Leigh,

I read on BedbugGuru.com that bed bugs can hide in very small cracks and holes. Cardboard boxes will certainly provide many such places.

I think putting them in a plastic box and then storing in freezer for a few weeks should kill the bed bugs. However I am not sure of the impact on books. It may impact paper quality.

--- In bedbugger@yahoogroups.com, "Leigh Manndel" <manndel@...> wrote:
>
> Hi everyone,
>
> I'm a new member here, who's recently discovered I'm the horrified host of
> those darn bedbugs, I
> think I'm still in shock.
>
> anyhow, I have hundreds of gorgous books, that I would never part with. I
> went thru the archives for the
> group, and discovered that the worst thing to do was store them in cardboard
> boxes--is this really
> true??
> My plan was to put my books in Banker's boxes, and then enclose them in
> plastic bags. I just looked
> at a bankers' box, and actually, they don't have those enclosed wavy areas,
> just straight cardboard.
> But is the best box a plastic or Tupperware kind? Wanted to make sure, as
> that will cost considerably more....
>
> Also, want to get a steamer for my clothes, but the only one I can afford is
> the Salton Sea brand one
> for steaming clothes, at Walmart. I live in Vancouver, BC, Canada, and
> things are a lot more expensive here. That model, for steaming clothes, is
> $90, and they have an even smaller one for $30. Anyone have any idea if
> this (the $90 one) would
> be sufficient for clothes and similar stuff, and do you need an "industrial"
> strength steamer?
>
> Would much appreciate any replies, as hopefully, someone is taking me
> box-shopping" later
> today :-))
>
> Thanks so much,
> Leigh
>