Bed Bug spray where to buy it?

[susiew]

Hi does anyone have advice where to buy bed bug/ punise de lit spray in Lyon or in Le Puy?

 

[Deleted member 3000]

The office de tourisme in most towns offers it for sale.

 

[susiew]

The office de tourisme in most towns offers it for sale.

Many thanks for the tip

 

[Anna Ewa]

What's the name of this spray?

 

[s. brown]

Does it work?

 

[Kanga]

Many of the Gites d'Etape also sell it. It's called Clako. Expensive (sold in pilgrim friendly small bottles) but it smells good. It's pyrethrin. I carry it and use it more to tell me if bedbugs are present than to kill them - I use the Annie Santiago method of lightly spraying the bed when I arrive (keeping my pack outside or hug up off the floor). Wait ten minutes - if there are any bedbugs they will emerge and climb up the wall and you will see them. Whereupon you report the problem.

 

[Anna Ewa]

Thank you Kanga for your response. How much is Clako?

 

[Kanga]

Thank you Kanga for your response. How much is Clako?

I think it was about 10 euros a bottle - here's the wholesale website
http://www.clako-punaises.com/fr/boutique/categories/13-insecticide-naturel-clako

 

[michryan]

Many of the Gites d'Etape also sell it. It's called Clako. Expensive (sold in pilgrim friendly small bottles) but it smells good. It's pyrethrin. I carry it and use it more to tell me if bedbugs are present than to kill them - I use the Annie Santiago method of lightly spraying the bed when I arrive (keeping my pack outside or hug up off the floor). Wait ten minutes - if there are any bedbugs they will emerge and climb up the wall and you will see them. Whereupon you report the problem.

Hi Kanga. Do you know if you can get it in Australia and what it might be called?

 

[paladycamino]

The pharmacies all sell it and also a cream or Rollon for the itching

 

[Kanga]

No, as far as I know only in France. Reading the label is an exercise in decoding marketing spin - "Hikers friend - 100% natural insecticide. Clako bedbugs is also effective against fleas, ticks, spiders, mosquitos, ants, wasps, harvest mites. Active substance: chrysanthemum extract at 5g/l".

Which, I think, means that it is pyrethrum. You could make your own. But any pyrethrum spray will probably do the same, for half the cost! I see that Yates make one for the garden......

 

[Doodles]

Many of the Gites d'Etape also sell it. It's called Clako. Expensive (sold in pilgrim friendly small bottles) but it smells good. It's pyrethrin. I carry it and use it more to tell me if bedbugs are present than to kill them - I use the Annie Santiago method of lightly spraying the bed when I arrive (keeping my pack outside or hug up off the floor). Wait ten minutes - if there are any bedbugs they will emerge and climb up the wall and you will see them. Whereupon you report the problem.

Just wondering, how often have you found bed bugs? I've done two Caminos now (Frances and Portuguese) and have never encountered a problem.

 

[paladycamino]

People either get them or they don't but I saw them at two albergue's in a row. And the pharmacies confirmed that it was bed bugs we showed them pictures and also my arms

 

[Kanga]

Just wondering, how often have you found bed bugs? I've done two Caminos now (Frances and Portuguese) and have never encountered a problem.

In 7 caminos I've only come across them three times but never been bitten - found them twice in hotels (Oviedo and Decazeville) and once in a very good albergue. The hotels were both down at heel grotty railway station types and proprietors not interested in our report of bedbugs. I'd used personal insecticide repellant spray on the bedding as I always do, and they had crawled up the wall. We went elsewhere. The albergue was spotlessly clean and quite new - I used the spray treatment and one sole bedbug crawled up the wall - the hospitalero was mortified; she immediately did the full insecticide treatment thing and a very careful inspection. I felt quite comfortable staying there and had no bites or aftermath. I think the bedbug must have been a recent arrival.
I have visions of them with little suitcases, dark glasses and berets, wandering the highways and byways....

 

[s. brown]

Many of the Gites d'Etape also sell it. It's called Clako. Expensive (sold in pilgrim friendly small bottles) but it smells good. It's pyrethrin. I carry it and use it more to tell me if bedbugs are present than to kill them - I use the Annie Santiago method of lightly spraying the bed when I arrive (keeping my pack outside or hug up off the floor). Wait ten minutes - if there are any bedbugs they will emerge and climb up the wall and you will see them. Whereupon you report the problem.

Thanks so much for this info. I have read the Annie Santiago method. It sounds effective and the one I am planning on using. Am I correct that this spray should not be applied to one's skin? I have read of pyrethrin-treated bed liners and packs etc., but I am very hesitant to purchase these because I have read that pyrethrin, while very effective, is lethal to cats. I have two cats and am afraid to have anything in my home with this stuff on it.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Thanks so much for this info. I have read the Annie Santiago method. It sounds effective and the one I am planning on using. Am I correct that this spray should not be applied to one's skin? I have read of pyrethrin-treated bed liners and packs etc., but I am very hesitant to purchase these because I have read that pyrethrin, while very effective, is lethal to cats. I have two cats and am afraid to have anything in my home with this stuff on it.

Once permethrin is dry, it is said not to be dangerous to cats.

 

[s. brown]

Once permethrin is dry, it is said not to be dangerous to cats.

Thanks, Falcon. I would hate to harm my cats in preparation for my trip.

 

[pudgypilgrim]

Permethrin and pyrethrin/pyrethrum are two entirely different things, though.

 

[s. brown]

Permethrin and pyrethrin/pyrethrum are two entirely different things, though.

I don't know the differences. Please explain and which one is in Chalko? Thanks.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

The pyrethrins are a pair of natural organic compounds normally derived from Chrysanthemum cinerariifolium that have potent insecticidal activity. Pyrethrins are neurotoxins that attack the nervous systems of all insects. When present in amounts not fatal to insects, they still appear to have an insect repellent effect. Pyrethrins are gradually replacing organophosphates and organochlorides as the pesticide of first choice. They are not persistent, being biodegradable, and break down on exposure to light or oxygen. The chemical structure of pyrethrins inspired the production of a variety of synthetic insecticides called pyrethroids, such as bifenthrin, permethrin, and cypermethrin.

 

[s. brown]

Thanks, Falcon. That is a wealth of information. What do you use?

 

[Deleted member 3000]

http://www.rei.com/product/768970/sawyer-permethrin-pump-spray-24-oz

 

[Kanga]

Thanks so much for this info. I have read the Annie Santiago method. It sounds effective and the one I am planning on using. Am I correct that this spray should not be applied to one's skin? I have read of pyrethrin-treated bed liners and packs etc., but I am very hesitant to purchase these because I have read that pyrethrin, while very effective, is lethal to cats. I have two cats and am afraid to have anything in my home with this stuff on it.

The Annie Santiago method is to use a personal insect repellant containing pyrethrum or a synthetic version so that would be OK to spray on your skin, if that is what you want to do. Here it would be Aerogard, but any of the ones sold in a Spanish supermarket or farmacia would do. Not Deet because it is actually not as effective with bedbugs - as well as being more toxic - but one of the synthetic pyrethrums.

Before I came across Clako I used whatever the local farmacia stocked. Clako is easier because it comes in a smaller, lighter size. Clako is not sold to be sprayed on the skin but it probably wouldn't hurt - you would have to compare the ingredients with a spray specifically designed as a personal repellant - the container does not have any warnings on it.

But I don't spray it on myself - just the bed. The purpose is to find the bedbugs, not anything else. As Falcon points out, having a permethrin treated sheet is a different strategy. It is a barrier.

 

[Oztrekker]

What a great idea kanga definetly doing that next time I do the camino. I will even get a specimen jar to put my little beg bug friend in. I will say "hey remember me", lol.

 

[s. brown]

Are mosquitoes, ticks, chiggers etc. much of a problem on the Camino?

 

[Kanga]

Are mosquitoes, ticks, chiggers etc. much of a problem on the Camino?

No.

 

[sriyantra]

Would it be wise to treat a small bag that jacotrans are taking for us each day?

 

[Kanga]

Would it be wise to treat a small bag that jacotrans are taking for us each day?

Yes, I think they actually like you to do that. I've never heard of a problem with transported bags, it's an excellent service. I remember one chambre d'hotes owner in France who was laundering her own sheets after she discovered bugs in her commercially laundered sheets. There was nothing wrong with the laundering (the very hot water kills everything) but the van returning the clean sheets was also used to pick up dirty ones - so cross contamination had happened in the van.

 

[sriyantra]

Yes, I think they actually like you to do that. I've never heard of a problem with transported bags, it's an excellent service. I remember one chambre d'hotes owner in France who was laundering her own sheets after she discovered bugs in her commercially laundered sheets. There was nothing wrong with the laundering (the very hot water kills everything) but the van returning the clean sheets was also used to pick up dirty ones - so cross contamination had happened in the van.

Thanks Kanga. What would we newies do without all the advice of the Camino sages!

 

[Lotta]

Were can i buy Pyrethrin in Spain? Any one know an easy way?! Madrid or Pamplona!

 

[Kanga]

Were can i buy Pyrethrin in Spain? Any one know an easy way?! Madrid or Pamplona!

Any supermarket or farmacia. There are various synthetic substitutes with similar names - see Falcon's post earlier in this thread.

 

[Lotta]

Thank you Kanga! I saw about France, but I must have mist the other!
I'm not nervous about get bitten BUT I really don't want to bring them further on the track. And i definitly don't want to take them to friends in Portugal after the camino OR home to to "Mi Casa"!
I have bought concentrated Tea tree oil, to mix in a tiny tiny bottle for bites and conc. lavendel oil to spray on bed. Some one told me it's good on the bed... Am I wrong?!

 

[Ahaj]

Kanga, sitting here in Margaret River WA looking at a bottle of Yates Pyrethrum insect pest killer that I would use for whitefly in the garden. Does that work in anyway to protect from or expose bedbugs do you think if I were to spray my silk sleeping liner and backpack? I'd be less worried about skin contact from spraying the backpack obviously. The local camping shop had some stuff for soaking but it was a pretty scary price and I would have needed a lot according to the instructions to soak my gear. Any advice would really be appreciated.

 

[Kanga]

Thank you Kanga! I saw about France, but I must have mist the other!
I'm not nervous about get bitten BUT I really don't want to bring them further on the track. And i definitly don't want to take them to friends in Portugal after the camino OR home to to "Mi Casa"!
I have bought concentrated Tea tree oil, to mix in a tiny tiny bottle for bites and conc. lavendel oil to spray on bed. Some one told me it's good on the bed... Am I wrong?!

Well, it will make the bed smell nice. I don't think lavender oil by itself will do much else. Tea tree oil might. It tends to repel hair lice!

 

[Kanga]

Kanga, sitting here in Margaret River WA looking at a bottle of Yates Pyrethrum insect pest killer that I would use for whitefly in the garden. Does that work in anyway to protect from or expose bedbugs do you think if I were to spray my silk sleeping liner and backpack? I'd be less worried about skin contact from spraying the backpack obviously. The local camping shop had some stuff for soaking but it was a pretty scary price and I would have needed a lot according to the instructions to soak my gear. Any advice would really be appreciated.

Yes, I think it would. Does the bottle list all the ingredients? Provided there is nothing else in there that could harm you I'd give it a go. When I went searching for pyrethrum the Yates spray is what came up. As others have pointed out, permethrin is slightly different; but I don't know if it has any better properties. Falcon might be able to enlighten us.

My Clako bottle says the active ingredient is "chrysanthemum extract" (i.e. pyrethrum) at 5g/l. I'm going to try making my own - throw in a bit of lemon myrtle to make it smell nice. Need to do a bit of research to see what would be a stable base - whether distilled water would be good enough I don't know. It might need some preservative.

Any chemists out there?

 

[Ahaj]

The Yates pack says "pyrethrum is a natural insecticide extracted from the pyrethrum daisy. It kills pests on contact" . Pyrethrum daisy is part of the chrysanthemum family apparently according to wiki!!

 

[Ahaj]

Kanga I'm going to try it too and good thinking with the lemon fragrance
.

 

[Lotta]

I have now a photo of all the anti bedbug treat names! Tnx!

 

[sriyantra]

Yes, I think it would. Does the bottle list all the ingredients? Provided there is nothing else in there that could harm you I'd give it a go. When I went searching for pyrethrum the Yates spray is what came up. As others have pointed out, permethrin is slightly different; but I don't know if it has any better properties. Falcon might be able to enlighten us.

My Clako bottle says the active ingredient is "chrysanthemum extract" (i.e. pyrethrum) at 5g/l. I'm going to try making my own - throw in a bit of lemon myrtle to make it smell nice. Need to do a bit of research to see what would be a stable base - whether distilled water would be good enough I don't know. It might need some preservative.

Any chemists out there?

Sounds like you have the beginning of a good business idea!

 

[pudgypilgrim]

The pyrethrum daisy is a very specific plant--you can't easily extract pyrethrum from the chrysanths in your garden, if that's what you had in mind. (As an aside, it played a role in the Rwanda problems in '94, since growing pyrethrum daisies was one of the main income sources for the highlands of Rwanda at that time, also one of the causes of loss of gorilla habitat that got Jane Goodall involved in what became her life's work.)

FWIW, although pyrethrum is getting new wind as some new kind of new "organic" discovery, until fairly recently it was the active ingredient in most US home insecticides like Raid or Black Flag. If you're old enough you may vaguely remember the old commercial that showed a bug smelling a flower and Ka-boom! That was touting pyrethrum.

I know the French love their Clako and I have no reason to doubt that it works there, but I do wonder why, if pyrethrum is so great for bedbug control, that it doesn't appear to be a solution in places like NYC that have serious bedbug problems today. Is it that the French bug population is less resistant, never having been subjected to all those years of spraying that went on in the US?

 

[Athiemack]

Does anyone know where or what I can get here in Canada to pretreat my bag and bedding before we leave? I can't find anything...although I guess I can wait until SJPP and buy Clako at the pilgrim office...but I am getting a bit paranoid about the little buggers!! We leave for our Camino on May 7th out of YVR....so excited!! Cheers and Buen Camino

 

[C clearly]

Last summer I bought it at Canadian Tire. Just read the labels for the ingredients. Other times I've seen small cans in a travel store. The instructions may not say it can be used as a preventative treatment. I don't know, but I'm guessing that's because its effectiveness as a lasting repellant has not been proven.

 

[naplesdon]

There is similar thread going on about this subject at the same time and Falcon cited the dangers of applying your personal insecticides in an albergue. I personally would move to another albergue if someone was spraying an aerosol treatment in my sleeping area. I know I have a few friends who might be less considerate than that. Beware of what you spray on your fellow pilgrims!!!

 

[Alyssa]

Does anyone know where I can purchase a bed bug treatment spray in Spain on a Sunday? (I'd try the black plastic bag treatment except for two things; one is that it is overcast and cool and the second is that tomorrow I get on a bus to Madrid to catch my flight home).

Headed out from Seminario Pinario now to try to find laundry service. (Pilgrim's House closed on Sundays).

Sorry, just realized this thread is under the Le Puy route but wifi is limited.

 

[Kanga]

For Australians interested in this topic see Skoot insect repellent/insecticide. This sounds a lot like my idea of pyrethrum with a bit of lemon myrtle! Has anyone tried it?

http://www.skoot.com.au/skoot_products.php

 

[Anniesantiago]

Thanks so much for this info. I have read the Annie Santiago method. It sounds effective and the one I am planning on using. Am I correct that this spray should not be applied to one's skin? I have read of pyrethrin-treated bed liners and packs etc., but I am very hesitant to purchase these because I have read that pyrethrin, while very effective, is lethal to cats. I have two cats and am afraid to have anything in my home with this stuff on it.

I do not use bedbug spray in my "method" to test for the bugs.
I use a simple pump spray mosquito repellant that you can purchase in any farmacia.
It is not made to kill the bugs but to repel them, which is why they come out - to get away from it.
It's never been more than a couple of euros.
It is made to be applied to the skin, but I don't because of my MCS.
I pump it 2 or 3 times just above the mattress so a fine spray hits the mattress.
It doesn't go anywhere else into the room.
I do it when other people are not yet settled in and so far have never had a complaint.
The scent is not strong or I couldn't use it.

If you are not chemically sensitive, you could also use something like OFF or some other insect repellant if you didn't want to spray the outside of your bag with permethrin. But since I tried the permethrin (thanks to Falcon) and let it dry, I've been using it as it has no lingering odor and doesn't seem to bother me. I spray the outside of my sleeping bag and the outside of my backpack and let it dry well. So far, no bugs.

I still watch for bedbug sign and if I see it, I move on.

People using essential oils are shooting craps, imo.
If they don't get bitten, they wouldn't have anyway.
::ducking before the tomatoes start hitting:::

 

[Anniesantiago]

Does anyone know where I can purchase a bed bug treatment spray in Spain on a Sunday? (I'd try the black plastic bag treatment except for two things; one is that it is overcast and cool and the second is that tomorrow I get on a bus to Madrid to catch my flight home).

Headed out from Seminario Pinario now to try to find laundry service. (Pilgrim's House closed on Sundays).

Sorry, just realized this thread is under the Le Puy route but wifi is limited.

In Santiago, you can try any hardware store if you want to spray your gear.
But when you arrive home, I wouldn't take your stuff into the house until it's been treated, including the clothes you are wearing, if you've had bedbug issues.

 

[Anniesantiago]

Does anyone know where or what I can get here in Canada to pretreat my bag and bedding before we leave? I can't find anything...although I guess I can wait until SJPP and buy Clako at the pilgrim office...but I am getting a bit paranoid about the little buggers!! We leave for our Camino on May 7th out of YVR....so excited!! Cheers and Buen Camino

You may be able to purchase Sawyers online ... maybe at Amazon.com?
Oh.. these are old posts. Sorry.

 

[Alyssa]

In Santiago, you can try any hardware store if you want to spray your gear.
But when you arrive home, I wouldn't take your stuff into the house until it's been treated, including the clothes you are wearing, if you've had bedbug issues.

Thanks Annie. As I mentioned, it's Sunday so nothing's open except restaurants. A wash and dry of my clothes at Casa do Peregrinos will have to do.

 

[Athiemack]

Does anyone know where or what I can get here in Canada to pretreat my bag and bedding before we leave? I can't find anything...although I guess I can wait until SJPP and buy Clako at the pilgrim office...but I am getting a bit paranoid about the little buggers!! We leave for our Camino on May 7th out of YVR....so excited!! Cheers and Buen Camino

Our Camino was fantastic and I don't know why I was so worried about bedbugs - nary a one! I suspect if you stay in the cheaper Albergues then it may become an issue but we stayed in smaller albergues and refugio's and it was great...we bought a cheap phone in Logrono and got into the habit of calling 2 - 3 days ahead and prebooking beds. Will definitely do another Camino - best decision of my life!!