When the inexpensive insecticide used to kill the bedbugs completely was outlawed, they have made a come back. I read that the stuff used to kill them now is too expensive for the general population overseas to buy so the bed bugs are spreading. It's like head lice, it's a nightmare to get rid of them.

I also wonder about buying on e-bay or for that matter and PLEASE don't anyone take this the wrong way but getting fabric from a swap.

Guess they are a big, expensive problem to get rid of! The thought of it makes my skin crawl!!

I read this list on our local news put out by the Terminex company.
These are the cities with the most bedbug infestations:
Cleveland, Louisville, Indianapolis, Boston, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C.,Dayton, Columbus, Denver, Chicago, Cincinnati, Detroit, Philidelphia,
New York City

They say a special high heat is teh only way to get rid of them and may take several treatments. Yuck!

Another good reason to immediately wash all fabrics, new clothing, new bedding, etc.

does anybody know how big a bed bug is? i'd like to know what i'm looking for since i've never seen one. like compared to a pea or a bean or a grain of rice? and what color too?

My DD travels for her job. She has learned to strip the bed, turn over the mattress and look at it with a flashlight. You can see if there is an infestation. She has turned in several hotels for having bedbugs. She learned her lesson when she had to toss a an expensive suit and shoes, purse, and a full cosmetic bag. She sure was glad she didn't bring her suitcase and computer to the hotel room. It's very expensive to get rid of them once in your home.

What brand of steam cleaner? I'd love to sanitize my furniture, carpets, mattresses, etc.

This is the one I have. http://www.amazon.com/McCulloch-MC-1...5432082&sr=8-2

There was a big discussion on these a couple years back on Pattern Review and I got this from unanimous recommendation of other users. I love mine and it gets really really hot! It will clean just about anything.