QUESTION: Can you please give me some information about bedbugs? My son recently moved into a rooming house with multiple tenants and has advised me someone had complained about bedbugs. He said the landlord had someone come in and move his belongings to the middle of the room and spray. He has never been bit, but please give me information on the following: What he should look for? Does he have to worry about anything being on his clothes when he goes out and possibly transfer to others? If he goes out to do his laundry, does he have to worry about possibly taking them to where he is doing laundry?
I have never experienced bedbugs and really don’t want to, but do I need to worry about getting together with my child and how can I protect myself when I do have contact with him. Your answers would be greatly appreciated. P., Winnipeg ANSWER: Signs of bedbug infestations include: Clusters of bedbugs or single bugs, red or black stains and/or specks on sheets and/or mattress.
Check mattress seams, under carpets and pillows for signs. People are not equally sensitive to bedbugs, some will exhibit a rash while others show no obvious signs. Look for red, itchy bite marks on skin; they usually appear in a row of three or four bites. Bedbugs are transferable; therefore he should carry his clothing to the laundry room in a sealed plastic bag. Hot water and a hot dryer will usually kill bedbugs. Freezing infested items won’t always kill those critters, heat is more effective. If you froze them, they would become dormant and be on the move once room temperature stabilized. Bedbugs can hide and become active after one year.
The best way to kill them is with extreme heat, putting fabrics in the dryer on high heat will kill them. Taking your clothing to a dry cleaner will also kill the bugs.
A mattress protector is a great investment, but before you purchase the protector make sure the packaging says it repels bedbugs. Most major department stores carry bedbug mattress protectors. Some protectors have mesh on them which keeps the bugs away. If an exterminator comes to your home, make sure your home is neat and tidy. The reason for this is if you have a pile of bedding or clothes on the floor and the exterminator sets off high heat to kill the bugs the heat will not be as effective if it cannot seep into every area of the home. The inside of the mound of clothes will be left untreated and your bedbug problem will continue. Lastly, suggest placing plastic cups under each leg of his bed so the bugs have a harder time climbing onto his bed. If he doesn’t experience any symptoms, you should be fine to give your son a hug.
Tips of the week
WEAR and tear is the most common cause of jewelry breakage according to Ben Moss manager Kris Kehler. “Jewelry should be the last thing you put on as you get ready in the morning and the first piece to remove at the end of your day,” said Kehler.
Commercial jewelry cleaner is a great solution for cleaning your precious items. If you don’t have access to store bought cleaner soak jewelry in one part Mr. Clean mixed with three parts water. Gently brush pieces to remove dirt and grime, a used baby toothbrush works great.
Avoid storing jewelry in jewelry boxes. If a home theft should occur, this is typically the first place a thief will look.
Don’t apply lotions and oils to rings stuck on fingers. Instead spray your finger with Windex which contains properties that cause the finger to shrink and makes the ring easier to remove.
Care for pearl jewelry by occasionally restringing the silk threads because silk dries out and may weaken and break. Hang pearl necklaces when not in use. Remove body oils from pearls by gently wiping them with a soft cloth after each use.
Store silver jewelry in a closed, sealable bag to reduce tarnish.
Use a hair dryer to dry wet jewelry to prevent water spots from forming.
Thank you to Kris Kehler from Ben Moss (St. Vital Centre) for the above solutions.
I enjoy your questions and tips, keep them coming.
Need a presenter on the topic: Effective Speaking or The Power of Words? Check out: Reena.ca
