Help me rid myself of unwanted insects during my move
December 15, 2017 9:44 AM Subscribe
We're moving yay! Part of that reason is we've been dealing with a roach issue for over a month and have had enough. I'm looking for a plan of action to ensure they don't follow us, and was hoping for both a once over of our current thoughts, as well as seeing what, if anything, we've missed.
Right now we're about 50-60% packed into plastic sealed boxes, mainly our kitchen, pantry and bathrooms. Our plates, silverware etc has been packed for about the entire month, and our pots/pans have been packed for about a week. I've been keeping them outside where it's been averaging about 43 degrees at night.
So right now I'm thinking the stuff that's been out side for a week is going to be ok given the temperature and lack of food, and will be good to move without further treatment, is that dumb?
Otherwise we've a tv, a couch, our dressers, and some smaller electronics to move (my desktop, the router, the modem, the roku), and a papasan chair. My current thought is to move all of them into the smaller room, and bomb them all together. We're then thinking of putting the couch and papasan into storage for a while, bombing every so often, to ensure they're not going to come with us to the new place, and putting the electronics other than my desktop into ziplocs for a few days to see what develops. I've read things that say bomb or don't bomb, so not sure if this is the best idea so would love some ideas here.
For our clothes, I'd figure the best course would be to inspect and vacuum suitcases, and then do loads of laundry offsite directly into suitcases and thence into our new place. Everything we move in that isn't already outside will go onto our balcony overnight, hopefully that being cold enough (the forecast low is in the low 40's) to help cure any problems there.
We're planning on throwing away our bed and boxspring, as well as old desks and bookshelves, so those won't be vectors for us.
Should we buy gel or something for the new place? Have orkin or whomever come and preemptively do anything? I'd really hate for this to follow us at all and want to ensure we're not just taking the problem with us.
(We've been using sealable plastic boxes, and plan on using them exclusively rather than introduce cardboard into the environment at this point)
Right now we're about 50-60% packed into plastic sealed boxes, mainly our kitchen, pantry and bathrooms. Our plates, silverware etc has been packed for about the entire month, and our pots/pans have been packed for about a week. I've been keeping them outside where it's been averaging about 43 degrees at night.
So right now I'm thinking the stuff that's been out side for a week is going to be ok given the temperature and lack of food, and will be good to move without further treatment, is that dumb?
Otherwise we've a tv, a couch, our dressers, and some smaller electronics to move (my desktop, the router, the modem, the roku), and a papasan chair. My current thought is to move all of them into the smaller room, and bomb them all together. We're then thinking of putting the couch and papasan into storage for a while, bombing every so often, to ensure they're not going to come with us to the new place, and putting the electronics other than my desktop into ziplocs for a few days to see what develops. I've read things that say bomb or don't bomb, so not sure if this is the best idea so would love some ideas here.
For our clothes, I'd figure the best course would be to inspect and vacuum suitcases, and then do loads of laundry offsite directly into suitcases and thence into our new place. Everything we move in that isn't already outside will go onto our balcony overnight, hopefully that being cold enough (the forecast low is in the low 40's) to help cure any problems there.
We're planning on throwing away our bed and boxspring, as well as old desks and bookshelves, so those won't be vectors for us.
Should we buy gel or something for the new place? Have orkin or whomever come and preemptively do anything? I'd really hate for this to follow us at all and want to ensure we're not just taking the problem with us.
(We've been using sealable plastic boxes, and plan on using them exclusively rather than introduce cardboard into the environment at this point)
Best answer: I'm not a roach expert by any means, but I've lived in NYC long enough to have dealt with them a bunch of times. I ~think~ you should be less worried about stuffed furniture and more worried about your electronics. My understanding is that those are the sorts of places they love to hide out. I have straight up left air conditioners behind in moves because it just wasn't worth the risk to me.
posted by cakelite at 9:54 AM on December 15, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by cakelite at 9:54 AM on December 15, 2017 [2 favorites]
Best answer: I've been told to freeze small appliances -- not sure if the outside temps are cold enough, but I've put things like toasters and radios in my freezer for 24 hours to kill both the roaches and their eggs.
Good luck!
posted by tangosnail at 9:59 AM on December 15, 2017
Good luck!
posted by tangosnail at 9:59 AM on December 15, 2017
Best answer: Yeah, I’d be giving your electronics some serious side-eye. When I was in the same situation, I just trashed my TV.
posted by Weeping_angel at 10:09 AM on December 15, 2017
posted by Weeping_angel at 10:09 AM on December 15, 2017
Best answer: I found some living in an AC power strip, once, after I had carried them with me when moving out of a terrible apartment. They like the heat, and they can feed on the dust that accumulates in gadgetry. Application of the kind of regime described above by knownassociate worked.
posted by thelonius at 10:29 AM on December 15, 2017
posted by thelonius at 10:29 AM on December 15, 2017
Response by poster: Thanks all, I hadn't thought of freezing the smaller electronics and think I'll do that in ziplocs, great idea.
posted by Carillon at 12:43 PM on December 15, 2017
posted by Carillon at 12:43 PM on December 15, 2017
Wasn't obvious to me at first but the soil in your house plants is likely infested.
posted by bonobothegreat at 12:22 AM on December 16, 2017
posted by bonobothegreat at 12:22 AM on December 16, 2017
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- caulk/seal up any and every crevice you can possibly find
- place Invict Gel near all corners, cracks, water-ridden areas, dark drawers/cabinets, anywhere roaches would be
- set out roach birth control (seriously)
Not sure what the situation is in San Mateo, but in NYC it's bad and this has rid me of a roach problem in less than two weeks in every apartment I've had.
posted by knownassociate at 9:49 AM on December 15, 2017 [1 favorite]