First Truck, It Has Bed Bugs

Finally got my truck, prepared to sleep in it at the yard overnight, woke up covered in bed bugs 3 hours later. The exterminator they called told me that it was the worst he'd ever seen, and based on the amount of them, they have been in there at least a month. Thanks to QualComm , I know that someone was using it 4 days ago.

How can someone live like that? I wish I had taken pictures to show you guys how awful it was. I can't comprehend the level of sanitation someone had to maintain to allow it to get so bad.

Man, that's a huge bummer.

Did the company give you a new mattress and all that?

Hope they give you a whole different truck with new mattresses.

Man, that's a huge bummer.

Did the company give you a new mattress and all that?

Hope they give you a whole different truck with new mattresses.

Same truck, new mattress. It got sprayed down at 1400, Orkin is coming back in 24 hours to check it, if he says its good I'm gonna have the company clean it out.

Man, that's a huge bummer.

Did the company give you a new mattress and all that?

Hope they give you a whole different truck with new mattresses.

Same truck, new mattress. It got sprayed down at 1400, Orkin is coming back in 24 hours to check it, if he says its good I'm gonna have the company clean it out.

That's good to hear.

I may not be able to finish this before I have to get moving.

I used to work in pest control. It can take 3 months or a little longer from the time of introduction until the time they get noticed. It'll be 6 months before they start getting really bad.

It has nothing to do with cleanliness. Just like lice they piggy back on the infested to the new to be infested.

You need treatment to last. It takes about a month for an egg to hatch, so if it's not killed then in a month you'll be seeing them again. Steam treatment works well, followed up with a NON repellent chemical. Repellents basically let them know it's not safe so they'll move to a safer area and wait until it is safe. Adult bed bugs can hibernate up to 18 months if they need to.

If I miss something I'll add later.

Personal/Professional opinion, get a new truck if you can. If not, I can recommend some stuff. It's not stuff any John Doe can get, unless you can find it on eBay or maybe Amazon.

I may try and start a thread on bed bugs, maybe this weekend when I'm at home and at my computer to dig up links for info.

I may not be able to finish this before I have to get moving.

I used to work in pest control. It can take 3 months or a little longer from the time of introduction until the time they get noticed. It'll be 6 months before they start getting really bad.

It has nothing to do with cleanliness. Just like lice they piggy back on the infested to the new to be infested.

You need treatment to last. It takes about a month for an egg to hatch, so if it's not killed then in a month you'll be seeing them again. Steam treatment works well, followed up with a NON repellent chemical. Repellents basically let them know it's not safe so they'll move to a safer area and wait until it is safe. Adult bed bugs can hibernate up to 18 months if they need to.

If I miss something I'll add later.

The guy said something about 200 proof alcohol. He absolutely drenched the interior of the cab and sleeper, so I'm hoping that it kills everything. If not, and they start to repopulate, ill drive the thing to the nearest OC and demand a different truck. I may be a driver for a living, but that doesnt mean I have to get eaten alive every night.

MyNameGoesHere, please do start a thread on bed bugs. I have a new guys in my truck all the time now that I train and it's a concern of mine. I don't want them bringing it in and my truck being infested.

I may not be able to finish this before I have to get moving.

I used to work in pest control. It can take 3 months or a little longer from the time of introduction until the time they get noticed. It'll be 6 months before they start getting really bad.

It has nothing to do with cleanliness. Just like lice they piggy back on the infested to the new to be infested.

You need treatment to last. It takes about a month for an egg to hatch, so if it's not killed then in a month you'll be seeing them again. Steam treatment works well, followed up with a NON repellent chemical. Repellents basically let them know it's not safe so they'll move to a safer area and wait until it is safe. Adult bed bugs can hibernate up to 18 months if they need to.

If I miss something I'll add later.

The guy said something about 200 proof alcohol. He absolutely drenched the interior of the cab and sleeper, so I'm hoping that it kills everything. If not, and they start to repopulate, ill drive the thing to the nearest OC and demand a different truck. I may be a driver for a living, but that doesnt mean I have to get eaten alive every night.

Alcohol acts as a repellent. I always described repellents as a fart in the room. When you notice something bad like that you'll just leave the room and come back when it's clear. Most chemicals only have a 1 to 3 month life span before they stop working. Adults can go and hibernate for 18.

Chemicals can only be applied to so much unless you strip every panel off that truck.

Non-repellent chemicals do me an you have to suffer a few bites but since they don't know it's there, the bugs cross right over it.

We usually steamed then applied chemical and did a 30 day follow up to re-apply. Steam would kill off as many as possible. The residual chemical would kill off whatever crossed it.

Also, Terminex and Orkin are just big name companies who have a massive advertisement budget. I lost count how many times I would have to deal with very touchy customers because they already spent $1,000 to $3,000, sometimes more, on either of those two companies, only to have to spend more money on us because the big name companies failed to do anything.