerned about bed bugs too. Yuck.

 

It it comforting to know that I am not the only one who does this. Yes, I m a germophobe and seriously didn't need to see this either.

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