Bedbug repellent sprays?

[Nomadita]

Hi all,

I suffered with bedbugs twice last month for the first time in Europe (in Spain on the Camino Frances and then in Poland only 1 week after finishing!), and the experiences left me a bit traumatised and paranoid. I'm considering doing the camino from Porto so am looking for a spray that I can spray on a sleeping bag and backpack to repel bedbugs. Does anyone know of a website in the EU that sells it? (I'm in Portugal).

Cheers!

 

[nathanael]

Hi all,

I suffered with bedbugs twice last month for the first time in Europe (in Spain on the Camino Frances and then in Poland only 1 week after finishing!), and the experiences left me a bit traumatised and paranoid. I'm considering doing the camino from Porto so am looking for a spray that I can spray on a sleeping bag and backpack to repel bedbugs. Does anyone know of a website in the EU that sells it? (I'm in Portugal).

Cheers!

For most of the Caminos, I have done I have used a product that I purchase in the USA . I am from Canada and it's not allowed here. I buy it at Walmart and it is called Permethrin. I have slept in Albegues where people had bed bugs and it never affected me. But you need to spray your sleeping bag and your backpack good luck.

 

[trecile]

There's is nothing that you can spray on your gear that will repel bedbugs. Many people use permethrin, which will kill bedbugs over time. I spray it on my sleeping gear, inside my backpack, and on all my cloth stuff sacks. If any bedbugs get inside my things I want to make sure that they don't come out alive.
You can use a spray with DEET on yourself.

This video shows bedbugs slowly dying on permethrin treated fabric.

 

[Anniesantiago]

Every year before I go I spray the outside of my pack and sleeping bag with Permethrin. I use Sawyers and buy it on Amazon. So far, it has protected me, even when people in the bunk below me have been bitten.

Also, when I'm staying in albergues, I purchase a mosquito spray from the Farmacia. When I arrive, I check for bedbugs. If I see no sign, I mist just a pump or two over the bed. If there are bedbugs, they will come to the surface.

For people complaining about spraying something in the room, this is no worse than people's deodorant spray or essential oils or eye-burning cologne. You can't smell it a bed away. I have multiple chemical sensitivities and can smell the UPS man coming a mile away and this doesn't affect me. Try to get a spray that is fragrance free.

I have a blog on spotting bedbugs here:

Don't Let the Bedbugs Bite!

When I was a girl, my grandmother said a little rhyme to me each night when she tucked me in. She said, Goodnight! Sleep Tight! ...

caminosantiago2.blogspot.com

 

[boski]

I use natural oils. Peppermint lemongrass and witch hazel. I put it in a small pump sprayer. I spray my gear and myself. So far no issues on 7 Caminos. Bonus it smells nice!!!

 

[Old Hillwalker]

During my first Camino in 2013 I was bitten by bedbugs quite severely. Since then, in 2015, 15, 16, 17, and 19 I have used a silk bag liner which I soaked in a Permethrin solution before my departure from the US. The only time I was bitten after the 2013 experience was when I slept with my right arm out of the silk liner. That was only about four or five bites. Along with Permethrin and a good bag liner there are some precautions I believe help keep you out of bug nesting areas. 1. try to pick a bunk away from walls and corners. 2. Never put your bag or pack on your bunk. 3. If lockers are available be aware that the joints, seams and crannies within may harbor bugs. So inspect thoroughly.

Signs of bedbugs: While they are feeding on your blood, they tend to leave very tiny blood specks and feces dots on the sheets. About the size of a typed period. Check for those on the mattress seams and sheets. Occasionally you may see live bugs. They are tiny, about .5 mm in length and have a slightly bulbous abdomen, grayish in color.

About Permethrin: The US commercial spray intended for human use is .5 % active ingredient (that is point 5 percent). It is possible to purchase much higher percentage solutions intended for veterinary use and to dilute it back down to .5 %, but doing so could be dangerous to your health if you get it wrong.

There is a Permethrin treatment solution titled "Duration Permethrin" It is a 10% Permethrin spray intended for clothing treatment. Before purchasing and using this product I would do some careful investigation of its use and precautions.

Permethrin is NOT an insect repellant! It is an insecticide. It kills insects on contact. Many people are concerned about its long term affects. I don't because I am 81 years old and long term has not much meaning to me anymore. However I would be concerned with its use on young adults and children.

More information: The headlice cream NIX frequently used for children happens to be a 1% (one percent) Permethrin cream applied to the scalps of children.

Permethrin treatment of apparel has a limited life span. I live and work in heavily forested environment with high levels of Lyme disease infected ticks. I soak all my work clothes in a .5 percent Permethrin solution every 30 days due to the fact that they are laundered every two days of so when working in the woods. I'm not sure how long the protection will be effective while on the Camino. I have a sense that the protection waned after about two weeks while I was in the Camino or other trails in Spain (GR 11). I'm not sure how I would remedy that since I don't think Permethrin can be had in Spain.

Many countries have been reported to aggressively treat their militaries "combat clothing" with Permethrin which reportedly lasts for several months.

Tom "Old Hillwalker" Wheeler

 

[trecile]

Permethrin is NOT an insect repellant! It is an insecticide. It kills insects on contact

It doesn't immediately kill on contact. It can take several hours, as shown on the video that I posted above.

 

[davebugg]

I use natural oils. Peppermint lemongrass and witch hazel. I put it in a small pump sprayer. I spray my gear and myself. So far no issues on 7 Caminos. Bonus it smells nice!!!

Not to me

 

[davebugg]

Correlation does not equal Causation. For every observation by an individual that their method of bedbug prevention works, there are many other individuals who have used the same methods, yet are still bitten. Even in a bedbug infested, fifty bed alburgue with bunks tightly spaced together pre-COVID style, pilgrims sans preventatives will be bitten while others are not. The same will hold true if ALL pilgrims are treated.

Pilgrims who have religiously applied their 'prevention' strategies of Permethrin have been bitten. Permethrin is not a repellent to bedbugs like it is for ticks, but it may kill those who have not yet built a resistance to Permethrin. It takes time after a bedbug makes contact with Permethrin for it to die, so it will still get its blood meal before heading off to croak.

Bedbugs also do not care how perfumy their target for a blood meal smells. Those who spray 'natural' concoctions of smelly oils in the fashion of a perfume demonstrator at a department store also are bitten. The only thing these natural oils repel are those of us who despise the smell. . . a surprisingly large number of people hate the smells of oils infused with lilac and fruits.

The same with sleep sacks made from various materials. I suppose if one is tightly sealed inside a bedbug cocoon with a snorkel for ventilation, any tight weaved material will keep bedbugs out. . . but the tenacious and dedicated pests may still get to you through the snorkel tube.

From my public health background, the most effective prevention is 'observation'. Examine for signs of bedbugs; closely examine the seams of mattresses, under mattresses, behind headboards, along nearby walls and baseboards. . . then if found, leave. it isn't foolproof, but it has a higher rate of success than the stink of lilac oils or the use of Permethrin as a bedbug repellent.

To keep from being a source of a new bedbug infestation as you travel from one night's lodging to another, be it alburgue or Parador, periodically check inside you backpack and stuff sacks and sleeping bags with a bright flashlight for signs of bedbugs. If you suspect an infestation, run your clothes and backpack and anything made of fabric through a hot dryer for 20 to 40 minutes. Do not waste time washing them first; it is only the heat that is needed to kill bedbugs regardless of their stage of life.

 

[TallSimon]

There's is nothing that you can spray on your gear that will repel bedbugs. Many people use permethrin, which will kill bedbugs over time. I spray it on my sleeping gear, inside my backpack, and on all my cloth stuff sacks. If any bedbugs get inside my things I want to make sure that they don't come out alive.
You can use a spray with DEET on yourself.

This video shows bedbugs slowly dying on permethrin treated fabric.

I am one of those people who react to DEET based repellant when it is applied to my skin, I have extensive experience with Scottish midges so this whole subject is of interest to me. Does contact with Permethrin cause similar reaction,or is it best to just try a small sample and see? It may vary from person to person.

 

[trecile]

I am one of those people who react to DEET based repellant when it is applied to my skin, I have extensive experience with Scottish midges so this whole subject is of interest to me. Does contact with Permethrin cause similar reaction,or is it best to just try a small sample and see? It may vary from person to person.

You should never let permethrin spray touch your skin. It needs to be applied to your gear outdoors or in a well ventilated area, and allowed to dry fully before handling. I don't know if people are sensitive to permethrin treated items.

 

[davebugg]

I am one of those people who react to DEET based repellant when it is applied to my skin, I have extensive experience with Scottish midges so this whole subject is of interest to me. Does contact with Permethrin cause similar reaction,or is it best to just try a small sample and see? It may vary from person to person.

Trecile provided a great answer.

Again, it is important to note that bedbugs are not repelled by Permethrin. You could be wet from the stuff, and it makes no nevermind to a bedbug. After they have feasted on you and have strolled away to walk off the meal, they may shortly become puzzled as to why their body is shutting down; that is, of course, if bedbugs have the capability of being puzzled.

Deet may be tolerated on the skin by most folks, but, like you, skin irritations are possible. When I use either Deet or Permethrin (I tend to apply both to deal with ticks and mosquitos), I apply it to one set of dedicated 'bug clothes' that I keep in a large zip lock type bag: a pair of socks, super thin, summer-weight long pants, a summer-weight, long-sleeved shirt, and a lightweight scarf.

The clothes dry from Permethrin application prior to a backpacking trip, and the application will last at least a dozen light washings with minimal detergents. When I don the bug clothes, I apply a light misting of a 70%+ concentration of deet, which will only be effective for 8 to 10 hours. I apply deet to the scarf, neck gaiter, etc. before I put it on.

If mosquitos are going after hands, then a thin, pair of cotton gloves can be misted with deet.

 

[peregrina2000]

I have read all of the great advice that has been posted here over the years, but I have gotten bitten two or three times no matter what I do.

So what I do now is to just be careful where I lay my head, and do a visual check. I’ve given up spraying chemicals. But one thing I do that no one has mentioned is that when I get home I take off all my clothes in the garage and stuff them all into a black plastic bag. I do the same with my backpack. I leave them both out in the hot midwestern summer sun for a few days.

Getting bitten on the camino is more of annoyance than anything else for most of us (I know there are some with extreme allergic reactions) but bringing them into the house will set you up for a lot of frustration and a lot of expense to get rid of them.

 

[Frank Wortley]

Every year before I go I spray the outside of my pack and sleeping bag with Permethrin. I use Sawyers and buy it on Amazon. So far, it has protected me, even when people in the bunk below me have been bitten.

Also, when I'm staying in albergues, I purchase a mosquito spray from the Farmacia. When I arrive, I check for bedbugs. If I see no sign, I mist just a pump or two over the bed. If there are bedbugs, they will come to the surface.

For people complaining about spraying something in the room, this is no worse than people's deodorant spray or essential oils or eye-burning cologne. You can't smell it a bed away. I have multiple chemical sensitivities and can smell the UPS man coming a mile away and this doesn't affect me. Try to get a spray that is fragrance free.

I have a blog on spotting bedbugs here:

Don't Let the Bedbugs Bite!

When I was a girl, my grandmother said a little rhyme to me each night when she tucked me in. She said, Goodnight! Sleep Tight! ...

caminosantiago2.blogspot.com

Very helpful. Thank you

 

[C clearly]

When I arrive, I check for bedbugs. If I see no sign, I mist just a pump or two over the bed. If there are bedbugs, they will come to the surface.

That may work for any bedbugs that happen to be hiding under the sheet, but it doesn't help at all with the majority of bedbugs, who are hiding in cracks and crevices in the walls and furniture of the room

 

[Kanga]

I used @Anniesantiago 's methods for a few years, and it seemed to work until it did not. Now I use the cocoon system Dave Bugg decries (without a snorkel tube, I cinch the top with elastic tightly closed over my head and find I can breath through the fabric) using a silk bedbug liner. The bedbugs have to be able to penetrate silk, and so far they have not. On one occasion I watched one crawl over my face, on the other side of the silk liner - scary! But did not get bitten.
I am resigned to the fact that sooner or later those creatures of the devil will penetrate my defences, in which case I will change tactics.

Preventive bush fire undergrowth burning off is happening around me at the moment (it is spring). The smell of eucalyptus smoke is heavy. Is there any evidence that bedbugs scuttle away from smoke? I'm thinking about those beehive smokers...

 

[Anniesantiago]

I used @Anniesantiago 's methods for a few years, and it seemed to work until it did not. Now I use the cocoon system Dave Bugg decries (without a snorkel tube, I cinch the top with elastic tightly closed over my head and find I can breath through the fabric) using a silk bedbug liner. The bedbugs have to be able to penetrate silk, and so far they have not. On one occasion I watched one crawl over my face, on the other side of the silk liner - scary! But did not get bitten.
I am resigned to the fact that sooner or later those creatures of the devil will penetrate my defences, in which case I will change tactics.

Preventive bush fire undergrowth burning off is happening around me at the moment (it is spring). The smell of eucalyptus smoke is heavy. Is there any evidence that bedbugs scuttle away from smoke? I'm thinking about those beehive smokers...

hahaha! There's no way I could sleep like that! I have to have fresh air!

 

[Anniesantiago]

I use natural oils. Peppermint lemongrass and witch hazel. I put it in a small pump sprayer. I spray my gear and myself. So far no issues on 7 Caminos. Bonus it smells nice!!!

Not to me.
Peppermint gives me such a migraine!

 

[Anniesantiago]

That may work for any bedbugs that happen to be hiding under the sheet, but it doesn't help at all with the majority of bedbugs, who are hiding in cracks and crevices in the walls and furniture of the room

Yup, but it's always worked for me.
This is AFTER I've checked all the furniture, cracks, and BEHIND PICTURES ON THE WALL! Once in a monastery, I moved a picture on the wall and Holy CRAP! That was where they all lived!

 

[jsalt]

All very interesting replies, but nobody has yet answered the OP's question .

And sorry, but I can't help either .

 

[trecile]

All very interesting replies, but nobody has yet answered the OP's question

That's because such a product doesn't exist!

 

[jsalt]

That's because such a product doesn't exist!

I think you've just answered the OP's question!

 

[jsalt]

I don't know about Europe, but this is what I buy in South Africa to spray my sleeping bag and backpack before I leave. Active ingredient is permethrin.

 

[dick bird]

Permethrin kills bedbugs, slowly (as does heat or freezing). It does not repel them. Nor does DEET. So far as I am aware, nothing repels bedbugs. Sorry.

 

[C clearly]

Nor does DEET.

Has this been tested, or is it just the absence of evidence that it does?

 

[dick bird]

Has this been tested, or is it just the absence of evidence that it does?

Pretty sure it's been tested. I researched the subject a lot when we were hospitaleros and had a bedbug issue and several of the sources I read specifically mentioned DEET and its ineffectiveness against bedbugs, but I don't remember the names of those sources.

 

[dick bird]

But:

Wang C, Lü L, Zhang A, Liu C. Repellency of selected chemicals against the bed bug (Hemiptera: Cimicidae). J Econ Entomol. 2013 Dec;106(6):2522-9. doi: 10.1603/ec13155. PMID: 24498754.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/244...DEET-,and dissolves certain plastic materials.

At 25% concentration, DEET-treated fabric surface remained highly repellent to bed bugs for a 14-d period. However, DEET has a strong smell and dissolves certain plastic materials.

The two commercial repellent products that contained 7% picaridin or 0.5% permethrin had little repellency against bed bugs.

So there we go.

 

[C clearly]

At 25% concentration, DEET-treated fabric surface remained highly repellent to bed bugs for a 14-d period. However, DEET has a strong smell and dissolves certain plastic materials.

The two commercial repellent products that contained 7% picaridin or 0.5% permethrin had little repellency against bed bugs.

Thank you for the definitive answer!

 

[dick bird]

Thank you for the definitive answer!

Do Mosquito Repellents Work for Bed Bugs?

Whether people are traveling or dealing with bed bugs in their home, one of the most common questions I receive is “can I use DEET-based mosquito repellent to keep bed bugs away from me while I sleep?” There are two ways to look at this question: do DEET sprays work and can I keep bed bugs...

www.bedbugcentral.com

But wait! There's more! Nothing is ever that simple, unfortunately. This link is to a source that is non-academic but seems well-informed. It makes the point that no repellent is 100% effective, so if the little critters are hungry enough, they will bite you anyway. Applying DEET to your skin may not be a good idea unless you are in a malaria/dengue fever zone, which the camino isn't. More important is avoiding taking the bedbugs with you and for that, DEET is much more useful because you can apply it to your backpack and shoes (as you can with permethrin, if you can get it).

By the way, you are 100% correct about bedbugs not necessarily lurking in the bedding. We usually found them on the wall en route to the space above the ceiling tiles or behind the skirting boards.

 

[JillGat]

The question, then, is if the bedbugs have a choice between me, with my pyrmethrin coated sleep sack and DEET on my skin, and the person next to me who has done nothing (or has soaked themselves in lavender, citronella and other ghastly substances that don't work), will they choose the other guy over me?

 

[dick bird]

The question, then, is if the bedbugs have a choice between me, with my pyrmethrin coated sleep sack and DEET on my skin, and the person next to me who has done nothing (or has soaked themselves in lavender, citronella and other ghastly substances that don't work), will they choose the other guy over me?

Only one way to find out really.

 

[Bristle Boy]

Hey ho..oh great ..another bedbug thread.
As one bedbug said to another...."The camino provides".

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Only one way to find out really.

I wish I were there to find out first hand...I would rather be bitten, than not get to go! Never thought I'd ever be saying that.

 

[Tom Cartwright]

For most of the Caminos, I have done I have used a product that I purchase in the USA . I am from Canada and it's not allowed here. I buy it at Walmart and it is called Permethrin. I have slept in Albegues where people had bed bugs and it never affected me. But you need to spray your sleeping bag and your backpack good luck.

Same here....never a problem with over 70 nights

 

[JillGat]

It doesn't immediately kill on contact. It can take several hours, as shown on the video that I posted above.

I love that the video is set to zany music. I want to see a test of fabric coated with permethrin over somebody's skin, where they can either feed or leave quickly.

 

[dick bird]

I wish I were there to find out first hand...I would rather be bitten, than not get to go! Never thought I'd ever be saying that.

I hear you. Have spent the morning inspecting an online map to determine the boundary of our local govt area and 5 km radius. No bedbugs though.

 

[Former member 99816]

It (permethrin) doesn't immediately kill on contact. It can take several hours, as shown on the video that I posted above.

^^ this. With permethrin, you will wake up covered with bites but with the satisfaction of knowing the bugs have died. Some studies ( https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24498754/ ) say DEET is a better bed bug repellant:

" ...products that contained 7% picaridin or 0.5% permethrin had little repellency against bed bugs. DEET, the most commonly used insect repellent, provided a high level of repellency against bed bugs. The DEET concentration to repel 94% of the bed bugs for a 9-h period was 10%. At 25% concentration, DEET-treated fabric surface remained highly repellent to bed bugs for a 14-d period. However, DEET has a strong smell and dissolves certain plastic materials."

Now, personally, I do not fear the bed bug. For those of you who do, the data suggests that when you get to Spain you should pick up a can of Deep Woods Off and spray down your sleeping bag.

 

[nathanael]

There's is nothing that you can spray on your gear that will repel bedbugs. Many people use permethrin, which will kill bedbugs over time. I spray it on my sleeping gear, inside my backpack, and on all my cloth stuff sacks. If any bedbugs get inside my things I want to make sure that they don't come out alive.
You can use a spray with DEET on yourself.

This video shows bedbugs slowly dying on permethrin treated fabric.

trust me permethrin does kill bed bugs. I was at a small Albergue in Burgos with a knee injury and the hospilataro put me on the lower bunk. Above me was a girl who when we arrived in Leon had bed bugs and I had none, I have sprayed with this product and believe it works.

 

[trecile]

Now, personally, I do not fear the bed bug. For those of you who do, the data suggests that when you get to Spain you should pick up a can of Deep Woods Off and spray down your sleeping bag.

If you do this, please spray outside!

 

[davebugg]

trust me permethrin does kill bed bugs. I was at a small Albergue in Burgos with a knee injury and the hospilataro put me on the lower bunk. Above me was a girl who when we arrived in Leon had bed bugs and I had none, I have sprayed with this product and believe it works.

The reference was to repellency, not to morbidity. I will state that the prevalence of bedbugs that are resistant to death from permethrin and other pyrethroids is now quite high. Resistant strains are now all over the world.

It is not uncommon for people sharing common space in near proximity to each other to have one or several people bitten, yet others are not, even when there has been no permethrin or other treatment done. There are many anecdotal tales of pilgrims using permethrin who still were bitten.

At present, minus using DEET, the best defense against bedbugs is a close inspection of bedding and bedframes and headboards and adjoining areas for signs of bedbugs.

So while it doesn't hurt to treat the interior of a backpack with permethrin, the standard for dealing with bedbugs is heat.

 

[Stinky Pilgrim]

I use natural oils. Peppermint lemongrass and witch hazel. I put it in a small pump sprayer. I spray my gear and myself. So far no issues on 7 Caminos. Bonus it smells nice!!!

Ditto! For skin and clothing, you can use a blend of various essential oils diluted in water and you should be good. Permethrin used on gear is quite common, but I never liked the idea of that stuff rubbing off on my hands and skin after repeated handlings of my backpack, etc.

 

[davebugg]

Now, personally, I do not fear the bed bug. For those of you who do, the data suggests that when you get to Spain you should pick up a can of Deep Woods Off and spray down your sleeping bag.

Be sure not to spray DEET onto nylon fabrics and some other synthetics as DEET will ruin them

 

[davebugg]

I use natural oils. Peppermint lemongrass and witch hazel. I put it in a small pump sprayer. I spray my gear and myself. So far no issues on 7 Caminos. Bonus it smells nice!!!

I've had no issues with bedbugs and I do not spray at anything at all. Essential oils will neither repel or kill a bedbug.

 

[Kanga]

Here is another thread on bedbugs.

I have sewn the sheet onto the top of my silk liner, to cinch closed above my head. I used to sleep inside the silk, but this gives a bit more ventilation.

I will see how it performs, on my next camino. Otherwise there is no help for it, I'll need the servant and a pig.

 

[davebugg]

Here is another thread on bedbugs.

I have sewn the sheet onto the top of my silk liner, to cinch closed above my head. I used to sleep inside the silk, but this gives a bit more ventilation.

I will see how it performs, on my next camino. Otherwise there is not help for it, I'll need the servant and a pig.

I might suggest that due to the minimum size of a bedbug which is about 2.5 mm, that instead of a sheet that garden insect netting be used.

The mesh size is too fine for bedbugs to get through, and with Velcro, it can be attached around the perimeter of a silk liner or sleeping bag, or quilt. It will provide for excellent ventilation and air circulation, as well.. The velcro can allow for easy entry or exit as needed.

This is just an example of the netting, as it can be found anywhere a store sells gardening or farming supplies.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B096TSRSMH/?tag=casaivar02-20

 

[C clearly]

I might suggest that due to the minimum size of a bedbug which is about 2.5 mm, that instead of a sheet that garden insect netting be used.

There are also various fabrics available in your local sewing store. Just wander into the bridal department or the drapery section, dressed in your hiking gear, and check out the sheer fabrics such as chiffon or tulle.

 

[Former member 99816]

Be sure not to spray DEET onto nylon fabrics and some other synthetics as DEET will ruin them

Univ of Fla study shows DEET kills most plastics but not nylon. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/IG122 Maybe some newer study has come out?

 

[davebugg]

Univ of Fla study shows DEET kills most plastics but not nylon. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/IG122 Maybe some newer study has come out?

Thanks, puttster. Studies and personal observations vary and I think it is the formulation of the nylon that explains the variance. I had the nylon of a sleeping bag that had some DEET accidentally dribble onto it and while it didn't melt it became sticky and felt fragile in that spot.

I have had a nylon belts that have not had any effect to exposure. One thing that will happen is if the nylon has a synthetic coating, it can make a mess out of the coating.

 

[Dux]

DEET melts plastic...but people think that's ok to put on the skin? And permethrin is highly toxic so it's for clothes only...but people think the clothes will not touch their skin?
Ouch!

 

[JillGat]

I've had no issues with bedbugs and I do not spray at anything at all. Essential oils will neither repel or kill a bedbug.

Essential oils are ineffective AND other pilgrims may be sensitive to them. Please don't.

 

[J Willhaus]

IF you do find bedbugs, please tell the hospitalero/a. We use an industrial hot steam gun in most places I've worked for cleaning and de-bugging. Shoots hot steam into cracks, etc. This is non-toxic to people. They do hide in cracks of walls, wood, around seams of mattresses, etc. They leave little black dots as their excrement so if you see this, please say something. We spend a lot of time each day when cleaning bunks looking carefully for signs of bedbugs. I don't know if that is everyone's routine, but it is ours. If it is summer, you can put your clothes/pack in a black trash bag and set it in the hot sun in the afternoon if you don't have a hot clothes dryer available.

When we have a pilgrim who tells us they have had bed bugs, we find them some alternate clothes to wear and treat their bag and clothes with heat. We don't make a fuss, because we know if is not their fault, but the goal is to keep them from spreading. They have no wings and do not hop, so go from place to place by walking or being carried. Fortunately they do not spread disease like some other biting insects, but they are annoying and their bites are uncomfortable.

 

[davebugg]

Essential oils are ineffective AND other pilgrims may be sensitive to them. Please don't.

I agree with you wholeheartedly. You won't find me spraying that stuff.

 

[davebugg]

IF you do find bedbugs, please tell the hospitalero/a. We use an industrial hot steam gun in most places I've worked for cleaning and de-bugging. Shoots hot steam into cracks, etc. This is non-toxic to people. They do hide in cracks of walls, wood, around seams of mattresses, etc. They leave little black dots as their excrement so if you see this, please say something. We spend a lot of time each day when cleaning bunks looking carefully for signs of bedbugs. I don't know if that is everyone's routine, but it is ours. If it is summer, you can put your clothes/pack in a black trash bag and set it in the hot sun in the afternoon if you don't have a hot clothes dryer available.

When we have a pilgrim who tells us they have had bed bugs, we find them some alternate clothes to wear and treat their bag and clothes with heat. We don't make a fuss, because we know if is not their fault, but the goal is to keep them from spreading. They have no wings and do not hop, so go from place to place by walking or being carried. Fortunately they do not spread disease like some other biting insects, but they are annoying and their bites are uncomfortable.

You are doing a great job by following that protocol.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

Wow! A bed bug thread I missed. I've done lots of reading on this subject, including scientific papers. Here are my thoughts.

Read the @davebugg posts. He knows what he is talking about.

DEET works to various degrees to repel bed bugs but it loses potency while you sleep and bed bugs typically come out late at night so you may get attacked anyway.

All those other smelly things don't work and make Peg sick and that makes me miserable too.

While you don't need to wash your infested gear before putting them in a drier I like the idea of giving the bugs a miserable time before killing them.

 

[linkster]

FYI, here is a link to an article on how to use the soak method for permethrin.

Permethrin Soak Method Guide - SectionHiker.com

Permethrin is an insect repellant and insecticide that bonds to fabric and can be used on your cloth

sectionhiker.com

 

[NorthernLight]

trust me permethrin does kill bed bugs. I was at a small Albergue in Burgos with a knee injury and the hospilataro put me on the lower bunk. Above me was a girl who when we arrived in Leon had bed bugs and I had none, I have sprayed with this product and believe it works.

It is also possible to be bitten by bedbugs but not react to the bite, i.e. no red spot at the bite spot, so we think we were not bitten. We just become carriers…

 

[Pilgrim Kaye]

IF you do find bedbugs, please tell the hospitalero/a. We use an industrial hot steam gun in most places I've worked for cleaning and de-bugging. Shoots hot steam into cracks, etc. This is non-toxic to people. They do hide in cracks of walls, wood, around seams of mattresses, etc. They leave little black dots as their excrement so if you see this, please say something. We spend a lot of time each day when cleaning bunks looking carefully for signs of bedbugs. I don't know if that is everyone's routine, but it is ours. If it is summer, you can put your clothes/pack in a black trash bag and set it in the hot sun in the afternoon if you don't have a hot clothes dryer available.

When we have a pilgrim who tells us they have had bed bugs, we find them some alternate clothes to wear and treat their bag and clothes with heat. We don't make a fuss, because we know if is not their fault, but the goal is to keep them from spreading. They have no wings and do not hop, so go from place to place by walking or being carried. Fortunately they do not spread disease like some other biting insects, but they are annoying and their bites are uncomfortable.

Hello, I see that you have lots of experience in treating bed bugs infested clothes. I will begin my CF next October and have been buying 100% merino stuff like t-shirts and socks. I wonder if if it is a good choice considering that I may have to treat it in a hot dryer in case of bed bugs exposure. I would love to have an advice on the matter.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

Hello, I see that you have lots of experience in treating bed bugs infested clothes. I will begin my CF next October and have been buying 100% merino stuff like t-shirts and socks. I wonder if if it is a good choice considering that I may have to treat it in a hot dryer in case of bed bugs exposure. I would love to have an advice on the matter.

I've written something about this.

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/bedbugs-the-myths-the-legends-the-realities.75230/#post-1041936

And if something bad happens:

How To Unshrink Merino Wool

If you’re here because you just want to learn what to do in case the unthinkable happens — great! But, if you’re here because the unthinkable has already happened and you accidentally washed a wool sweater and your garment has shrunk, don’t worry — there’s still hope.

www.moth-prevention.com

 

[C clearly]

It is the agitation of wet fibres that causes most of the damage. Do your bedbug treatment on dry clothes. Wash them later, if you want.

If you wash the clothes first, you must still add 20-30 minutes time in the drier after the clothes are fully dry.

 

[trecile]

Hello, I see that you have lots of experience in treating bed bugs infested clothes. I will begin my CF next October and have been buying 100% merino stuff like t-shirts and socks. I wonder if if it is a good choice considering that I may have to treat it in a hot dryer in case of bed bugs exposure. I would love to have an advice on the matter.

It is the agitation of wet fibres that causes most of the damage. Do your bedbug treatment on dry clothes. Wash them later, if you want.

If you wash the clothes first, you must still add 20-30 minutes time in the drier after the clothes are fully dry.

Most of my clothing is merino wool. I have done as @C clearly suggested to treat a possible bed bug problem with no I'll effects to my clothing.

 

[davebugg]

Hi all,

I suffered with bedbugs twice last month for the first time in Europe (in Spain on the Camino Frances and then in Poland only 1 week after finishing!), and the experiences left me a bit traumatised and paranoid. I'm considering doing the camino from Porto so am looking for a spray that I can spray on a sleeping bag and backpack to repel bedbugs. Does anyone know of a website in the EU that sells it? (I'm in Portugal).

Cheers!

Picaridin (check spelling) is a good repellent to apply to yourself, if it will help you relax about bedbugs so you can get a restful sleep. It is iffy that applying to bedding or sleeping bags will repel a bedbug. No repellent or insecticide on bedding has shown effectiveness.