Hello there!
I'm having a bit of a nightmare, but this is the second time I've encountered bed bugs. It's been eight years since the first time, and I've moved to a different apartment.
I wrote a review a while back about how I got rid of bed bugs using Carbofos and Fufanon. Those reviews were the first on the internet about using these products to get rid of bed bugs. I was so happy to share my experience back then, and now that I've encountered them again, I wanted to write another review.
Bed bugs are just awful and unpleasant. I hope my reviews can help those who need it.
So, I moved into a new apartment, and about a year later, around New Year's, I noticed bites on my body. There are certain signs that indicate bed bug bites. They bite in a line, with multiple bites close together. For example, on my ankle and five centimeters away, another bite. I didn't want to believe it, of course. I decided not to panic after the first bites and continued sleeping in the same place. Unfortunately, the bites kept happening!
By then, I already knew what could happen if I didn't take action. Delays can give bed bugs a chance to multiply! They reproduce quickly, after all.
My first piece of advice: if you realize you have bed bugs at home, don't just leave things as they are.
So, I came up with a plan and re-read my old reviews (thanks to my past self for documenting everything!). I decided to repeat the same steps again.
What you need to do to get rid of bed bugs:
First, check out the most common places where bed bugs like to hang out. Then, get a plan in place - it's way easier to do it all at once, so you don't have to deal with another infestation later.
Next, get all the gear you need to take them down. This includes protection for yourself, like a face mask and gloves, to keep you safe while you're using a powder. You'll also need to move your furniture away from the walls and pack up your stuff in big bags.
After that, wash and dry your bedding, pillows, couch cushions, blankets, and comforters - either by steaming them or washing them in hot water (at least 60 degrees Celsius) for over an hour.
If you live in a super cold climate (-25 to -30 degrees Celsius), you can take some stuff outside or onto your balcony for a few weeks. This will help kill any bed bugs that might be hiding.
Get rid of your carpets! Take down your curtains, drapes, and rip apart your beds to make them accessible for treatment.
Seal up any holes that might be connecting you to your neighbors. Caulk and spackling paste can help with this.
Give your place a thorough going-over with some kind of bug-killing spray. Ventilation holes, outlets - get them all covered with some kind of spray, like pyrethrin or carbophos. And seal up any holes you find.
Finally, give your place a good once-over. Check your mattresses and box springs for any signs of bed bugs.
What I did:
First, I used a steam cleaner or an iron with steam to take care of most of it. I steamed my carpets and took them outside (it was freezing outside!), and I washed my curtains, drapes, and bedding in hot water and hung them up to dry. I also steamed my bedding.
Next, I sealed up all the holes between my place and my neighbors. I found some gaps around the heating vents, and I'm pretty sure that's how they got in.
For my floors, walls, baseboards, and ventilation channels, I used carbophos. I applied it thickly, and I made sure to get it all around my bed, baseboards, doors, and floors, so they wouldn't be able to move between rooms.
I used carbophos twice, with a two-week gap in between, and I wore my protection gear (mask, gloves, and clothes that I washed afterwards). I treated the whole half-empty apartment.
Finally, I used the powder on my couch and anything else that was important not to poison.
I slept in the room that was least likely to have bed bugs, on a mattress that I'd steamed, with clean bedding and a pillow.
The bites stopped immediately!
It's been two months since I've been back on my couch. I've washed everything with carbophos soap, vacuumed up the powder. Nobody's been biting me, but I'm still on edge.
Here's what the manufacturer has to say about Hot Shot:
Non-toxic to animals and kids! Hot Shot is a completely eco-friendly solution designed to kill insects, not people or your pets. So, the risk of poisoning is nonexistent. It also doesn't dry out skin and cause allergies.
No smell and no dust in the house! Since the insecticide needs to be applied throughout the apartment and stays there for a long time, the absence of a smell is a crucial factor. You won't even need to ventilate the apartment due to stale air or dust from the product. You can stay in your apartment without discomfort.
About the product itself:
This is a powder that looks like talcum powder.
There's a small hole with a lid on the tube. I removed the lid and sprayed the product carefully. The product hangs in the air in tiny particles for an hour or an hour and a half, then settles.
If you inhale it, it dries out your nasal passages, and if it gets on your skin, it dries it out. I even sprinkled it on my fabric couch in a thin layer. There's still a layer of this dust inside the couch.
The product is indeed safe, but only if you don't inhale it. Your pets won't like it; it'll stick to their fur. If you leave it under the couch, it'll dust up.
If you have pets or small kids, keep them away from the product.
The product indeed has no smell.
I found the product suitable for my needs! I'd recommend it.
Especially if you can't use something else.
I plan to repeat the treatment in a month or two, targeting hard-to-reach areas where I won't touch the product, as well as potential entry points from neighbors.
I bought the product on Ozon.