What is Reddit's opinion of
Conair ExtremeSteam Hand Held Fabric Steamer with Dual Heat, White/Blue?
From 3.5 billion Reddit comments
20 reviews of this product found across Reddit:
I have this one. I use distilled water in it because tap water where I live is hard and causes scale/buildup. As part of my Sunday evening prep for the week, I pick out my work outfits and steam them all at once.
So here’s the one I have
Conair ExtremeSteam GS23 C... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006CR9KGA?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf
Works great. You just need to not be afraid of how close you are putting the steamer on the clothes. Like, I have it pretty much touching it, but I only need to do a quick swipe by a wrinkled spot and it’s good to go.
I disagree. I've had a handheld portable conair steamer, basically this one, for about 6 years, and it still works great. We use it at least once or twice a week for 6 years. Never used distilled, just tap and it's been great. Ymmv, maybe we're lucky, but we love it because it's portable too.
I am a prolific knitter and I block all knits with a handheld clothes steamer (like this oneConair - GS23N Extreme Steam Hand Held Fabric Steamer with Dual Heat, White/Blue https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B006CR9KGA/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_i_0G8ET9GWYZFVR90935GB).
I use the high setting for wool and cotton and a low setting for acrylic, tencel, and various blends. I also always test the synthetic yarns on the wrong side first (or on your swatch if you make them). I block garments on a dress form but things like shawls on foam mats. I have a little Halloween foam skull that I use for blocking hats. Sometimes for shawls, I will pin them as I steam them. I do this if they have some kind of lace edges with chevrons or "flames" that need shaping. I steam a section quickly to make it maleable, then stretch and pin in place. Repeat until the entire shawl is pinned, adjust to make sure everything is even, then steam again a few times and let sit for like 20 min to cool down. Then unpin and shake out and it is done.
For blocking crochet, I will sometimes use an iron but in a VERY specific manner. I put down multiple towels to make an extra soft surface, then put the crocheted garment right side down, then a wet but not dripping cotton or linen cloth, then very gently bring the iron (on cotton or linen setting) down to the wet towel so that it makes SHHHHHH (water evaporating) sound. I don't ever put the iron fully down or apply any pressure.
Hope this helps!
Yes! The Conair Extreme Steam handheld series is great. They have a wide output for steam, so you can cover more area and steam things more quickly. I’ve tried smaller steamers before, and it takes so long to steam clothes.
Conair Extreme Steam Hand Held Fabric Steamer Dual Heat, White/Blue https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006CR9KGA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_PD0V1W1Q3A5R1ZPCS0P4
We have this Conair ExtremeSteam - it’s $30 on Amazon and we got it as a wedding gift 3 years ago and it’s still working just fine! We use it at least once a day.
What about something like this?
Conair Extreme Steam Hand Held Fabric Steamer Dual Heat, White/Blue https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006CR9KGA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_ZKJW5PN9VH05SKEMHDE2
Make your bed, then give it a steam along the wrinkles.
Purchase list:
A handheld steamer, like you would use for clothing.. You can buy these on amazon or at your local big box store. You pay more for convenience and ergonomics, but steam comes out at 212°f which will kill bed bugs on contact so technically any steam gun that reliably produces a stream of heat will work. Try not to get one that's going to blast the bugs too hard, though, as you don't want them flying off the furniture onto the carpet. note: If you have an extremely bad infestation, you might want to consider spending the extra money on a professional steam cleaner that is designed for use on bed bugs.
A laser Thermometer. Use this to measure the temperature of surfaces that you've cleaned. For instant kill, surfaces need to be heated to 140°f and preferably to 180°f immediately after steaming.
A bottle of Cimexa. You have to buy this online, I've yet to see it in a big box store. Think of Cimexa like it's diatomaceous earth but infinitely better because it actually works. You will be using this as a powder to gently dust into cracks and corners (mountains or dunes of dust aren't effective).
A cheap brush and empty spray bottle. You will use these for applying the Cimexa powder. For each area, you want to apply two or three puffs, then brush it in. You can also add water to the Cimexa and turn it into a liquid solution to spray into hard to reach places, but be careful to get the ratio right or it will be less effective.
A pesticide like crossfire. Crossfire is highly recommended for treating bed bugs, as it is one of the most effective readily-available pesticides for bed bugs. It's quite a bit pricier than most pesticides, but it works that justifies the price tag. Before you use it, for the love of God, read the instructions and make sure you apply it correctly so that you're not wasting it and just scaring the bugs away. You need to be very thorough with this stuff but be careful when applying it and let it thoroughly dry before you re-enter the area. My toes were numb for days because I reentered too quickly and didn't let it dry.
Pesticides like Harris or Temprid also work, but require more frequent applications. Avoid most over the counter pesticides like raid as they usually aren't very effective. Shop around before deciding which pesticide to use.
A mattress and box spring encasement. find at your local big box store or amazon. Make sure that you buy encasements that fit properly to your mattress and box spring. You can get a better fit more accurately on Amazon, but I've had horror stories of people receiving used and infested encasements that were basically bought, returned, and put back into inventory at amazon. Don't cheap out, because a good encasement is unnoticeable when sleeping but a bad encasement is hot and crinkly and makes sleeping miserable. Do not skip on the box spring - it is actually more important to get a box spring encasement than a mattress encasement.
Felt furniture patches. You don't want to your mattress/box spring encasements to tear on your metal bed frame. A torn encasement can ruin months of treatment. Use furniture patches to cover up any sharp or protruding edges to minimize this risk.
Climb up interceptors for your bed. Make sure that you measure your bed's legs and buy an appropriate size. These need to fit around the bed frame's legs so that you can stop the bed bugs from getting in and out of the bed.
So here are your steps:
BED: Isolate, Treat, Encase. Follow Up.
Isolate: Vacuum the area, pull your bed assemble 6-12 inches away from the nearest wall so that it is only connected to a surface by the bed frame's legs. Put the Climb up interceptors under the bed frame's legs and liberally dust with Cimexa - this is the only place where a lot of dust can actually be effective.
Treat: Steam your entire bed assembly (frame, box spring, mattress) with the steamer to kill any bed bugs that you can find. Use the laser thermometer to check the surface temperature, but be aware that areas will rapidly cool. Go slow so that the steam's heat can penetrate all over the cracks and crevices. Bed bugs absolutely love to infest your box spring and it can be difficult to get the heat into it. Apply crossfire/pesticides as directed following the bottle's instructions.
Encase: Encase your mattress and box spring in the encasements. Steam the encasements in case a bed bug decided to hop onto the encasement while you were treating. Apply felt furniture patches to any edge or protrusion on the metal frame that could potentially tear the encasements (be liberal with pad placement, they're cheap). Reassemble, but be careful not to accidentally rip a hole in your encasement.
Follow Up: Vacuum daily, check your encasements for new bed bugs daily, and apply a complete steam treatment to your entire bed assembly at least every other day, even if you can't see bed bugs by yourself (if for no other reason than pure catharsis). Remove any bed bugs that you find after killing them.
Sheets: Isolate, Clean, Isolate, Follow Up
Isolate: Remove all bedding and place into air-tight containers (good trash bags work, provided you use the plastic ties to properly seal the top). Take to a laundromat, preferably one that does free drying.
Clean: Very carefully remove the bedding and wash thoroughly. When done, tumble dry in batches for at least 45 minutes. Bed bugs can survive temperatures of 113°f for up to 90 minutes but only 20 minutes at 118°f. Use the laser thermometer to check the bedding.
Isolate: Once sufficiently heated, place into a new air-tight container and keep separated until it is time to use it. Don't reuse the same containers unless you clean them.
Follow Up: Lower the amount of bedding used to an absolute minimum, this gives the bed bugs less areas to hide and reduces the amount of personal cleaning you will need to do. Check your sheets and bedding daily, and apply steam treatment as necessary. Wash your sheets at least once a week, preferably every other day.
The rest of your house: Declutter, Steam, Pesticide, Dust, Follow Up
Declutter: Remove any unecessary trash or build up from your house, vacuum everything. Clean your vacuum after every use
Steam: Steam any furniture, paintings, wall outlets, etc. to immediately kill any bed bugs that may be hiding in areas other than your bed.
Pesticide: Apply Crossfire/pesticide as directed. Be careful when applying but be thorough. Allow the crossfire to dry before returning to your apartment.
Dust: Apply Cimexa dust to corners and crevices as well as behind wall sockets or wall/ceiling based light fixtures to kill bugs when they try to move through and around walls. Remember that the goal is to lightly dust and not turn your apartment into a desert.
> I plan to sleep in the basement for now which I think should be far enough away from my bed upstairs that they will not come down there.
FULL STOP
If you abandon your currently sleeping location then I guarantee you the bed bugs will travel to wherever your new spot is set up. Bed bugs have been recorded to travel up to 40 feet in a single night. Furthermore, they only feed about once a week (on average) and adult bed bugs can go up to five months before they starve to death. In other words, it might take them a while to get to your new sleeping location but all you're going to do is cause them to migrate from your room to your basement.
Call an exterminator. If you can't, follow the below instructions.
Defeating bed bugs on your own is possible, but requires a very large amount of dedication and resolve. Given your description of the beg bugs, it will take you multiple months of daily cleaning and diligence to remove them by yourself, but it is possible. As a time frame reference, it can take up to a year to 'fully' eliminate bed bugs because of how long their eggs last and how long they can go in between feedings - citation
You need to return to your room, clean it like hell, isolate your bed, and continue to sleep in only that bed for the next year or so. No naps on couches, don't fall asleep at the computer.
DON'T - Scatter them by applying poisons incorrectly or improperly. This will make the treatment process take a lot longer than it already will.
DO - Hit the bugs with multiple attack vectors all at once. Think of it like building a computer. You need all the parts to be effective, if you spend all your budget on just one thing, then the rest of your computer will suffer.
DON'T - Change your sleeping locations. The bed bugs will just follow you.
DO - Isolate your bed and clean it. Bed bugs can rapidly attack your sanity by preventing you from being able to get a good night's sleep. By isolating your bed, cleaning it, and protecting it from further infestations, you create an "island oasis" that you can sleep in with peace of mind.
DON'T - Assume you've won and prematurely celebrate. Bed bugs take a long time to kill and are very difficult to find if they don't want to be spotted.
DO - Remain diligent and check every day, even if you can't see evidence of them (you never know when eggs will hatch)
Purchase list:
A handheld steamer, like you would use for clothing.. You can buy these on amazon or at your local big box store. You pay more for convenience and ergonomics, but steam comes out at 212°f which will kill bed bugs on contact so technically any steam gun that reliably produces a stream of heat will work. Try not to get one that's going to blast the bugs too hard, though, as you don't want them flying off the furniture onto the carpet.
A laser Thermometer. Use this to measure the temperature of surfaces that you've cleaned. For instant kill, surfaces need to be heated to 140°f and preferably to 180°f immediately after steaming.
A bottle of Cimexa. You have to buy this online, I've yet to see it in a big box store. Think of Cimexa like it's diatomaceous earth but infinitely better because it actually works. You will be using this as a powder to gently dust into cracks and corners (mountains or dunes of dust aren't effective.
A cheap brush and empty spray bottle. You will use these for applying the Cimexa powder. For each area, you want to apply two or three puffs, then brush it in. You can also add water to the Cimexa and turn it into a liquid solution to spray into hard to reach places, but be careful to get the ratio right or it will be less effective.
A pesticide like crossfire. Crossfire is highly recommended for treating bed bugs, as it is one of the most effective readily-available pesticides for bed bugs. Before you use it, for the love of God, read the instructions and make sure you apply it correctly so that you're not wasting it and just scaring the bugs away. You need to be very thorough with this stuff but be careful when applying it and let it thoroughly dry before you re-enter the area. My toes were numb for days because I reentered too quickly and didn't let it dry.
A mattress and box spring encasement. find at your local big box store or amazon. Make sure that you buy encasements that fit properly to your mattress and box spring. You can get a better fit more accurately on Amazon, but I've had horror stories of people receiving used and infested encasements that were basically bought, returned, and put back into inventory at amazon. Don't cheap out, because a good encasement is unnoticeable when sleeping but a bad encasement is hot and crinkly and makes sleeping miserable. Do not skip on the box spring - it is actually more important to get a box spring encasement than a mattress encasement.
Climb up interceptors for your bed. Make sure that you measure your bed's legs and buy an appropriate size. These need to fit around the bed frame's legs so that you can stop the bed bugs from getting in and out of the bed.
So here are your steps:
BED: Isolate, Treat, Encase. Follow Up.
Isolate: Vacuum the area, pull your bed assemble 6-12 inches away from the nearest wall so that it is only connected to a surface by the bed frame's legs. Put the Climb up interceptors under the bed frame's legs and liberally dust with Cimexa - this is the only place where a lot of dust can actually be effective.
Treat: Steam your entire bed assembly (frame, box spring, mattress) with the steamer to kill any bed bugs that you can find. Use the laser thermometer to check the surface temperature, but be aware that areas will rapidly cool. Go slow so that the steam's heat can penetrate all over the cracks and crevices. Bed bugs absolutely love to infest your box spring and it can be difficult to get the heat into it. Apply crossfire as directed following the bottle's instructions.
Encase: Encase your mattress and box spring in the encasements. Steam the encasements in case a bed bug decided to hop onto the encasement while you were treating. Reassemble, but be careful not to accidentally rip a hole in your encasement.
Follow Up: Vacuum daily, check your encasements for new bed bugs daily, and apply a complete steam treatment to your entire bed assembly at least every other day, even if you can't see bed bugs by yourself (if for no other reason than pure catharsis). Remove any bed bugs that you find after killing them.
Sheets: Isolate, Clean, Isolate, Follow Up
Isolate: Remove all bedding and place into air-tight containers (good trash bags work, provided you use the plastic ties to properly seal the top). Take to a laundromat, preferably one that does free drying.
Clean: Very carefully remove the bedding and wash thoroughly. When done, tumble dry in batches for at least 45 minutes. Bed bugs can survive temperatures of 113°f for up to 90 minutes but only 20 minutes at 118°f. Use the laser thermometer to check the bedding.
Isolate: Once sufficiently heated, place into a new air-tight container and keep separated until it is time to use it. Don't reuse the same containers unless you clean them.
Follow Up: Lower the amount of bedding used to an absolute minimum, this gives the bed bugs less areas to hide and reduces the amount of personal cleaning you will need to do. Check your sheets and bedding daily, and apply steam treatment as necessary. Wash your sheets at least once a week, preferably every other day.
The rest of your house: Declutter, Steam, Pesticide, Dust, Follow Up
Declutter: Remove any unecessary trash or build up from your house, vacuum everything. Clean your vacuum after every use
Steam: Steam any furniture, paintings, wall outlets, etc. to immediately kill any bed bugs that may be hiding in areas other than your bed.
Pesticide: Apply Crossfire as directed. Be careful when applying but be thorough. Allow the crossfire to dry before returning to your apartment.
Dust: Apply Cimexa dust to corners and crevices as well as behind wall sockets or wall/ceiling based light fixtures to kill bugs when they try to move through and around walls. Remember that the goal is to lightly dust and not turn your apartment into a desert.
This is what I use, I like it because it has a mesh attachment:
https://www.amazon.com/Conair-Extreme-Steam-Fabric-Steamer/dp/B006CR9KGA/
That being said anyone will do, if it doesn't have a mesh attachment just stretch some panty hose over it to prevent "spitting". AKA large water droplets coming out. Always use distilled water.
Hey! Sorry to hear about that!
But good news ahead ... I believe that I figured out a root cause and solution, though I won't know 100% for sure until we get back to prolonged high humidity in my city. It will be a bit before I can say for sure.
However, the solution I came up with makes sense, and you should try it yourself after you clear out your current iceball.
I got this valuable tip from an appliance repairman to remove refrigerator/freezer iceballs: To defrost your current iceball, you need to get your hands on a handheld clothes steamer like this one. Absolutely do not use a hair dryer or heat gun!
A hair dryer or heat gun will actually take a lot longer (4 or more times longer) to defrost your ice ball than a clothes steamer will, and you can damage plastic part or refrigerator sensors with the hair dryer or heat gun. The clothes steamer works much more efficiently at lower temperatures to melt the ball (I believe it is due to the much higher amount of potential heat energy stored inside steam vs. heated dry air). You can defrost and pull apart the ice ball in about a half hour with the clothes steamer vs. 2 or more hours with a heat gun, based on my experience.
Once I got our iceball melted and refrigerator back in working order, I gave some thought on how to fix the root problem. I have our refrigerator temperature target set to 35 DegF. When measuring the temperature inside the cooling tower at the back of the refrigerator, I measured a very usable 15 DegF in the column. However, my digital refrigerator temperature sensor at the front was around 40-42 DegF after I had removed the iceball, which didn't make sense.
That's when I noticed something, and came up with the probable solution: I noticed that our refrigerator was tightly packed, with many of the cooling tower vents at the back of the refrigerator obstructed by tall food items. After I mentioned it to my wife, we now make sure that all the cooling tower vents are fully unobstructed. Since then, our temperature at the front of the refrigerator cabin has always been hanging around 34 DegF (ideal!). I suspect that the vent obstruction also kept the sub-freezing air inside the column and around the freezer fan, long enough for ice balls to start forming during high humidity times of the year.
It's a nice, super simple solution that doesn't require any parts repairs. Just an easy lifestyle change. Probably every refrigerator would benefit from this solution, and I'm surprised it isn't mentioned in every refrigerator user guide.
Good luck! Let us know how it turns out for you!
Cheers,
Rick
So, how does that work?
I have a steamer at home. https://www.amazon.com/Conair-Extreme-Steam-Fabric-Steamer/dp/B006CR9KGA
Should I just point steam at the cloth part, and use a clean piece of cloth to get the dirt out? How should I do that?
Purchase list:
A handheld steamer, like you would use for clothing.. You can buy these on amazon or at your local big box store. You pay more for convenience and ergonomics, but steam comes out at 212°f which will kill bed bugs on contact so technically any steam gun that reliably produces a stream of heat will work. Try not to get one that's going to blast the bugs too hard, though, as you don't want them flying off the furniture onto the carpet. note: If you have an extremely bad infestation, you might want to consider spending the extra money on a professional steam cleaner that is designed for use on bed bugs.
A laser Thermometer. Use this to measure the temperature of surfaces that you've cleaned. For instant kill, surfaces need to be heated to 140°f and preferably to 180°f immediately after steaming.
A bottle of Cimexa. You have to buy this online, I've yet to see it in a big box store. Think of Cimexa like it's diatomaceous earth but infinitely better because it actually works. You will be using this as a powder to gently dust into cracks and corners (mountains or dunes of dust aren't effective).
A cheap brush and empty spray bottle. You will use these for applying the Cimexa powder. For each area, you want to apply two or three puffs, then brush it in. You can also add water to the Cimexa and turn it into a liquid solution to spray into hard to reach places, but be careful to get the ratio right or it will be less effective.
A pesticide like crossfire. Crossfire is highly recommended for treating bed bugs, as it is one of the most effective readily-available pesticides for bed bugs. It's quite a bit pricier than most pesticides, but it works that justifies the price tag. Before you use it, for the love of God, read the instructions and make sure you apply it correctly so that you're not wasting it and just scaring the bugs away. You need to be very thorough with this stuff but be careful when applying it and let it thoroughly dry before you re-enter the area. My toes were numb for days because I reentered too quickly and didn't let it dry.
A mattress and box spring encasement. find at your local big box store or amazon. Make sure that you buy encasements that fit properly to your mattress and box spring. You can get a better fit more accurately on Amazon, but I've had horror stories of people receiving used and infested encasements that were basically bought, returned, and put back into inventory at amazon. Don't cheap out, because a good encasement is unnoticeable when sleeping but a bad encasement is hot and crinkly and makes sleeping miserable. Do not skip on the box spring - it is actually more important to get a box spring encasement than a mattress encasement.
Felt furniture patches. You don't want to your mattress/box spring encasements to tear on your metal bed frame. A torn encasement can ruin months of treatment. Use furniture patches to cover up any sharp or protruding edges to minimize this risk.
Climb up interceptors for your bed. Make sure that you measure your bed's legs and buy an appropriate size. These need to fit around the bed frame's legs so that you can stop the bed bugs from getting in and out of the bed.
So here are your steps:
BED: Isolate, Treat, Encase. Follow Up.
Isolate: Vacuum the area, pull your bed assemble 6-12 inches away from the nearest wall so that it is only connected to a surface by the bed frame's legs. Put the Climb up interceptors under the bed frame's legs and liberally dust with Cimexa - this is the only place where a lot of dust can actually be effective.
Treat: Steam your entire bed assembly (frame, box spring, mattress) with the steamer to kill any bed bugs that you can find. Use the laser thermometer to check the surface temperature, but be aware that areas will rapidly cool. Go slow so that the steam's heat can penetrate all over the cracks and crevices. Bed bugs absolutely love to infest your box spring and it can be difficult to get the heat into it. Apply crossfire as directed following the bottle's instructions.
Encase: Encase your mattress and box spring in the encasements. Steam the encasements in case a bed bug decided to hop onto the encasement while you were treating. Apply felt furniture patches to any edge or protrusion on the metal frame that could potentially tear the encasements (be liberal with pad placement, they're cheap). Reassemble, but be careful not to accidentally rip a hole in your encasement.
Follow Up: Vacuum daily, check your encasements for new bed bugs daily, and apply a complete steam treatment to your entire bed assembly at least every other day, even if you can't see bed bugs by yourself (if for no other reason than pure catharsis). Remove any bed bugs that you find after killing them.
Sheets: Isolate, Clean, Isolate, Follow Up
Isolate: Remove all bedding and place into air-tight containers (good trash bags work, provided you use the plastic ties to properly seal the top). Take to a laundromat, preferably one that does free drying.
Clean: Very carefully remove the bedding and wash thoroughly. When done, tumble dry in batches for at least 45 minutes. Bed bugs can survive temperatures of 113°f for up to 90 minutes but only 20 minutes at 118°f. Use the laser thermometer to check the bedding.
Isolate: Once sufficiently heated, place into a new air-tight container and keep separated until it is time to use it. Don't reuse the same containers unless you clean them.
Follow Up: Lower the amount of bedding used to an absolute minimum, this gives the bed bugs less areas to hide and reduces the amount of personal cleaning you will need to do. Check your sheets and bedding daily, and apply steam treatment as necessary. Wash your sheets at least once a week, preferably every other day.
The rest of your house: Declutter, Steam, Pesticide, Dust, Follow Up
Declutter: Remove any unecessary trash or build up from your house, vacuum everything. Clean your vacuum after every use
Steam: Steam any furniture, paintings, wall outlets, etc. to immediately kill any bed bugs that may be hiding in areas other than your bed.
Pesticide: Apply Crossfire as directed. Be careful when applying but be thorough. Allow the crossfire to dry before returning to your apartment.
Dust: Apply Cimexa dust to corners and crevices as well as behind wall sockets or wall/ceiling based light fixtures to kill bugs when they try to move through and around walls. Remember that the goal is to lightly dust and not turn your apartment into a desert.
Purchase list:
A handheld steamer, like you would use for clothing.. You can buy these on amazon or at your local big box store. You pay more for convenience and ergonomics, but steam comes out at 212°f which will kill bed bugs on contact so technically any steam gun that reliably produces a stream of heat will work. Try not to get one that's going to blast the bugs too hard, though, as you don't want them flying off the furniture onto the carpet.
A laser Thermometer. Use this to measure the temperature of surfaces that you've cleaned. For instant kill, surfaces need to be heated to 140°f and preferably to 180°f immediately after steaming.
A bottle of Cimexa. You have to buy this online, I've yet to see it in a big box store. Think of Cimexa like it's diatomaceous earth but infinitely better because it actually works. You will be using this as a powder to gently dust into cracks and corners (mountains or dunes of dust aren't effective).
A cheap brush and empty spray bottle. You will use these for applying the Cimexa powder. For each area, you want to apply two or three puffs, then brush it in. You can also add water to the Cimexa and turn it into a liquid solution to spray into hard to reach places, but be careful to get the ratio right or it will be less effective.
A pesticide like crossfire. Crossfire is highly recommended for treating bed bugs, as it is one of the most effective readily-available pesticides for bed bugs. Before you use it, for the love of God, read the instructions and make sure you apply it correctly so that you're not wasting it and just scaring the bugs away. You need to be very thorough with this stuff but be careful when applying it and let it thoroughly dry before you re-enter the area. My toes were numb for days because I reentered too quickly and didn't let it dry.
A mattress and box spring encasement. find at your local big box store or amazon. Make sure that you buy encasements that fit properly to your mattress and box spring. You can get a better fit more accurately on Amazon, but I've had horror stories of people receiving used and infested encasements that were basically bought, returned, and put back into inventory at amazon. Don't cheap out, because a good encasement is unnoticeable when sleeping but a bad encasement is hot and crinkly and makes sleeping miserable. Do not skip on the box spring - it is actually more important to get a box spring encasement than a mattress encasement.
Felt furniture patches. You don't want to your mattress/box spring encasements to tear on your metal bed frame. A torn encasement can ruin months of treatment. Use furniture patches to cover up any sharp or protruding edges to minimize this risk.
Climb up interceptors for your bed. Make sure that you measure your bed's legs and buy an appropriate size. These need to fit around the bed frame's legs so that you can stop the bed bugs from getting in and out of the bed.
So here are your steps:
BED: Isolate, Treat, Encase. Follow Up.
Isolate: Vacuum the area, pull your bed assemble 6-12 inches away from the nearest wall so that it is only connected to a surface by the bed frame's legs. Put the Climb up interceptors under the bed frame's legs and liberally dust with Cimexa - this is the only place where a lot of dust can actually be effective.
Treat: Steam your entire bed assembly (frame, box spring, mattress) with the steamer to kill any bed bugs that you can find. Use the laser thermometer to check the surface temperature, but be aware that areas will rapidly cool. Go slow so that the steam's heat can penetrate all over the cracks and crevices. Bed bugs absolutely love to infest your box spring and it can be difficult to get the heat into it. Apply crossfire as directed following the bottle's instructions.
Encase: Encase your mattress and box spring in the encasements. Steam the encasements in case a bed bug decided to hop onto the encasement while you were treating. Apply felt furniture patches to any edge or protrusion on the metal frame that could potentially tear the encasements (be liberal with pad placement, they're cheap). Reassemble, but be careful not to accidentally rip a hole in your encasement.
Follow Up: Vacuum daily, check your encasements for new bed bugs daily, and apply a complete steam treatment to your entire bed assembly at least every other day, even if you can't see bed bugs by yourself (if for no other reason than pure catharsis). Remove any bed bugs that you find after killing them.
Sheets: Isolate, Clean, Isolate, Follow Up
Isolate: Remove all bedding and place into air-tight containers (good trash bags work, provided you use the plastic ties to properly seal the top). Take to a laundromat, preferably one that does free drying.
Clean: Very carefully remove the bedding and wash thoroughly. When done, tumble dry in batches for at least 45 minutes. Bed bugs can survive temperatures of 113°f for up to 90 minutes but only 20 minutes at 118°f. Use the laser thermometer to check the bedding.
Isolate: Once sufficiently heated, place into a new air-tight container and keep separated until it is time to use it. Don't reuse the same containers unless you clean them.
Follow Up: Lower the amount of bedding used to an absolute minimum, this gives the bed bugs less areas to hide and reduces the amount of personal cleaning you will need to do. Check your sheets and bedding daily, and apply steam treatment as necessary. Wash your sheets at least once a week, preferably every other day.
The rest of your house: Declutter, Steam, Pesticide, Dust, Follow Up
Declutter: Remove any unecessary trash or build up from your house, vacuum everything. Clean your vacuum after every use
Steam: Steam any furniture, paintings, wall outlets, etc. to immediately kill any bed bugs that may be hiding in areas other than your bed.
Pesticide: Apply Crossfire as directed. Be careful when applying but be thorough. Allow the crossfire to dry before returning to your apartment.
Dust: Apply Cimexa dust to corners and crevices as well as behind wall sockets or wall/ceiling based light fixtures to kill bugs when they try to move through and around walls. Remember that the goal is to lightly dust and not turn your apartment into a desert.
The initial post was too long...
Purchase list:
A handheld steamer, like you would use for clothing.. You can buy these on amazon or at your local big box store. You pay more for convenience and ergonomics, but steam comes out at 212°f which will kill bed bugs on contact so technically any steam gun that reliably produces a stream of heat will work. Try not to get one that's going to blast the bugs too hard, though, as you don't want them flying off the furniture onto the carpet.
A laser Thermometer. Use this to measure the temperature of surfaces that you've cleaned. For instant kill, surfaces need to be heated to 140°f and preferably to 180°f immediately after steaming.
A bottle of Cimexa. You have to buy this online, I've yet to see it in a big box store. Think of Cimexa like it's diatomaceous earth but infinitely better because it actually works. You will be using this as a powder to gently dust into cracks and corners (mountains or dunes of dust aren't effective).
A cheap brush and empty spray bottle. You will use these for applying the Cimexa powder. For each area, you want to apply two or three puffs, then brush it in. You can also add water to the Cimexa and turn it into a liquid solution to spray into hard to reach places, but be careful to get the ratio right or it will be less effective.
A pesticide like crossfire. Crossfire is highly recommended for treating bed bugs, as it is one of the most effective readily-available pesticides for bed bugs. Before you use it, for the love of God, read the instructions and make sure you apply it correctly so that you're not wasting it and just scaring the bugs away. You need to be very thorough with this stuff but be careful when applying it and let it thoroughly dry before you re-enter the area. My toes were numb for days because I reentered too quickly and didn't let it dry.
A mattress and box spring encasement. find at your local big box store or amazon. Make sure that you buy encasements that fit properly to your mattress and box spring. You can get a better fit more accurately on Amazon, but I've had horror stories of people receiving used and infested encasements that were basically bought, returned, and put back into inventory at amazon. Don't cheap out, because a good encasement is unnoticeable when sleeping but a bad encasement is hot and crinkly and makes sleeping miserable. Do not skip on the box spring - it is actually more important to get a box spring encasement than a mattress encasement.
Felt furniture patches. You don't want to your mattress/box spring encasements to tear on your metal bed frame. A torn encasement can ruin months of treatment. Use furniture patches to cover up any sharp or protruding edges to minimize this risk.
Climb up interceptors for your bed. Make sure that you measure your bed's legs and buy an appropriate size. These need to fit around the bed frame's legs so that you can stop the bed bugs from getting in and out of the bed.
So here are your steps:
BED: Isolate, Treat, Encase. Follow Up.
Isolate: Vacuum the area, pull your bed assemble 6-12 inches away from the nearest wall so that it is only connected to a surface by the bed frame's legs. Put the Climb up interceptors under the bed frame's legs and liberally dust with Cimexa - this is the only place where a lot of dust can actually be effective.
Treat: Steam your entire bed assembly (frame, box spring, mattress) with the steamer to kill any bed bugs that you can find. Use the laser thermometer to check the surface temperature, but be aware that areas will rapidly cool. Go slow so that the steam's heat can penetrate all over the cracks and crevices. Bed bugs absolutely love to infest your box spring and it can be difficult to get the heat into it. Apply crossfire as directed following the bottle's instructions.
Encase: Encase your mattress and box spring in the encasements. Steam the encasements in case a bed bug decided to hop onto the encasement while you were treating. Apply felt furniture patches to any edge or protrusion on the metal frame that could potentially tear the encasements (be liberal with pad placement, they're cheap). Reassemble, but be careful not to accidentally rip a hole in your encasement.
Follow Up: Vacuum daily, check your encasements for new bed bugs daily, and apply a complete steam treatment to your entire bed assembly at least every other day, even if you can't see bed bugs by yourself (if for no other reason than pure catharsis). Remove any bed bugs that you find after killing them.
Sheets: Isolate, Clean, Isolate, Follow Up
Isolate: Remove all bedding and place into air-tight containers (good trash bags work, provided you use the plastic ties to properly seal the top). Take to a laundromat, preferably one that does free drying.
Clean: Very carefully remove the bedding and wash thoroughly. When done, tumble dry in batches for at least 45 minutes. Bed bugs can survive temperatures of 113°f for up to 90 minutes but only 20 minutes at 118°f. Use the laser thermometer to check the bedding.
Isolate: Once sufficiently heated, place into a new air-tight container and keep separated until it is time to use it. Don't reuse the same containers unless you clean them.
Follow Up: Lower the amount of bedding used to an absolute minimum, this gives the bed bugs less areas to hide and reduces the amount of personal cleaning you will need to do. Check your sheets and bedding daily, and apply steam treatment as necessary. Wash your sheets at least once a week, preferably every other day.
The rest of your house: Declutter, Steam, Pesticide, Dust, Follow Up
Declutter: Remove any unecessary trash or build up from your house, vacuum everything. Clean your vacuum after every use
Steam: Steam any furniture, paintings, wall outlets, etc. to immediately kill any bed bugs that may be hiding in areas other than your bed.
Pesticide: Apply Crossfire as directed. Be careful when applying but be thorough. Allow the crossfire to dry before returning to your apartment.
Dust: Apply Cimexa dust to corners and crevices as well as behind wall sockets or wall/ceiling based light fixtures to kill bugs when they try to move through and around walls. Remember that the goal is to lightly dust and not turn your apartment into a desert.
Breathe in. Hold it for 10 seconds. Breathe out. You will survive. Bed bugs are awful, but the silver lining is that they do not cause any diseases.
The first thing you need to do is tell your family and notify them of the situation. It is serious, and they need to take it seriously, but treatment for bed bugs is not difficult - it just takes a really long time to eradicate them. The good news is that you can (relatively) quickly eradicate them from your beds and take steps to ensure that they aren't able to get back onto your beds. Doing so will give you an "island sanctuary" in which you can sleep at night free of worry that they're going to bite you.
But you need to get a bed frame - immediately. If you don't it's going to be impossible to isolate your bed from the bed bugs.
Defeating bed bugs on your own is possible, but requires a very large amount of dedication and resolve. Given your description of the beg bugs, it will take you multiple months of daily cleaning and diligence to remove them by yourself, but it is possible. As a time frame reference, it can take up to a year to 'fully' eliminate bed bugs because of how long their eggs last and how long they can go in between feedings - citation
DO - Contact an exterminator if possible. Additionally, if you live in an apartment, look up your city ordinances and tenant rights regarding bed bugs and notify your apartment management. Some cities/states mandate that the apartment management pays for treatments, so know your rights!
DON'T - Assume that the exterminator can remove bed bugs without any effort on your part. It doesn't work that way. You will need to be diligent and take steps on your own to completely remove the bed bug infestation from your apartment.
DON'T - Scatter bed bugs by applying poisons incorrectly or improperly. This will make the treatment process take a lot longer than it already will.
DO - Hit the bugs with multiple attack vectors all at once. Think of it like building a computer. You need all the parts to be effective, if you spend all your budget on just one thing, then the rest of your computer will suffer.
DON'T - Change your sleeping locations. The bed bugs will just follow you.
DO - Isolate your bed and clean it. Bed bugs can rapidly attack your sanity by preventing you from being able to get a good night's sleep. By isolating your bed, cleaning it, and protecting it from further infestations, you create an "island oasis" that you can sleep in with peace of mind.
DON'T - Assume you've won and prematurely celebrate. Bed bugs take a long time to kill and are very difficult to find if they don't want to be spotted.
DO - Remain diligent and check every day, even if you can't see evidence of them (you never know when eggs will hatch)
Purchase list:
A handheld steamer, like you would use for clothing.. You can buy these on amazon or at your local big box store. You pay more for convenience and ergonomics, but steam comes out at 212°f which will kill bed bugs on contact so technically any steam gun that reliably produces a stream of heat will work. Try not to get one that's going to blast the bugs too hard, though, as you don't want them flying off the furniture onto the carpet.
A laser Thermometer. Use this to measure the temperature of surfaces that you've cleaned. For instant kill, surfaces need to be heated to 140°f and preferably to 180°f immediately after steaming.
A bottle of Cimexa. You have to buy this online, I've yet to see it in a big box store. Think of Cimexa like it's diatomaceous earth but infinitely better because it actually works. You will be using this as a powder to gently dust into cracks and corners (mountains or dunes of dust aren't effective).
A cheap brush and empty spray bottle. You will use these for applying the Cimexa powder. For each area, you want to apply two or three puffs, then brush it in. You can also add water to the Cimexa and turn it into a liquid solution to spray into hard to reach places, but be careful to get the ratio right or it will be less effective.
A pesticide like crossfire. Crossfire is highly recommended for treating bed bugs, as it is one of the most effective readily-available pesticides for bed bugs. Before you use it, for the love of God, read the instructions and make sure you apply it correctly so that you're not wasting it and just scaring the bugs away. You need to be very thorough with this stuff but be careful when applying it and let it thoroughly dry before you re-enter the area. My toes were numb for days because I reentered too quickly and didn't let it dry.
A mattress and box spring encasement. find at your local big box store or amazon. Make sure that you buy encasements that fit properly to your mattress and box spring. You can get a better fit more accurately on Amazon, but I've had horror stories of people receiving used and infested encasements that were basically bought, returned, and put back into inventory at amazon. Don't cheap out, because a good encasement is unnoticeable when sleeping but a bad encasement is hot and crinkly and makes sleeping miserable. Do not skip on the box spring - it is actually more important to get a box spring encasement than a mattress encasement.
Climb up interceptors for your bed. Make sure that you measure your bed's legs and buy an appropriate size. These need to fit around the bed frame's legs so that you can stop the bed bugs from getting in and out of the bed.
So here are your steps:
BED: Isolate, Treat, Encase. Follow Up.
Isolate: Vacuum the area, pull your bed assemble 6-12 inches away from the nearest wall so that it is only connected to a surface by the bed frame's legs. Put the Climb up interceptors under the bed frame's legs and liberally dust with Cimexa - this is the only place where a lot of dust can actually be effective.
Treat: Steam your entire bed assembly (frame, box spring, mattress) with the steamer to kill any bed bugs that you can find. Use the laser thermometer to check the surface temperature, but be aware that areas will rapidly cool. Go slow so that the steam's heat can penetrate all over the cracks and crevices. Bed bugs absolutely love to infest your box spring and it can be difficult to get the heat into it. Apply crossfire as directed following the bottle's instructions.
Encase: Encase your mattress and box spring in the encasements. Steam the encasements in case a bed bug decided to hop onto the encasement while you were treating. Reassemble, but be careful not to accidentally rip a hole in your encasement.
Follow Up: Vacuum daily, check your encasements for new bed bugs daily, and apply a complete steam treatment to your entire bed assembly at least every other day, even if you can't see bed bugs by yourself (if for no other reason than pure catharsis). Remove any bed bugs that you find after killing them.
Sheets: Isolate, Clean, Isolate, Follow Up
Isolate: Remove all bedding and place into air-tight containers (good trash bags work, provided you use the plastic ties to properly seal the top). Take to a laundromat, preferably one that does free drying.
Clean: Very carefully remove the bedding and wash thoroughly. When done, tumble dry in batches for at least 45 minutes. Bed bugs can survive temperatures of 113°f for up to 90 minutes but only 20 minutes at 118°f. Use the laser thermometer to check the bedding.
Isolate: Once sufficiently heated, place into a new air-tight container and keep separated until it is time to use it. Don't reuse the same containers unless you clean them.
Follow Up: Lower the amount of bedding used to an absolute minimum, this gives the bed bugs less areas to hide and reduces the amount of personal cleaning you will need to do. Check your sheets and bedding daily, and apply steam treatment as necessary. Wash your sheets at least once a week, preferably every other day.
The rest of your house: Declutter, Steam, Pesticide, Dust, Follow Up
Declutter: Remove any unecessary trash or build up from your house, vacuum everything. Clean your vacuum after every use
Steam: Steam any furniture, paintings, wall outlets, etc. to immediately kill any bed bugs that may be hiding in areas other than your bed.
Pesticide: Apply Crossfire as directed. Be careful when applying but be thorough. Allow the crossfire to dry before returning to your apartment.
Dust: Apply Cimexa dust to corners and crevices as well as behind wall sockets or wall/ceiling based light fixtures to kill bugs when they try to move through and around walls. Remember that the goal is to lightly dust and not turn your apartment into a desert.
Let me post a copy/paste that I've given out before. The important thing is to clean and isolate your bed so that you have a safe place to sleep, then work your way outwards to eliminate them from other areas. The vast majority of over the counter "bed bug sprays" are complete shit and just make the removal process harder, so stop using them.
Defeating bed bugs on your own is possible, but requires a very large amount of dedication and resolve. Given your description of the beg bugs, it will take you multiple months of daily cleaning and diligence to remove them by yourself, but it is possible. As a time frame reference, it can take up to a year to 'fully' eliminate bed bugs because of how long their eggs last and how long they can go in between feedings - citation
You need to return to your room, clean it like hell, isolate your bed, and continue to sleep in only that bed for the next year or so. No naps on couches, don't fall asleep at the computer.
DON'T - Scatter them by applying poisons incorrectly or improperly. This will make the treatment process take a lot longer than it already will.
DO - Hit the bugs with multiple attack vectors all at once. Think of it like building a computer. You need all the parts to be effective, if you spend all your budget on just one thing, then the rest of your computer will suffer.
DON'T - Change your sleeping locations. The bed bugs will just follow you.
DO - Isolate your bed and clean it. Bed bugs can rapidly attack your sanity by preventing you from being able to get a good night's sleep. By isolating your bed, cleaning it, and protecting it from further infestations, you create an "island oasis" that you can sleep in with peace of mind.
DON'T - Assume you've won and prematurely celebrate. Bed bugs take a long time to kill and are very difficult to find if they don't want to be spotted.
DO - Remain diligent and check every day, even if you can't see evidence of them (you never know when eggs will hatch)
Purchase list:
A handheld steamer, like you would use for clothing.. You can buy these on amazon or at your local big box store. You pay more for convenience and ergonomics, but steam comes out at 212°f which will kill bed bugs on contact so technically any steam gun that reliably produces a stream of heat will work. Try not to get one that's going to blast the bugs too hard, though, as you don't want them flying off the furniture onto the carpet.
A laser Thermometer. Use this to measure the temperature of surfaces that you've cleaned. For instant kill, surfaces need to be heated to 140°f and preferably to 180°f immediately after steaming.
A bottle of Cimexa. You have to buy this online, I've yet to see it in a big box store. Think of Cimexa like it's diatomaceous earth but infinitely better because it actually works. You will be using this as a powder to gently dust into cracks and corners (mountains or dunes of dust aren't effective.
A cheap brush and empty spray bottle. You will use these for applying the Cimexa powder. For each area, you want to apply two or three puffs, then brush it in. You can also add water to the Cimexa and turn it into a liquid solution to spray into hard to reach places, but be careful to get the ratio right or it will be less effective.
A pesticide like crossfire. Crossfire is highly recommended for treating bed bugs, as it is one of the most effective readily-available pesticides for bed bugs. Before you use it, for the love of God, read the instructions and make sure you apply it correctly so that you're not wasting it and just scaring the bugs away. You need to be very thorough with this stuff but be careful when applying it and let it thoroughly dry before you re-enter the area. My toes were numb for days because I reentered too quickly and didn't let it dry.
A mattress and box spring encasement. find at your local big box store or amazon. Make sure that you buy encasements that fit properly to your mattress and box spring. You can get a better fit more accurately on Amazon, but I've had horror stories of people receiving used and infested encasements that were basically bought, returned, and put back into inventory at amazon. Don't cheap out, because a good encasement is unnoticeable when sleeping but a bad encasement is hot and crinkly and makes sleeping miserable. Do not skip on the box spring - it is actually more important to get a box spring encasement than a mattress encasement.
Climb up interceptors for your bed. Make sure that you measure your bed's legs and buy an appropriate size. These need to fit around the bed frame's legs so that you can stop the bed bugs from getting in and out of the bed.
So here are your steps:
BED: Isolate, Treat, Encase. Follow Up.
Isolate: Vacuum the area, pull your bed assemble 6-12 inches away from the nearest wall so that it is only connected to a surface by the bed frame's legs. Put the Climb up interceptors under the bed frame's legs and liberally dust with Cimexa - this is the only place where a lot of dust can actually be effective.
Treat: Steam your entire bed assembly (frame, box spring, mattress) with the steamer to kill any bed bugs that you can find. Use the laser thermometer to check the surface temperature, but be aware that areas will rapidly cool. Go slow so that the steam's heat can penetrate all over the cracks and crevices. Bed bugs absolutely love to infest your box spring and it can be difficult to get the heat into it. Apply crossfire as directed following the bottle's instructions.
Encase: Encase your mattress and box spring in the encasements. Steam the encasements in case a bed bug decided to hop onto the encasement while you were treating. Reassemble, but be careful not to accidentally rip a hole in your encasement.
Follow Up: Vacuum daily, check your encasements for new bed bugs daily, and apply a complete steam treatment to your entire bed assembly at least every other day, even if you can't see bed bugs by yourself (if for no other reason than pure catharsis). Remove any bed bugs that you find after killing them.
Sheets: Isolate, Clean, Isolate, Follow Up
Isolate: Remove all bedding and place into air-tight containers (good trash bags work, provided you use the plastic ties to properly seal the top). Take to a laundromat, preferably one that does free drying.
Clean: Very carefully remove the bedding and wash thoroughly. When done, tumble dry in batches for at least 45 minutes. Bed bugs can survive temperatures of 113°f for up to 90 minutes but only 20 minutes at 118°f. Use the laser thermometer to check the bedding.
Isolate: Once sufficiently heated, place into a new air-tight container and keep separated until it is time to use it. Don't reuse the same containers unless you clean them.
Follow Up: Lower the amount of bedding used to an absolute minimum, this gives the bed bugs less areas to hide and reduces the amount of personal cleaning you will need to do. Check your sheets and bedding daily, and apply steam treatment as necessary. Wash your sheets at least once a week, preferably every other day.
The rest of your house: Declutter, Steam, Pesticide, Dust, Follow Up
Declutter: Remove any unecessary trash or build up from your house, vacuum everything. Clean your vacuum after every use
Steam: Steam any furniture, paintings, wall outlets, etc. to immediately kill any bed bugs that may be hiding in areas other than your bed.
Pesticide: Apply Crossfire as directed. Be careful when applying but be thorough. Allow the crossfire to dry before returning to your apartment.
Dust: Apply Cimexa dust to corners and crevices as well as behind wall sockets or wall/ceiling based light fixtures to kill bugs when they try to move through and around walls. Remember that the goal is to lightly dust and not turn your apartment into a desert.
> But also, would they travel this far with a small-medium infestation? It seems like they just hung out around the bed. I'm hoping a few just got away during vacuuming and came back and I'll get them today.
If they infested your bed as heavily as you say they did, there's an extremely high chance that they decided to branch out to infest other parts of your apartment. Bed bugs have been record traveling as much as 40-50 feet in a single night, but will often travel much farther than that because they don't need to feed every day.
You will not get rid of your infestation by just vacuuming every day.
> Also, if I were to just thoroughly and obsessively vacuum daily, is there a chance I could defeat them like this? Can't afford an exterminator. I just have a vacuum, and am getting diatomaceous earth and possibly a spray today.
You can defeat them on your own, but you will not be able to defeat them by just doing what you are thinking of doing. Defeating them on your own, especially given the size of your infestation, will likely take at least a month and many more. It can take up to a year to 'fully' eliminate bed bugs because of how long their eggs last.
Purchase list:
A handheld steamer, like you would use for clothing.. You can buy these on amazon or at your local big box store. You pay more for convenience and ergonomics, but steam comes out at 212°f which will kill bed bugs on contact so technically any steam gun that reliably produces a stream of heat will work.
A laser Thermometer. Use this to measure the temperature of surfaces that you've cleaned. For instant kill, surfaces need to be heated to 140°f
A bottle of Cimexa. You have to buy this online, I've yet to see it in a big box store. This is diatomaceous earth, but infinitely better. You will be using this as a powder to gently dust into cracks and corners (mountains or dunes of dust aren't effective.
A cheap brush and empty spray bottle. You will use these for applying the Cimexa powder. For each area, you want to apply two or three puffs, then brush it in. You can also add water to the Cimexa and turn it into a liquid solution to spray into hard to reach places, but be careful to get the ratio right or it will be less effective.
A pesticide like crossfire. Crossfire is highly recommended for treating bed bugs, as it is one of the most effective readily-available pesticides for bed bugs. Before you use it, for the love of God, read the instructions and be careful when applying it and let it thoroughly dry before you re-enter the area. My toes were numb for days because I reentered too quickly and didn't let it dry.
A mattress and box spring encasement. find at your local big box store or amazon. Make sure that you buy encasements that fit properly to your mattress and box spring. You can get a better fit more accurately on Amazon, but I've had horror stories of people receiving used and infested encasements that were basically bought, returned, and put back into inventory at amazon. Don't cheap out, because a good encasement is unnoticeable when sleeping but a bad encasement is hot and crinkly and makes sleeping miserable. Do not skip on the box spring - it is actually more important to get a box spring encasement than a mattress encasement.
Climb up interceptors for your bed. Make sure that you measure your bed's legs and buy an appropriate size. These need to fit around the bed frame's legs so that you can stop the bed bugs from getting in and out of the bed.
So here are your steps:
BED: Isolate, Treat, Encase. Follow Up.
Isolate: Vacuum the area, pull your bed assemble 6-12 inches away from the nearest wall so that it is only connected to a surface by the bed frame's legs. Put the Climb up interceptors under the bed frame's legs and liberally dust with Cimexa - this is the only place where a lot of dust can actually be effective.
Treat: Steam your entire bed assembly (frame, box spring, mattress) with the steamer to kill any bed bugs that you can find. Use the laser thermometer to check the surface temperature, but be aware that areas will rapidly cool. Go slow so that the steam's heat can penetrate all over the cracks and crevices. Bed bugs absolutely love to infest your box spring and it can be difficult to get the heat into it. Apply crossfire as directed following the bottle's instructions.
Encase: Encase your mattress and box spring in the encasements. Steam the encasements in case a bed bug decided to hop onto the encasement while you were treating. Reassemble, but be careful not to accidentally rip a hole in your encasement.
Follow Up: Vacuum daily, check your encasements for new bed bugs daily and apply steam treatment at least every other day, even if you can't see bed bugs by yourself (if for no other reason than pure catharsis). Remove any bed bugs that you find after killing them.
Sheets: Isolate, Clean, Isolate, Follow Up
Isolate: Remove all bedding and place into air-tight containers (good trash bags work, provided you use the plastic ties to properly seal the top). Take to a laundromat, preferably one that does free drying.
Clean: Very carefully remove the bedding and wash thoroughly. When done, tumble dry in batches for at least 45 minutes. Bed bugs can survive temperatures of 113°f for up to 90 minutes but only 20 minutes at 118°f. Use the laser thermometer to check the bedding.
Isolate: Once sufficiently heated, place into a new air-tight container and keep separated until it is time to use it. Don't reuse the same containers unless you clean them.
Follow Up: Lower the amount of bedding used to an absolute minimum, this gives the bed bugs less areas to hide and reduces the amount of personal cleaning you will need to do. Check your sheets and bedding daily, and apply steam treatment as necessary. Wash your sheets at least once a week, preferably every other day.
The rest of your house: Declutter, Steam, Pesticide, Dust, Follow Up
Declutter: Remove any unecessary trash or build up from your house, vacuum everything. Clean your vacuum after every use
Steam: Steam any furniture, paintings, wall outlets, etc. to immediately kill any bed bugs that may be hiding in areas other than your bed.
Pesticide: Apply Crossfire as directed. Be careful when applying but be thorough. Allow the crossfire to dry before returning to your apartment.
Dust: Apply Cimexa dust to corners and crevices as well as behind wall sockets or wall/ceiling based light fixtures to kill bugs when they try to move through and around walls. Remember that the goal is to lightly dust and not turn your apartment into a desert.
Follow Up: Keep your apartment clean, vacuum daily, watch for bed bugs.
Mine is a cheap Conair I got off Amazon! Nothing exciting but it works link
I like it; consider something like a steamer to remove wrinkles:
http://www.amazon.com/Conair-Extreme-Steam-Fabric-Steamer/dp/B006CR9KGA
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