Warning to Dumpster Divers, Thrift Store Shoppers, and Yard Salers

From a reader: "Please be uber careful with your dumpster findings...

You could very well bring bedbugs into your home or your thrift shop!

I am saying this because you mentioned the bag was doubled... which is how I have been tossing things left and right for the past 9 months as we battle the little *ahem* buggers. I have thrown out perfectly good looking furniture, clothing, bedding, you name it. All because of bed bugs, which are on the rise in a very huge way in this area (I seem to recall you are in the HRoads area.)

One bug is all it takes to become infested, and getting rid of them is a long, very expensive, very time consuming process. I've been at it since September last year, though we've actually had them for over two years and didn't KNOW it till last September.

It doesn't matter if you keep a spotlessly clean home, they don't go for dirt of filth, only blood from live beings. Preferably humans but they'll feed on four-legged critters when desperate.

Pest Control is expensive and not guaranteed. Heat is the ONLY sure way to kill all life stages.

So, when you find things like that... before you bring them inside your home or take them to a thrift shop, toss them in a hot dryer (high heat) for 15 minutes or so (I go more bc I'm paranoid) Even Dry Clean Only things can go into the dryer if they are already dry. I learned that *after* I tossed some nice things that I now know I could have saved.

Thick things like comforters and sleeping bags and the like, I wouldn't even touch. I tossed all of mine bc I read many storied where people were re-infested because they un-bagged a comforter that eggs had survived inside of, despite hot washing and drying."