Bed bugs and a Christmas nightmare - what next?

[amastewa93]

Seriously though.... Really sorry to hear the mess it's been... I'd honestly be inclined to move completely, get all new furniture, and literally camp while you save the money to do that... Camp chairs, air mattress, etc... Just the bare minimum until you can get out.

We've got a three-year lease here and moving again is just not financially plausible (we've moved twice this year), nor do I think I could handle another move mentally LOL. We will definitely be saving up for new furniture while we ensure the issue is completely resolved.

[scfr]

Once you're sure the problem is resolved and you're ready to buy new, have you considered a futon that would do double duty as both sofa and bed?
I used a futon for 10 years, most of that time in a studio apartment. Mine was maybe an older style … no raised frame … you pulled the mat down on to the floor at night and lifted it up on to a simple stand during the day for seating. It meant making & unmaking the bed each day. Mine was a twin size just for me so that was easier to do that would be a full or queen (that would probably be a 2-person job).
It was a good space and money saver, and it made moving a whole lot easier too.

[disneysteve]

Once you're sure the problem is resolved and you're ready to buy new, have you considered a futon that would do double duty as both sofa and bed?
I used a futon for 10 years, most of that time in a studio apartment.

My first apartment was a studio and I got a used sofa bed for just that purpose. In my 2nd apartment, which was a 2-bedroom, I continued to sleep on the sofa bed in the summer because only the living room had AC, and I slept in the bedroom on a regular bed during the cooler months.

[~bs]

I'm generally a huge fan of used furniture, especially when folks are just starting out. The bed bug issue is a problem, though. That would probably make me hesitate before buying used soft furniture like a sofa. I think I'd still be fine with hard furniture as even though there's apparently some chance of bugs there, it's probably pretty slim.

In my first apartment, everything was used - sofabed, dining table, desk, bookcase, dresser.

I'm not a fan.... but if one insists on doing it, you should take simple procedures to make sure it doesn't have bed bugs. It's not that hard to do.
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After vacuuming each cushion and the frame of the furniture, there are several options to help ensure that you've captured every bedbug. Cushions can be put in a large, sealable plastic bag and placed in direct sunlight until the temperature reaches 120 degrees F. The heat will kill all bedbug stages.

Or, you can freeze the fabrics if you have freezer space. Bedbugs cannot live at temperatures below 32 degrees F. for more than a few days. If you live where the weather is frigid, this is a good solution.

[mumof2]

so did the apartment come with furniture thatt had bedbugs?? can they pay for the removal of the furniture??

[amastewa93]

so did the apartment come with furniture thatt had bedbugs?? can they pay for the removal of the furniture??

Yes, and yes, they will cover it being removed, but they won't help cover replacement of any of it.

[amastewa93]

Update on this - we are seemingly bed bug free after two treatments and saving for new furniture currently. We should have something by the end of the month as long as nothing else crazy happens!

[myrdale]

I am personally confused by the push to replace the mattress and couch. Is there a "gross" factor because there use to be bed bugs? Sure. Is that a reason to replace them? I am not so sure. Sheddings I am assuming could give you allergy problems, but standing the mattress and couch cushions up and walloping them, then vacuuming over everything I would think would clear up most of the surface level stuff.

If you want to buy a new couch and bed, by all means go buy a new couch and bed. I just don't think I would use the previous infestation as the excuse.

Also is there a bed bug infestation in the building as a whole? During my apartment days, I would bug bomb on about a monthly schedule for roaches. The ultimate problem was they were in the walls and or coming from the apartments on either side of me.

[disneysteve]

I am personally confused by the push to replace the mattress and couch. Is there a "gross" factor because there use to be bed bugs? Sure. Is that a reason to replace them? I am not so sure.

Great question. I never really thought about it, having never dealt with this issue myself. I just Googled this and sure enough every site I found says you don't need to get rid of your mattress if the home is properly treated. They do recommend sealing the mattress in a protective sack, though. That keeps any future bugs from getting to the mattress and just in case the treatment missed anything, it keeps the bugs from getting out.

[Petunia 100]

Sorry to hear that. ABSOLUTELY trash the furniture. I'd rather sit and sleep on the floor if I had to. And no, I wouldn't go into debt to replace the mattress and sofa. Buy the cheapest mattress you can pay cash for. If you can't do that, buy an air mattress. You can get a queen size for $60 or so. As for the sofa, again, go as cheap as you possibly can. Buy a couple of cheap chairs temporarily if that's all you can afford. You don't truly need a sofa. Do you have a Habitat for Humanity Restore near you? They usually have great furniture at great prices.

For all she knows, the mattress and sofa from the Restore once had bed bugs too.

Wooden furniture like tables, unpadded chairs, etc. is fine to buy used. Mattresses and sofas? Nope.

But OP, don't go finance anything. Both Wal-Mart and Costco sell those boxed mattresses for right around $300. And, they are surprisingly good mattresses. Wait on the sofa if you have to.

[amastewa93]

I am personally confused by the push to replace the mattress and couch. Is there a "gross" factor because there use to be bed bugs? Sure. Is that a reason to replace them? I am not so sure. Sheddings I am assuming could give you allergy problems, but standing the mattress and couch cushions up and walloping them, then vacuuming over everything I would think would clear up most of the surface level stuff.

If you want to buy a new couch and bed, by all means go buy a new couch and bed. I just don't think I would use the previous infestation as the excuse.

Also is there a bed bug infestation in the building as a whole? During my apartment days, I would bug bomb on about a monthly schedule for roaches. The ultimate problem was they were in the walls and or coming from the apartments on either side of me.

The couch's cushions, unfortunately, don't come off the couch. We have gone ahead and cleaned up the bed with a vacuum. After reading more into it, there is no need to get a new mattress and sofa, no. We definitely won't be financing anything, but will get new furniture once we have the money saved to do so simply because we didn't like it all that much to begin with and now have (like you said) that "gross factor" even though they are gone.

There have been no other reported issues in the building as of yet. The exterminator checked the adjoining apartments and found nothing indicating any infestation.

[amastewa93]

For all she knows, the mattress and sofa from the Restore once had bed bugs too.

Wooden furniture like tables, unpadded chairs, etc. is fine to buy used. Mattresses and sofas? Nope.

But OP, don't go finance anything. Both Wal-Mart and Costco sell those boxed mattresses for right around $300. And, they are surprisingly good mattresses. Wait on the sofa if you have to.

Yeah - we definitely won't be financing anything. We are waiting until we have some money saved.