How to Move Without Taking Roaches (and Other Pests) With You – Lifehacker
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I had a friend who once lived in a small, run-down apartment in Manhattan that was infested with roaches. When she moved out, she told me she had to inspect just about everything she owned because the nightmarish bugs were literally everywhere. (That was, understandably, the main reason she was moving in the first place.) If youre moving out of a place thats slowly filling up with roaches, bedbugs, moths, or other pests, you obviously dont want to repeat the experience. To avoid moving a civilization of insects with you, heres what you can do.
Your first step is to check everything. Roaches and other pests can hide just about anywherethats how they seem to appear out of nowhere. If you just pack up all your stuff without doing any due diligence, youll almost certainly be acting as a Roach Uber. Before packing a thing, check:
Concerning those cardboard boxesyes, theyre cheap and plentiful, but if you can swing it a much better choice for moving your possessions is a sealable plastic container. This will ensure that once youve certified something as pest-free, it will stay that way.
After checking for infestations, the next step is to clean everything. And I mean everything. Youre waging a war here, this is not time to slack off or get lazy. Wash or dry clean all your clothes (on hot, unless the label says otherwise) and immediately pack them into plastic containers. Run the dishwasher (again, on the hottest setting) and pack your flatware and cooking utensils directly from the dishwasheragain, in plastic bins if you can.
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Wash yourselfone of the last things you should do after packing up your stuff and cleaning an infested apartment or house youve been living in is to take a hot shower and change into fresh clothes. Pack the clothes youve been wearing in plastic (or wash them, or possibly burn them) and hit the road before anything can attach itself to you.
Finally, once youve inspected, cleaned, and removed all your stuff and are as sure as you can be that nothing is hitching a ride with you to your new place, you should call an exterminator or at least perform a DIY pretreatment of your new space. Your new home will be empty and (presumably) clean, so this is a perfect opportunity to inspect it for signs of bugs, then apply insecticides to make sure they dont come in after youve settled. With no furniture, dishware, or clothing in the way, you can get into the nooks and crannies and other hidden spots.
You might also consider a bedbug mattress cover, since youre starting fresh. These can help prevent bedbugs from getting into your bedding in the first place, and since you just spent all that time and energy cleaning every aspect of your life, why not make it count?
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How to Move Without Taking Roaches (and Other Pests) With You - Lifehacker
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