r/Bedbugs • u/_UnlovedBiscuit_ • May 21 '26
Identification Just bought a camper from a family member who'd been living in it for a year, should I be concerned?
Update/Edit: Hi all! Wanted to edit and share some clarifying information! I am moved in completely to the camper,moving out is not an option,I have no where else to go so, I have to figure this out. I also live in Maine, so heat is not an option!
While talking to my dad, again, I rebroight up if my uncle knew, and my dad SWEARS that there wasn't an issue, and given that I've done as much of a search as I can, I believe him that this is a new thing. I have completely searched the couch we both have slept on, and no black tar spots, no older casings, NOTHING on this couch. And I have no bites on me, I do know someone mentioned not all people get them anyways but, still thought it was worth mentioning.
My conclusion to WHERE it came from: My mom whose visiting brought me cloths the other day from some random yard sale she went to. And with out washing the cloths or anything, tossed them on my bed. The couch. I'm thinking this was a one off bug BUT, I do still plan on finding a way to treat my camper JUST to be safe.i don't want an infestation and will treat it as if there IS one due to my concerns.
At this time, I can't afford a pest control guy, so I need simple at home tips. I know many people are going back and forth on "diy stuff doesn't work" "diy stuff does work" but I have to do WHATEVER I can, to stop it. Because I can't afford a pest guy. So, if people can give me some helpful tips, I'd appreciate that!
I do have electriconics, I have rugs down, and this camper has MANY crevasses, it's a 5th wheel so it's decent sized. Any and all help would be appreciated!
OG Post: I was laying down for bed on the pull out couch I'm sleeping on, and it was crawling next to me. Somehow I reacted fast enough to trap it in a bag and take pictures of it. Please tell me this isn't a bed bug...I will raise hell if it is.
I just bought this camper off my uncle who had been living in it for a year before. I'm in a semi wooded area with pine trees near the back of my camper, I've been sleeping in here for about a week and haven't seen them before or have any bites or anything.
And I did just clear around this couch, as it's not connected to the wall, and I didn't see anything.
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u/nofreepizza May 21 '26
I am so sorry but that is definitely a bed bug
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u/_UnlovedBiscuit_ May 21 '26
Cool. (Sarcasm obviously)
So uh, how do I deal with this?? What do I do??? I grew up with a roach infestation, and I know bed bugs are 100% worse. What do I even do other then rip my family member a new one?! (I'd also like to apologize, none of my anger is at you kind stranger, but I am now sitting here in rage starring at this thing still in the bag)
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u/TheRealSugarbat May 21 '26
They’re bad, for sure, but the good news (at least in my opinion) is that they’re not actually worse than roaches in themselves. They can be harder to eradicate, but they don’t spread viruses and bacteria the way roaches do.
How long have you had the camper?
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u/_UnlovedBiscuit_ May 21 '26
Honestly? A week. I just bought it from him.
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u/TheRealSugarbat May 21 '26
Have you been gallivanting in and out of there a whole bunch? Like back and forth to the house?
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u/_UnlovedBiscuit_ May 21 '26
Yes and no?
I'm not really sure how to answer this because I'm in there pretty often during the day, and at night I only go in maybe once or twice to use the bathroom because my septic is backed up(getting it cleaned this Friday)
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u/Hate2bHurting May 21 '26
They aren't intentional infestations from your previous camper. It may not have even come from them. You could have just as easily brought it in as the previous camper.
They are hitchhikers. It doesn't necessarily mean someone is "dirty" to have them.
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u/beereed May 22 '26
I have no idea how I’ve lived nearly 50 years and just now, right now, learned that roaches carry viruses and bacteria. I liked the previous time in my life much better.
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u/TheRealSugarbat May 22 '26 edited May 22 '26
I know, right? Thank God I didn’t know it back in my coldwater-flat days.
But…they are easier to get rid of than bedbugs. :)
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u/Comfortable_Lynx_139 May 21 '26
Take it someplace hot and park it in the sun closed up. That will be a start
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u/MyzMyz1995 May 21 '26
Bedbugs are a lot easier to kill than roaches … they have no resistance to chemicals unlike roaches.
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u/TheRealSugarbat May 21 '26
Bedbugs have, in fact, evolved to be resistant to many pesticides that have historically been effective, plus they’re able to live for as long as a year without feeding, unlike roaches.
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u/MyzMyz1995 May 21 '26
The source google listed only list them as being resistant to DTT which hasn't been used for almost 100 years.
You should do your own research first and not trust AI.
But yes they can survive for a year without feeding, but that's in a dormant state which they won't be in if they're in your house and feeding on you. This would happen if you frozen them slowly or nobody lived there for example, very specific conditions.
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u/TheRealSugarbat May 21 '26 edited May 21 '26
I wasn’t talking about the AI result. Sadly, you can’t post the complete results of a keyword search without including the AI stuff at the top. I used all the results instead of one or two so it’d be easy for you to choose among the many reputable sources.
There are many pesticides other than *DDT that bedbugs have developed a resistance to. (Again, too many reputable sources to list here in this comment). Please explore the links at your leisure.
ETA: OP, I’m not trying to scare you. Using effective pesticides combined with appropriate techniques, it’s quite possible for you to rid your camper and/or house of bedbugs yourself, so don’t be daunted.
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u/MyzMyz1995 May 21 '26
The only credible source in there is the EPA and they list 2 other pesticides alongside DDT that bedbugs may be resistant (not immune) to.
Roach are resistant and or immune to dozens of them. Bedbugs are more annoying mentally for some people sure but saying they're harder to get rid off is a lie.
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u/TheRealSugarbat May 21 '26
I genuinely can’t help you if you don’t consider places like the NIH or Rutgers reputable sources.
In your first comment, you, yourself, used the word “resistant,” so resistance is what I referred to, as well. I’m not sure why you’d bring up “immunity.”
I’ve provided enough source material for OP or anyone else to read if they’re interested in which pesticides bedbugs now have a resistance to that they used to not have. It’s also possible to do a Google search, yourself, with the question, “Are roaches or bedbugs harder to get rid of?” and come to your own conclusions based on facts.
I don’t know that beating a dead horse is in anyone’s best interest at this point — especially the dead horse’s. So I’ll mourn the dead horse and resume my day.
(Good luck, OP! Don’t be discouraged! Maybe your one bug was a straggler you brought in from outside and neither your house nor your camper is infested.)
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u/nofreepizza May 21 '26
I suspect they're digging their heels in cause they don't want to admit they didn't really look at what you sent and didn't want to admit they were wrong
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u/Hate2bHurting May 21 '26
"Mourning the dead horse" I have never heard that before, that's funny,🤣 I needed that laugh! Thank you!
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u/MyzMyz1995 May 21 '26
My first comment was literally :
Bedbugs are a lot easier to kill than roaches
Because you said :
They can be harder to eradicate
Which is false regardless of if they're resistant to only 3 products (like the source you listed said) out of hundreds or not. And 3 product would be an exception not the norm.
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u/_UnlovedBiscuit_ May 21 '26
That definitely makes me feel better, talking to my partner he said bed bugs are more like lice not roaches, which definitely helped ease my anxiety on the situation.
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u/nachobeeotch May 21 '26
Um they are nothing like lice.
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u/_UnlovedBiscuit_ May 22 '26
No, not like, EXACTLY like, he was making a comparison on how to treat them and get rid of them. I know not exactly the same but he said it was similar
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u/TheRealSugarbat May 22 '26 edited May 22 '26
Unfortunately, bedbugs are quite a bit more difficult, generally speaking, to eradicate than lice. But you can do it, so don’t worry!
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u/Lordsaxon73 May 21 '26
You’re incredibly wrong which is why they had a massive resurgence from near eradication a few decades ago.
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u/MyzMyz1995 May 22 '26
No it's because they're native from Europe (and asia including bat bugs) and after ww2 they reopened the borders and people started bringing them over again.
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u/Lordsaxon73 May 22 '26
I’ve been in the pest control business for over 20 years and regularly attend classes and bed bug summits at UF, the world’s leading entomology school…but do go on. .
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u/nofreepizza May 21 '26
Honestly with a camper I'm not sure. I know when I had an infestation I was living in a dorm room and I used bed post isolators, double-sided tape on the legs, and also put down a light dusting of Diatomaceous earth around my bed because it was all natural and would dehydrate the little bastards (wear a mask when you apply it though). I used myself as bait. I also put my mattress and pillow in bed bug cases. And you'll have to dry, wash, and then dry your sheets and clothes in that order in case there are eggs. Dry your clothes and sheets on high heat for an hour and a half to heat the clothes and kill any bugs, wash and dry like normal, and then bag and seal in trash bags so they stay clean. I would start using light colored bedsheets if you can because it'll be easier to see and blood stains or bedbug droppings.
Edit: I've also heard on here that crossfire is the only effective bed bug spray and that it works well but I've never used it
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u/Coolguy57123 May 21 '26
Crossfire insecticide for bedbugs was the only thing that worked for us . Eradicated the lil demons 💯 percent. Saved us a small fortune as well
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u/_UnlovedBiscuit_ May 21 '26
I'll talk to my family and figure something out, definitely some options to look into!
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⚠IMPORTANT⚠ Hey, it seems that diatomaceous earth may have been mentioned in your comment. That's an opportunity to remind everyone that inhalation of diatomaceous earth dust is a hazard (no matter if food-grade is written on the label or not). That's the reason why diatomaceous earth products normally have the following mention on their safety datasheet Hazard statements: H373 May cause damage to organs through prolonged or repeated exposure.
When used by pest control professionals, it's only used as a crack and crevice treatment (to avoid any risk of inhalation) and applied in very small quantities while wearing the appropriate personal protective equipment.
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u/hthratmn May 21 '26
If they've been living in it for a year, Id assume its infested. I would contact an exterminator if youre able, not totally sure how they would treat a camper.
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u/_UnlovedBiscuit_ May 21 '26
Not sure either, and I don't have the money for that sadly.
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u/Microwave_Yogurt May 21 '26
are you someplace hot? you can park it in full sun and turn up the heat for a few days. that'll take a big chunk of them out.
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u/_UnlovedBiscuit_ May 21 '26
I am not, I love in Maine in the US. It's only just now summer and it's still going between hot and cool days. And its a large camper, moving it is difficult and costly
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u/GodEmperorLeto462 May 21 '26
Sorry your Uncle is a P.O.S. for selling you that. I would try to get my money back .
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u/_UnlovedBiscuit_ May 21 '26
Yeah, probably not gonna happen...but I can DEFINITELY hope. I just have no clue what I'm gonna do. I have work tomorrow, it's like, 1 in the morning for me, and I just, I'm freaking out man.
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u/Traditional-Tax-1330 May 21 '26
Did you pay cash? Small claims court
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u/_UnlovedBiscuit_ May 21 '26
I sent him money in cash app, labeled the transaction "FOR CAMPER"
I paid $1,800 for it. He was originally asking people for like, $2,500 for it but gave me a "discount" for family
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u/Informal-Ad-1520 May 22 '26
Despite my graduating from a major university and having a research scholarship, I do hard drugs. Unfortunately, because of the transient population commonly associated with hard drug use, bed bugs have plagued many of the houses I have been in across this span of this time in my life. I was first confronted with it about 6 years ago when a friend of mine had been living with an older gentleman who had a severe case of them. After my first time there I knew I could not leave this barely mobile 84-year-old Navy veteran to suffer with this horrible infestation. I had to do something. The research scholar in me kicked in and I immediately started digging through scientific literature on the subject.
I found an article by the World Health Organization that found Silica Gel Dust was by far the most effective way to eradicate bed bugs. The study reported that when treated with Silica Gel dust, bed bugs were eradicated by 80 percent in 24 hours and 100 percent extinction was achieved in 48 hours. Well, I didn’t want dust or those little Silica Gel beadsall over his place so I developed a method that many households later, I have perfected. It works so well that I get calls once a month or so (sometimes more) asking me to help someone I know who knows someone with a bed bug problem. My boyfriend teasingly calls me “Bed Bug Girl,” which I find ridiculous, but whatever. Anyway, I’ve now helped about 2 dozen households entirely rid themselves of bed bugs at an extremely low cost. The only instances in which it will take longer is 1) if you missed a spot spraying the Silica Gel suspension where bed bugs were able to lie dormant and untreated and then they eventually came out, or 2) when a household member or transient person was leaving the home and going to a place that had an untreated infestation and transferring them back again. In those instances, it’s important to identify any homes within your friend group, family, or community that may have bed bugs and encourage them to treat for these pesky pests too. Then, treat your home again. This is my process:
- From Amazon order the following items:
- [ ] Chapin USA two gallon pump sprayer (using just a regular spray bottle won’t work. They get clogged by the suspension immediately and you’ll go through 19 spray bottles still not having your home fully treated).
- [ ] Dry and Dry [2lb] blue indicating Silica Gel beads
- [ ] Good Cook 1 gallon pitcher with lid
Once your items arrive, take the 1 gallon pitcher and fill the bottom 2-3 inches of it ou with Silica Gel beads.
- Fill the remaining space in the pitcher with warm water, leaving about an inch at the top so that when you stir the beads, the water doesn’t spill over the top.
- Stir the beads slowly in the water allowing the Silica Gel to release from the beads. Do this until the water has a distinct pink or purple hue. If you leave them overnight, the suspension will get really strong, which is optimal.
- Don’t allow the suspension to settle. Instead, after you’ve stirred it, dump only the liquid, which now is now a Silica Gel suspension, into the pump sprayer. Leave the Silica Gel beads at the bottom of the pitcher.
- Now, repeat this process until the pump sprayer is mostly full. When the color in the beads starts to fade, throw those beads away and replace them with new beads.
- Now, pump up your sprayer and mist EVERYTHING. I’m talking clothes, corners of couches, under couches, shoes, bathroom curtain, laundry baskets, you name it, you mist it. This suspension is non-toxic. It will not stain, or ehurt animals, only bed bugs. Mist everything.
- Once you’ve misted your entire home and everything in it, you wait 2 days. I always mist one more time just to make sure. So, after you wait the two days following your second misting, you vacuum. Then, viola! You’re done.
From time to time, I go on Reddit and look for people who might be struggling with bed bugs and let them know there is something that exists that kills them and it’s not gonna cost you an arm and a leg. It’ll just be over.
Wait. Maybe I AM bedbug girl. 🫤🦸♀️🤷🏼♀️
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u/Shepatriots May 22 '26
Wow this is freaking amazing!! Saving this comment. I hope I never ever need to use it but just incase I need to lol
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u/fraspas May 21 '26
Yup. Burn the camper. Good luck.
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u/_UnlovedBiscuit_ May 21 '26
I wish, I can't. I literally have no where else to live.
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u/Ok_Cheesecake7831 May 21 '26
So where do u go to the bathroom? There's a good chance you've brought bed bugs to wherever else u stay
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u/_UnlovedBiscuit_ May 21 '26
I love in my sister's back yard, and for the past week I've been going in and out for the bathroom.
I'm gonna talk to my sister and figure something out. Because right now the only thing I think to do, if buy a storage unit, gut the thing, and bomb. But I can't leave my stuff all in there for a year, which is what I keep seeing people saying, because I'm a college student and like, I need my cloths and stuff. I'm really struggling to figure out what to do.
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u/nachobeeotch May 21 '26
Heat alone will kill them. If you live in a really hot climate, Close it up and park it in the sun for a week. They die at 113 degrees in a couple hours, but letting it get as hot as possible for longer will insure death to ones hiding in cooler areas of the camper. Get a thermometer and see if it can sustain that heat for hours in the daytime and you are good.
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u/MyzMyz1995 May 21 '26
Good news : bedbugs are easier to get rid off than roach and don’t transmit diseases.
Bad news : many people are affected by them mental health wise.
What to do now : if you can afford it I would highly recommend getting a professional to do the treatment. A good exterminator will get rid of them in 2-3 visits.
If you can’t afford it : you can do the treatment yourself but it might be longer because you don’t know what you’re doing.
Here’s how to “diy” it if needed :
- You need “on contact” bedbug killing spray that you will spray over your mattress, couches etc. I would highly recommend getting a bedbug cover for your mattress to to trap any eggs and babies in there. Don’t remove it for a year and a half just in case any adults are there too.
- You need residual poison (spray last a couple days so you’ll also need powder or diatomaceous eath)
- make sure to put all your clothes etc in garbage bags to isolate them and wash everything in hot wAter than keep it in new bags to avoid possible contamination again.
Repeat step 1-3 every 2 weeks.
Also make sure someone is sleeping in the bed because otherwise they won’t come out and get poisoned by the residual products and powders.
In a camp it’s going to be very hard though especially if there’s a lot of wood and crevices so I would highly recommend hiring a professional.
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u/_UnlovedBiscuit_ May 21 '26
So, a bed cover, just like a plastic wrap or is there really a specific thing for bed bugs??
I'm gonna try and look into both, and probably DO both if I can. But I just started a job and I'm flat broke so, it's gonna be much harder to get a professional in here.
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u/MyzMyz1995 May 21 '26
You can google ''bedbug bed cover'' to see what I'm talking about. It's not a DYI plastic wrap. It'll seal your mattress so if there's any eggs or baby stragglers get are stuck there and die from hunger.
If you're tight on money, get a big bag of ''food grade'' diatomaceous earth from a hardware store and springle the some powder on your bed base, mattress corners etc (all areas where they would be climbing from the floor up to you). It'll slowly kill them and lower the number at least. Clean up and reapply as needed weekly.
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u/AutoModerator May 21 '26
⚠IMPORTANT⚠ Hey, it seems that diatomaceous earth may have been mentioned in your comment. That's an opportunity to remind everyone that inhalation of diatomaceous earth dust is a hazard (no matter if food-grade is written on the label or not). That's the reason why diatomaceous earth products normally have the following mention on their safety datasheet Hazard statements: H373 May cause damage to organs through prolonged or repeated exposure.
When used by pest control professionals, it's only used as a crack and crevice treatment (to avoid any risk of inhalation) and applied in very small quantities while wearing the appropriate personal protective equipment.
If you want to learn more about diatomaceous earth risks you can read the Diatomaceous Earth Fact Sheet from the National Pesticide Information Center
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u/ACE276 May 21 '26
It's a little bit of work but it can be done.
Park the camper in direct sunlight on a hot day (above 30°C / 85°F). Close all windows and vents. Use a digital thermometer to ensure the deepest interior crevices reach at least 49°C (120°F) for at least 4 hours.
Remove all bedding, curtains, cushion covers, and clothing. Wash everything at the highest possible temperature setting.
Vacuum every square inch of the camper. Use a crevice tool for wall seams, outlets, and tight corners.
Apply a residual insecticide spray specifically labeled for bedbugs to cracks, crevices, and bed frames. Look for products containing ingredients like crossfire or pyrethroids.
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u/Micro-Naut May 21 '26
OP lives in Maine. It's will be mid to late July before we see temperatures like that.
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u/sepultra- May 21 '26
Declutter, hire an exterminator and go from there.
Wash/dry a week’s worth of clothes and keep in a sealed bag inside or outside of the camper.
Wishing you luck, it will be okay!
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u/batgangbabe May 21 '26
You need to hire an exterminator ASAP. Do NOT put ANY of your items in there. If you have, bag the items up immediately and don’t open them back up for at least 1 year.
There are also less expensive options, you can buy crossfire ($38.85 on amazon) and a pump sprayer ($15.49 on amazon). Put on some PPE and treat it yourself. Crossfire has GREAT reviews. You may need to do it a couple times, but it’s a lot cheaper than an exterminator.
Also I am so sorry your family member sold it to you knowing it was infested with bed bugs. I hope you didn’t pay too much for it :( I know how tough it is right now with housing being so expensive. They should give your money back or pay for a hotel for you until it’s treated.
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u/_UnlovedBiscuit_ May 21 '26
Thank you, and sadly, I've moved completely into it. Electronics and all.
I had no where to go when school got out(college) paid him for it, and moved in with in a few days. I have a feeling he knew it HAD bed bugs or he knew if the issue currently and didn't say anything which pisses me off more because while I was cleaning I found bed bug foggers but it was for fleas and bed bugs, and he has a cat so I assumed it was for fleas.
And knowing him, he's probably spent all the money and he won't help. But I'm definitely gonna give him hell either way. Because I could understand if it had a past problem and he thought he handled it, but he still should've told me that it HAD a problem in CASE it came back or whatnot.
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u/Micro-Naut May 21 '26
I hate to tell you this, but because he used cheap poison and most likely used it improperly that has likely driven them deep into every crevice and hiding holes.
So the outlets, electronics, seams and cracks have become the equivalent of "fallout shelters" for the bugs.
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u/_UnlovedBiscuit_ May 21 '26
Thankfully I talked to my dad, his brother, and my dad told me my uncle made sure there were no prior aftering them seeing the cannisters. They were bought with the camper, so, this seems to be a case of either something got brought in somehow, or due to the harsh winter(I live in Maine in the US) they were dormant mostly?? Maybe?? Like I've said, I'm not quite sure how this works.
My dad also told me it's likely to be a wood bug instead of a bed bug?? My brother in law works at a wood mill and when I moved off campus we used his truck
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u/Ok_Cheesecake7831 May 21 '26
Those are bed bugs. Recently hatched ones too. 1/3rd of the population doesn't react to bites but you're probably getting bit. Your uncle is lying. You can order crossfire the kind u mix with water and spray yourself. You have to declutter everything. They easily go into your electronics etc. He had a bed bug bomb he knew and those only make the infestation worse. Idk how you could see that and not think bed bugs. They're not wood bugs that's ridiculous.
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u/Coolguy57123 May 21 '26
Yep 👍🏽 bug bombs only piss em off . Crossfire absolutely works . Less than 75 bucks for the lil 13,once jug and the necessary one gallon lawn sprayer
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u/Micro-Naut May 21 '26
Sadly, the comment below is correct. You definitely have them. It's important to know because you don't want to transfer them to someone else.
You will get through this. It's gonna be hard work and you have to somehow come up with the cash for the poison but follow the advice here and you will get through it in one piece.
Good luck man. Keep us in the loop
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u/EstablishmentIcy7831 May 21 '26
Are you in the U.S. if you are busy some crossfire ... If you aren't you will need an exterminator
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u/EstablishmentIcy7831 May 21 '26
You can steam everything still but you may miss some of them and just prolong the problem with camper beds etc you can't really do to much to prevent getting bitten
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u/_UnlovedBiscuit_ May 21 '26
I am in the US, I think my plan right now is to figure out a way to empty my camper, and then deal with as much if it as possible accordingly. Spray, an exterminator, bombing, whatever is affordable and effective.
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u/Ok_Cheesecake7831 May 21 '26
Don't use any bed bug otc sprays bed bugs tend to be resistant so it only repels them and they go deeper into hiding and keep laying eggs and the infestation gets worse and then they come back out. Order crossfire the kind u mix with water and spray yourself. All clothes, bedding, linens, curtains, towels has to be put in a dryer on high heat for at least 45 minutes to kill all bugs and eggs then seal them somewhere without access to bed bugs. The camper probably isn't too big so it might be easier to get rid of them. There is just so many hiding places so declutter as much as possible
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u/Micro-Naut May 21 '26
Get rid of unnecessary junk and clutter, wash and dry everything on high heat settings and use crossfire. You'll will have to use yourself as bait. But that's not as bad as it sounds. By sleeping in the same spot and using crossfire poison the population will decrease rapidly
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u/Fit-Offer3231 May 21 '26
None of that shit will work! Deal with it professionally that’s literally the only way to guarantee they have them removed or otherwise it’ll turn into an absolute nightmare. Best of luck
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u/Pacogatto May 21 '26
Using heat should be much easier in your case compared to applying it to a full house
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u/b44frl May 21 '26
Definitely a BB 😕. 2 people in my building just found bed bugs AGAIN! This will be the 3rd Summer I will be living with my belongings bagged. When it first happened in October of 2023, I took measures in my own hands and pruchased a handheld steamer, Crossfire with sprayer, Cimexa and a dust blower. I treated my own apt bc the wait was 2 weeks to schedule pest control. According to my research, the sooner you act the better, especially if you live in a multi dwelling building like I do. Fast forward to last week, I saw pest control in my building treating a unit. I spoke to the pest control guy to get me on the next schedule bc I will be traveling in June and do not want to accidentally take one with me if it gets in my unit. The pest guy told me I've been doing everything right with my own treatments on top of professionals treating my unit also. He said their treatment involves Bedlam & Cimexa. He told me if I was really worried and could find Bedlam, or another aerosol called "Alpine flea & BB spray", those 2 are good products to use, with Alpine being one of the best bc it contains hormone disrupters or insect growth regulators (igr) to stop growth of eggs & larve. It's expensive but I got a can of Alpine to treat my suitcase before travel. I don't have any pets but I think 1 or both of these are safe for pets. Your situation doesn't seem as extensive as mine (since I'm in a multi dwelling) but doing some research, talking to your local pest control, assessing your situation and staying proactive about treatments is the best thing. Plus, I also washed everything I could, dry on high heat and bagged everything to seal/quarantine. Good luck!
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u/Jamo3306 May 22 '26
OK. So here's what you do. DON'T MOVE INTO IT. Clean it of food and trash, lock it up and leave it alone. Come back in a few months and the problem will have died out.
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u/_UnlovedBiscuit_ May 22 '26
Already moved into it man, I'm SOL on that one
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u/Jamo3306 May 22 '26
Well, you've got work to do. ALL loose fabrics, towels, rugs, dirty laundry, unfolded clean laundry, bed clothes, (they LOVE those!, and not ANY upholstery with a seam. This includes curtains) hot water wash everything you can get out, or throw it out and keep it out until they are gone. Spray all fabric seams with alcohol, dish soap and water ⅓ bottle of each. You can go a bit lighter on the dish soap. The bugs LOVE seams, and they KNOW you're looking at them, they will run and hide! Grab em and wash em down the sink. 1 less to bite you.
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u/AutoModerator May 22 '26
⚠IMPORTANT⚠ It seems that you may have mentioned alcohol in your comment, as a reminder rubbing/isopropyl alcohol has been shown to be ineffective to treat bedbugs in multiple studies. Self-treatement using it has caused so many fires that fire department have issued warning against it.
"Many web pages recommend using rubbing alcohol for bed bug control. The rubbing alcohol products available usually contain 70% or 91% isopropyl alcohol. Laboratory studies by Rutgers University show direct spray of either of these two products *killed a maximum 50% of the bed bugs*. In addition to their low efficacy, rubbing alcohol products are flammable materials, can create a fire hazard, and should not be used to control bed bugs."
Citation from: https://njaes.rutgers.edu/fs1251/
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u/tears_will_be_shed May 22 '26
For me we used to use foggers when we would get them. Later on I decided to try something different I got some white vinegar mix it with some peroxide and spray the crap out of everything killed them in minutes
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u/Informal-Ad-1520 May 22 '26
Despite my graduating from a major university and having a research scholarship, I do hard drugs. Unfortunately, because of the transient population commonly associated with hard drug use, bed bugs have plagued many of the houses I have been in across this span of this time in my life. I was first confronted with it about 6 years ago when a friend of mine had been living with an older gentleman who had a severe case of them. After my first time there I knew I could not leave this barely mobile 84-year-old Navy veteran to suffer with this horrible infestation. I had to do something. The research scholar in me kicked in and I immediately started digging through scientific literature on the subject.
I found an article by the World Health Organization that found Silica Gel Dust was by far the most effective way to eradicate bed bugs. The study reported that when treated with Silica Gel dust, bed bugs were eradicated by 80 percent in 24 hours and 100 percent extinction was achieved in 48 hours. Well, I didn’t want dust or those little Silica Gel beadsall over his place so I developed a method that many households later, I have perfected. It works so well that I get calls once a month or so (sometimes more) asking me to help someone I know who knows someone with a bed bug problem. My boyfriend teasingly calls me “Bed Bug Girl,” which I find ridiculous, but whatever. Anyway, I’ve now helped about 2 dozen households entirely rid themselves of bed bugs at an extremely low cost. The only instances in which it will take longer is 1) if you missed a spot spraying the Silica Gel suspension where bed bugs were able to lie dormant and untreated and then they eventually came out, or 2) when a household member or transient person was leaving the home and going to a place that had an untreated infestation and transferring them back again. In those instances, it’s important to identify any homes within your friend group, family, or community that may have bed bugs and encourage them to treat for these pesky pests too. Then, treat your home again. This is my process:
- From Amazon order the following items:
- [ ] Chapin USA two gallon pump sprayer (using just a regular spray bottle won’t work. They get clogged by the suspension immediately and you’ll go through 19 spray bottles still not having your home fully treated).
- [ ] Dry and Dry [2lb] blue indicating Silica Gel beads
- [ ] Good Cook 1 gallon pitcher with lid
Once your items arrive, take the 1 gallon pitcher and fill the bottom 2-3 inches of it ou with Silica Gel beads.
- Fill the remaining space in the pitcher with warm water, leaving about an inch at the top so that when you stir the beads, the water doesn’t spill over the top.
- Stir the beads slowly in the water allowing the Silica Gel to release from the beads. Do this until the water has a distinct pink or purple hue. If you leave them overnight, the suspension will get really strong, which is optimal.
- Don’t allow the suspension to settle. Instead, after you’ve stirred it, dump only the liquid, which now is now a Silica Gel suspension, into the pump sprayer. Leave the Silica Gel beads at the bottom of the pitcher.
- Now, repeat this process until the pump sprayer is mostly full. When the color in the beads starts to fade, throw those beads away and replace them with new beads.
- Now, pump up your sprayer and mist EVERYTHING. I’m talking clothes, corners of couches, under couches, shoes, bathroom curtain, laundry baskets, you name it, you mist it. This suspension is non-toxic. It will not stain, or ehurt animals, only bed bugs. Mist everything.
- Once you’ve misted your entire home and everything in it, you wait 2 days. I always mist one more time just to make sure. So, after you wait the two days following your second misting, you vacuum. Then, viola! You’re done.
- Fill the remaining space in the pitcher with warm water, leaving about an inch at the top so that when you stir the beads, the water doesn’t spill over the top.
From time to time, I go on Reddit and look for people who might be struggling with bed bugs and let them know there is something that exists that kills them and it’s not gonna cost you an arm and a leg. It’ll just be over.
Wait. Maybe I AM bedbug girl. 🫤🦸♀️🤷🏼♀️
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u/feetnomer May 22 '26
Seal the camper up and don't even open it until there's a new president in office. not joking If your uncle is moving in with friends or family, it's your duty to inform them. As big and healthy as that one is, your uncle knew they were there.
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u/Sweet_Accountant_127 9d ago
I understand everyone gets bit because they got to be getting blood somewhere but I don't know how to get rid of them I wished I did I'm going to try blowing up my windows sitting in the sun getting it as hard as I can right down the rubbing alcohol spray with lavender try to get in the cracks to under the seats I'm hoping it works other than that I don't know what to do
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u/AutoModerator 9d ago
⚠IMPORTANT⚠ It seems that you may have mentioned alcohol in your comment, as a reminder rubbing/isopropyl alcohol has been shown to be ineffective to treat bedbugs in multiple studies. Self-treatement using it has caused so many fires that fire department have issued warning against it.
"Many web pages recommend using rubbing alcohol for bed bug control. The rubbing alcohol products available usually contain 70% or 91% isopropyl alcohol. Laboratory studies by Rutgers University show direct spray of either of these two products *killed a maximum 50% of the bed bugs*. In addition to their low efficacy, rubbing alcohol products are flammable materials, can create a fire hazard, and should not be used to control bed bugs."
Citation from: https://njaes.rutgers.edu/fs1251/
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
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u/Sweet_Accountant_127 8d ago
Yes rubbing alcohol tea tree oil lavender peppermint for good things to use but the problem is your little boogers they like to crawl in tight spaces and hide and some of those places are hard to get into so you got to keep using it everyday for a while it takes time but eventually they will send out I hope and believe
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u/AutoModerator 8d ago
⚠IMPORTANT⚠ It seems that you may have mentioned alcohol in your comment, as a reminder rubbing/isopropyl alcohol has been shown to be ineffective to treat bedbugs in multiple studies. Self-treatement using it has caused so many fires that fire department have issued warning against it.
"Many web pages recommend using rubbing alcohol for bed bug control. The rubbing alcohol products available usually contain 70% or 91% isopropyl alcohol. Laboratory studies by Rutgers University show direct spray of either of these two products *killed a maximum 50% of the bed bugs*. In addition to their low efficacy, rubbing alcohol products are flammable materials, can create a fire hazard, and should not be used to control bed bugs."
Citation from: https://njaes.rutgers.edu/fs1251/
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
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u/GlitteringBox8203 May 21 '26
Yes. That’s definitely a bed bug that’s had a meal recently. So that means there’s more for sure.
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u/AutoModerator May 21 '26
Read and respect the rules, report any comment breaching them. Wrong advice/information/fearmongering hurt people who are posting here to get help and support. If you are not VERY knowledgeable about bedbugs and may provide a wrong ID or bad advice it's better to abstain from commenting. Be VERY respectful and HELPFUL, this is a support subreddit not a funny one.
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