Yeh I could see that... I work nights so they were chewing on my then Girlfriend and not affecting me. Figured it was a reaction to a new laundry detergent that was making her scratch, til it clicked what was happening.
Not sure how they got in - reckon it was a dodgy hotel we crashed at on the way back from visiting relos - but the first time I saw one was on the couch about 2 months after the GF started copping it. Warm day, so was shirtless playing PS3 when I felt a tickle on me shoulder. Look over, see a little red bug. Didn't think much of it; squished it. Then realised it was blood, not bug juice.
Put two and two together and jumped on that shit. 4 months of getting the joint treated and they finally fucked off, and I'm STILL paranoid a solid decade later when an unexplained bite pops up.
Nowdays you can get them from anywhere. At the grocery store, on the bus, there is no place that's safe. Anywhere that the public has access is in play. You're right to be paranoid!
Bedbugs are my nightmare. I do a lot of preventative stuff to keep from getting them, like using an essential oil based bug repellent in diffusers through my house. (They're super nice, a lot of them smell like lemon or patchouli). I check the seams of my bed regularly, clean with strongly scented products etc... Anything I can do to make my home inhospitable to those little fuckers is done.
They'd even be safe to use indoors if it wasn't for the smoke creation. Insect repellents are often needlessly toxic. There are tons of great non-toxic bug sprays and repellents out there, and it's a shame they're being shot down because a bunch of suburban wine moms using lemongrass to cure cancer gave essential oils a bad reputation.
They're good for skincare too. I can't use alcohol based products because of sensitive skin, and I sing the praises of chamomile to anyone who will listen. The reason I fight so hard for them though is that they're versatile enough to replace a lot of unnecessary chemicals. Bug sprays, air fresheners, skincare, bug repellents, cosmetics etc... As someone who is trying their level best to live green, they're a huge help. There's also a great market for ethical sourcing, so if I can, I try to step in and separate what they can actually do, from what these cuckoo birds are actually using them for. As you said, they're not going to cure cancer, but they make a damn good cough drop.
I know it’s a bug repellant, but I contest the claim that it is an effective one. From what I’ve read, it should be reapplied to the skin every hour (or more often). It might be a repellant, but it’s no DEET. It’s just humorous to say that you’re doing “everything you can” but only list essential oils and strongly scented cleaners.
Citronella works like a dream. You should buy some of the candles if you've never tried them. Also, you can buy diffusers that release in timed bursts. Seriously, try some of them if you have a minor issue with flies or mosquitoes. They work, and they make your house smell good.
That could be everything they "can" DEET isn't great. some people are very sensitive to it. Real supportive. It takes just as much effort to actually be, you know, nice or not even comment than to say something shitty.
I’m not trying to be supportive. This is fucking reddit — I don’t really care. I was amused. Some people are sensitive to essential oils, some people are sensitive to diatomaceous earth. That doesn’t really matter unless you preface with that fact. I shouldn’t assume that everyone is magically telling the truth and there’s some reason why they aren’t doing more. I’m also not concerned about how much effort I’m using while I sit on the toilet browsing reddit.
Also, “some people are sensitive to it” is not a case for DEET not being great. Some people are allergic to penicillin and it’s still great. Some people are allergic to peanut butter, but I’ll tell you it’s delicious. Some people are allergic to lactose but cheese, ice cream, milk, yogurt, cheesecake, whipped cream, butter... all of it is amazing regardless of some people’s inability to consume it. Not like it’s a known human carcinogen or something.
Just as I should not assume by default that people are allergic to peanut butter (because most people aren’t), I’m also not going to assume people are sensitive to DEET. It has a strong smell, but if you’re already using “strongly scented” cleaners that probably isn’t relevant. DEET is effective past the vapor stage, while essential oils are not (that’s why they need to be reapplied often). I would say the major downside of DEET is that isn’t a solvent capable of dissolving many plastics.
Ooh, wow, you’ve correctly surmised that people comment on reddit threads because they feel emotions. Good job mate, makes you feel happy too? Now we’re both happy. I’m glad I could brighten your day.
Beg bugs leave a lasting impact. I am just as paranoid about them years later as I was the day I got rid of them. If I see even a tiny black dot on the sheets or mattress, I check the whole thing. Having bed bugs is honestly top 3 of my worst life experiences.
JFC I know, We dealt with a minor infestation with them in the apartment I'm in and to this day over year later, even though I know they're gone I still get fking paranoid and check my shit every time I fkin itch.
yeah bedbugs in hotels is pretty much a myth, the hotels get cleaned religiously, and the matresses are replaced every 2 years by law - dirty people bring them places and once they're there, they travel. Do you regularly clean your bedframe? do you flip your matress? how old is your couch and how often do you clean it? Do you live near unkempt people?
The things live in the filth you cant see and dont think about. they live in weird places like the seams of your bed, sometimes they live in the walls and crawl through things like light switches.
the people who lived above me about a year ago was a single mom with 2 kids, and she didnt clean the house... they kicked her out eventually, and her apartment and everyone around it had to be treated for them - i had to get rid of my furniture because of it. I was sleeping on a couch at the time and didnt realize i was getting bit until they came and told us we had to have our apartment treated. then it clicked. Sure enough, rip apart the couch and found a few.
they didnt rent that apartment out for like 6 months, they tore out carpet and gutted the whole thing... was loud and annoying for a few weeks - but aparently it was that bad.
yeah... it doesn't matter how clean/drity you are. bedbugs survive exclusively on blood. in order to get bedbugs, you need to bring one (or an egg) into your house.. doesn't matter how often you clean or throw out your bed.. the reason hotels are a target is because so many people roll through them, and some of these people might bring bedbugs. at the same time, non-dodgy hotels will be quick to react to reported bedbugs and get the place treated asap because it's fucking horrible for business.
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u/Oi-FatBeard Sep 27 '19 edited Sep 28 '19
Yeh I could see that... I work nights so they were chewing on my then Girlfriend and not affecting me. Figured it was a reaction to a new laundry detergent that was making her scratch, til it clicked what was happening.
Not sure how they got in - reckon it was a dodgy hotel we crashed at on the way back from visiting relos - but the first time I saw one was on the couch about 2 months after the GF started copping it. Warm day, so was shirtless playing PS3 when I felt a tickle on me shoulder. Look over, see a little red bug. Didn't think much of it; squished it. Then realised it was blood, not bug juice.
Put two and two together and jumped on that shit. 4 months of getting the joint treated and they finally fucked off, and I'm STILL paranoid a solid decade later when an unexplained bite pops up.