bedbugger : Message: Another question~! and thank you

Hi everyone,

Thanks much for the post about the bedbug book, and the new info on using DE. I told my manager I had

bb's, and he said if I wanted to tell the owners/board that they would insist I throw out all my clothes,

my bed, and my couch, etc. He recommended the Diatomacous Earth, but didn't give me any

directions on how to use it. I'm figuring it out bit by bit, with the help of this group, and whatever I

can find on the net.

Has anyone ever had total success using just DE??? I also would prefer that way as I have a cat.

I think that I got the "nest" (ugh) which I found (to my horror) on the sheet over the mattress pad on the

boxsprings. Luckily, the foam mattress was encased in a good-quality zipped cover, and I had also

encased the boxsprings in plastic, as people have had lots of trouble in this building and I tried to

be prepared a few years ago. I have made my bed a "safe oasis" by putting the legs in bowls of DE,

and moving the bed away from any walls---works great, so far.

But I have no clue as to how to deal with my rug (almost wall to wall) and my beloved loveseat--can

I use DE on them, and/or perhaps a steamer? I read on one site to sprinkle DE on the rug, and

leave for 48 hours, then vacuum. Also, on a different site, they rec using an old sock to apply the

DE, like putting the DE inside of it, and "patting" that on the object, which sounded perfect. This

has been so emotinally and physically demanding!!!

So anyone have any thoughts on treating a little couch and rug? And any know of total success

using DE? Also want to share that the pest-control guy that they use has been very iffy in terms of

success and many people have had to be sprayed up to FIVE times! (and then having to throw out

almost everything they own, or face eviction--one guy was actually just evicted)

Thanks so much, in advance,

Leigh