Bedbugs again?

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bbinnsitters

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You all do NOT want to poo-poo bedbugs - you will be eating your words if you ever get them. Just last night there was a major news story about how they have invaded the midwest - they are nasty, hard and expensive to get rid of. At least you can kill the stink bug with soapy water, and they don't bite anyone!
My daughter came home one day after staying at her boyfriends college dorm and her body was one big welt - we didn't know what the problem was. Once we figured it out she was so grossed out (as was I). They had to evacuate the building for a few days to get it fixed. I don't think you want that happening at your B&B - god forbid if one of your guests comes downstairs one morning to breakfast itching and scratching and complaining - your B&B will be empty in a matter of minutes! Definitely not good for business.
 
No one here is "poo poo'ing" bed bugs. We all know what a serious problem this has become. We have been talking about it forever. Stink bugs are a problem as well...but not to the extent they will empty out your B & B. Here is a site for everyone. http://bedbugregistry.com/
 
Bed bugs has been covered here on a weekly basis. Not sure who you are speaking to about poo pooing. Cute phrase tho.
 
No, I haven't heard anybody here poo-poo bedbugs. Scared to death of getting them? Yes. Learning what it takes to get rid of them? Sure. I haven't heard a soul say it's nothing to be concerned about.
suellen222 said:
I don't think you want that happening at your B&B - god forbid if one of your guests comes downstairs one morning to breakfast itching and scratching and complaining - your B&B will be empty in a matter of minutes! Definitely not good for business.
Are you saying there's something that can and should be done that's not currently being done to prevent them? You can enclose your pillows and mattresses in covers the bugs can't penetrate, but that just means they won't be living inside the pillows and mattresses.
From what I read, they can be anywhere. Behind the headboard and baseboards, under the carpet, anywhere, and wait there over a year if necessary until a nice CO2-exhaling visitor turns up to attract them for a meal.
If anybody knows of a spray or home remedy that makes us BB proof, please speak up!
Oops! I was going to start calling them BB's since that's easier than typing bed bugs all the time, but then realized there's another BB mentioned around here a lot.
Pity the BB with BBs.
 
I am not poopooing the bedbug thing but I do think it is getting played out far too much in the press about being in lodging establishments placing a scare in would be travelers. Telling them to strip there beds, look here, check under there etc. when checking in to a room.
But what about all the clothing retail stores that have been closed due to infestation? I have yet to read an article about searching through a clothing store - checking this or that before taking that outfit back to the dressing room to try on. And that even though you may not purchase that dress that was far more adorable on the hanger (haha) you still could leave carrying your new found friends on your clothes you put back on.
 
I am not poopooing the bedbug thing but I do think it is getting played out far too much in the press about being in lodging establishments placing a scare in would be travelers. Telling them to strip there beds, look here, check under there etc. when checking in to a room.
But what about all the clothing retail stores that have been closed due to infestation? I have yet to read an article about searching through a clothing store - checking this or that before taking that outfit back to the dressing room to try on. And that even though you may not purchase that dress that was far more adorable on the hanger (haha) you still could leave carrying your new found friends on your clothes you put back on..
I think I poo-pooed to the extent that it's being so overhyped in the media. There's not really much you can do except be vigilant in looking for the things and take action if you find them. Unfortunately it's your guests who are going to bring them to you if you get them
sad_smile.gif

 
I am not poopooing the bedbug thing but I do think it is getting played out far too much in the press about being in lodging establishments placing a scare in would be travelers. Telling them to strip there beds, look here, check under there etc. when checking in to a room.
But what about all the clothing retail stores that have been closed due to infestation? I have yet to read an article about searching through a clothing store - checking this or that before taking that outfit back to the dressing room to try on. And that even though you may not purchase that dress that was far more adorable on the hanger (haha) you still could leave carrying your new found friends on your clothes you put back on..
I think I poo-pooed to the extent that it's being so overhyped in the media. There's not really much you can do except be vigilant in looking for the things and take action if you find them. Unfortunately it's your guests who are going to bring them to you if you get them
sad_smile.gif

.
Exactly! I don't want anyone thinking they are immune to it and it is just a big hype - it is very real and the cleanest places can get them if someone brings them to you unknowingly. Like DD says - be vigilant in looking and if you have hired help train them to start looking for them everytime they clean and make beds. An ounce of prevention...(can't think of the rest of the saying, but you know what I mean!) I am darned lucky my daughter didn't bring them home with her I guess. (I didn't know that at the time - it is only now that I know how much worse it could have been).
Just like lice used to be a "dirty" persons problem - not anymore - it is very common these days. Bedbugs don't care if you are clean or dirty - they'll go wherever you take them and just make themselves at home.
Stink bugs like to travel too - I evidently carried one from PA to the BWI airport and it flew out when I opened my carryon at the airport. I was glad to get rid of it, but it freaked me out when it flew out - I flicked it across the aisle!
 
I am not poopooing the bedbug thing but I do think it is getting played out far too much in the press about being in lodging establishments placing a scare in would be travelers. Telling them to strip there beds, look here, check under there etc. when checking in to a room.
But what about all the clothing retail stores that have been closed due to infestation? I have yet to read an article about searching through a clothing store - checking this or that before taking that outfit back to the dressing room to try on. And that even though you may not purchase that dress that was far more adorable on the hanger (haha) you still could leave carrying your new found friends on your clothes you put back on..
I think I poo-pooed to the extent that it's being so overhyped in the media. There's not really much you can do except be vigilant in looking for the things and take action if you find them. Unfortunately it's your guests who are going to bring them to you if you get them
sad_smile.gif

.
Exactly! I don't want anyone thinking they are immune to it and it is just a big hype - it is very real and the cleanest places can get them if someone brings them to you unknowingly. Like DD says - be vigilant in looking and if you have hired help train them to start looking for them everytime they clean and make beds. An ounce of prevention...(can't think of the rest of the saying, but you know what I mean!) I am darned lucky my daughter didn't bring them home with her I guess. (I didn't know that at the time - it is only now that I know how much worse it could have been).
Just like lice used to be a "dirty" persons problem - not anymore - it is very common these days. Bedbugs don't care if you are clean or dirty - they'll go wherever you take them and just make themselves at home.
Stink bugs like to travel too - I evidently carried one from PA to the BWI airport and it flew out when I opened my carryon at the airport. I was glad to get rid of it, but it freaked me out when it flew out - I flicked it across the aisle!
.
suellen222 said:
An ounce of prevention...(can't think of the rest of the saying, but you know what I mean!)
...is worth a pound of cure.
 
I am not poopooing the bedbug thing but I do think it is getting played out far too much in the press about being in lodging establishments placing a scare in would be travelers. Telling them to strip there beds, look here, check under there etc. when checking in to a room.
But what about all the clothing retail stores that have been closed due to infestation? I have yet to read an article about searching through a clothing store - checking this or that before taking that outfit back to the dressing room to try on. And that even though you may not purchase that dress that was far more adorable on the hanger (haha) you still could leave carrying your new found friends on your clothes you put back on..
I think I poo-pooed to the extent that it's being so overhyped in the media. There's not really much you can do except be vigilant in looking for the things and take action if you find them. Unfortunately it's your guests who are going to bring them to you if you get them
sad_smile.gif

.
Exactly! I don't want anyone thinking they are immune to it and it is just a big hype - it is very real and the cleanest places can get them if someone brings them to you unknowingly. Like DD says - be vigilant in looking and if you have hired help train them to start looking for them everytime they clean and make beds. An ounce of prevention...(can't think of the rest of the saying, but you know what I mean!) I am darned lucky my daughter didn't bring them home with her I guess. (I didn't know that at the time - it is only now that I know how much worse it could have been).
Just like lice used to be a "dirty" persons problem - not anymore - it is very common these days. Bedbugs don't care if you are clean or dirty - they'll go wherever you take them and just make themselves at home.
Stink bugs like to travel too - I evidently carried one from PA to the BWI airport and it flew out when I opened my carryon at the airport. I was glad to get rid of it, but it freaked me out when it flew out - I flicked it across the aisle!
.
suellen222 said:
An ounce of prevention...(can't think of the rest of the saying, but you know what I mean!)
...is worth a pound of cure.
.
Thank you! Sometimes my mind is just mush!
 
I'm not sure who here has poo-poo-ed anything relating to the B..B..'s. Certainly not me. We do look for any sign of them. We had one scare once after a guest came here directly from a 3rd world country and stayed several days. My helper saw something she thought could be a B B and we googled and we were suspicious enough that it MIGHT be that we took action. Stripped the entire room and washed everything linen on HOT with a steamcycle after (including all pillows, etc.). Vacummed and sprayed everything, including drawers, mattress, carpets, baseboards....took the bed apart, and cleaned and sprayed out everything. It was a tremendous amount of work, but I wasn't going to put anyone else in that room without doing everything I could to make sure. And we have stayed vigilant looking for any possible problem down the road, in that room and the others.
But keep in mind 2 things. First, It's not because you're dirty, it's because someone brought them in. Be vigilant, and get on it early if there's any hint. A miniscule bloodspot on the sheet, for example.
And 2nd---it's not fatal. You don't get sick from them. You get a welt. (If you think that's poo-pooing, so be it. I hope my description of what I did to forestall any infestation is proof that I don't poo poo it.)
 
I'm not sure who here has poo-poo-ed anything relating to the B..B..'s. Certainly not me. We do look for any sign of them. We had one scare once after a guest came here directly from a 3rd world country and stayed several days. My helper saw something she thought could be a B B and we googled and we were suspicious enough that it MIGHT be that we took action. Stripped the entire room and washed everything linen on HOT with a steamcycle after (including all pillows, etc.). Vacummed and sprayed everything, including drawers, mattress, carpets, baseboards....took the bed apart, and cleaned and sprayed out everything. It was a tremendous amount of work, but I wasn't going to put anyone else in that room without doing everything I could to make sure. And we have stayed vigilant looking for any possible problem down the road, in that room and the others.
But keep in mind 2 things. First, It's not because you're dirty, it's because someone brought them in. Be vigilant, and get on it early if there's any hint. A miniscule bloodspot on the sheet, for example.
And 2nd---it's not fatal. You don't get sick from them. You get a welt. (If you think that's poo-pooing, so be it. I hope my description of what I did to forestall any infestation is proof that I don't poo poo it.).
I'm going to try to explain poo-pooing! I meant nothing nasty or mean - I just didn't want anyone to take the issue lightly. Poo-pooing I guess would mean brushing it off as insignificant. InnBloom you are definitely not brushing it off - you are being proactive and that is the idea I want to get across - just becos a B&B doesn't have them now doesn't mean you shouldn't be aware of it and do everything in your power to try to avoid getting them. It sounds as if you are definitely doing that!
 
The news media of today is nothing less than tabloid reporting.
What happened to the H1N1 virus?......couldn't make enough vaccine. Rationing of the shots.......and how many people got it?......how many people died from it?...........the common flu is a worse problem.
Speaking of the common flu......I have never gotten a shot for it.....haven't had a flu in decades.....meanwhile, family and others I know. As soon as they get the shot. They are sick for up to 2 weeks.
Granted....I am not exposed to so many people, as you all are. If I was, I'd probably get the flu shot.................but, I'm just sayin.
 
Sorry, still find this a bit off "not funny ha ha but odd funny" to me still, we are INNKEEPERS FOR GOODNESS SAKES, this is what we do day inn and day out. :)
We inspect our rooms and keep a vigilant eye out at all times. We have different guests in our rooms every day of the year. Whose immune to it? I have 5 rooms currently occupied by NON AMERICANS. Which means they traveled by plane to get here, stayed in hotels along the way as well. We do not have maids out on parole at our inns, we are caretakers here.
The hype mentioned is bringing up up constantly to get the general public fearful and in a frenzy which is what WE DO NOT WANT, we actually need guests to pay our bills.
 
Yes, they come with guests and stay behind. I had a guest from Chicago once who stayed just one night. The morning she left, I cleaned the room and found a dead cockroach on the floor (known in some places as the nicer-sounding "Palmetto Bug.") I just about freaked out. Being in the far north, I have never even seen one around here, much less at my place.
Well, talk about hyper-vigilant...I stormed around the house for two weeks tearing things apart, spray can in hand. Never did find another one, living or dead. David said I was crazy, was probably in her luggage or something, but I was so grossed out!
 
Yes, they come with guests and stay behind. I had a guest from Chicago once who stayed just one night. The morning she left, I cleaned the room and found a dead cockroach on the floor (known in some places as the nicer-sounding "Palmetto Bug.") I just about freaked out. Being in the far north, I have never even seen one around here, much less at my place.
Well, talk about hyper-vigilant...I stormed around the house for two weeks tearing things apart, spray can in hand. Never did find another one, living or dead. David said I was crazy, was probably in her luggage or something, but I was so grossed out!.
If you lived in the South, you'd learn to deal with the giant cockroaches, aka Palmetto Bugs. They're outside insects that find their way into the house. They're not the same as German cockroaches. But they're still creepy...and they FLY. blech. We do what we can here to keep them outside where they belong, but they can make themselves as flat as a piece of paper.
confused_smile.gif

 
IN CA they are called waterbugs, the big ones like the palmettos, same as hawaii, then the reg german browns. In Australia they fly.
 
Yes, they come with guests and stay behind. I had a guest from Chicago once who stayed just one night. The morning she left, I cleaned the room and found a dead cockroach on the floor (known in some places as the nicer-sounding "Palmetto Bug.") I just about freaked out. Being in the far north, I have never even seen one around here, much less at my place.
Well, talk about hyper-vigilant...I stormed around the house for two weeks tearing things apart, spray can in hand. Never did find another one, living or dead. David said I was crazy, was probably in her luggage or something, but I was so grossed out!.
If you lived in the South, you'd learn to deal with the giant cockroaches, aka Palmetto Bugs. They're outside insects that find their way into the house. They're not the same as German cockroaches. But they're still creepy...and they FLY. blech. We do what we can here to keep them outside where they belong, but they can make themselves as flat as a piece of paper.
confused_smile.gif

.
Samster said:
If you lived in the South, you'd learn to deal with the giant cockroaches, aka Palmetto Bugs. They're outside insects that find their way into the house. They're not the same as German cockroaches. But they're still creepy...and they FLY. blech. We do what we can here to keep them outside where they belong, but they can make themselves as flat as a piece of paper.
confused_smile.gif
The giant cockroaches (ave 1.6") aka Palmento or Water bugs proper name is the American Cockroach found mainly in the warm southern states and came over in the 1600's from Africa. They do not like being indoors but are drawn inside sometimes by water sources. Their nickname comes from the fact that they like to hide in the loose bark of palmeto and pine trees where moisture is retained by trees. And yes they do fly - eeeek.
The most common cockroaches in the US are the German & Asian cockroaches with the American in 3rd. But there are 3,000 species of cockroaches in the world, 50 found in the US.
 
Yes, they come with guests and stay behind. I had a guest from Chicago once who stayed just one night. The morning she left, I cleaned the room and found a dead cockroach on the floor (known in some places as the nicer-sounding "Palmetto Bug.") I just about freaked out. Being in the far north, I have never even seen one around here, much less at my place.
Well, talk about hyper-vigilant...I stormed around the house for two weeks tearing things apart, spray can in hand. Never did find another one, living or dead. David said I was crazy, was probably in her luggage or something, but I was so grossed out!.
If you lived in the South, you'd learn to deal with the giant cockroaches, aka Palmetto Bugs. They're outside insects that find their way into the house. They're not the same as German cockroaches. But they're still creepy...and they FLY. blech. We do what we can here to keep them outside where they belong, but they can make themselves as flat as a piece of paper.
confused_smile.gif

.
Samster said:
If you lived in the South, you'd learn to deal with the giant cockroaches, aka Palmetto Bugs. They're outside insects that find their way into the house. They're not the same as German cockroaches. But they're still creepy...and they FLY. blech. We do what we can here to keep them outside where they belong, but they can make themselves as flat as a piece of paper.
confused_smile.gif
The giant cockroaches (ave 1.6") aka Palmento or Water bugs proper name is the American Cockroach found mainly in the warm southern states and came over in the 1600's from Africa. They do not like being indoors but are drawn inside sometimes by water sources. Their nickname comes from the fact that they like to hide in the loose bark of palmeto and pine trees where moisture is retained by trees. And yes they do fly - eeeek.
The most common cockroaches in the US are the German & Asian cockroaches with the American in 3rd. But there are 3,000 species of cockroaches in the world, 50 found in the US.
.
They are nature's garbagemen. Still creepy though.... blech.
 
When I was living in Tulsa and they ate a bag of potatoes under the sink, we gave them names: there was Ruby Roach and Ronald Roach and Renfrew Roach, but regardless of their names, we killed them with Raid sprayed around the base of the cabinets, and they were all dead or expiring when I came down the next morning to discover them in the kitchen.
Ran the roach-corpses or near corpses down the disposal and poured a quart of bleach after them. This is why God made Clorox.
 
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