Kleen Green?

[sojii]

Has anyone had success in reducing the critters at home with Kleen Green?
Please tell me what's worked for you. I'm about to move to a (hopefully) critter-free apartment. It has carpeting only in the bedroom and closets; the living room and kitchen floors are wood laminate; the bathroom is tile. I want to start out on the right foot and keep them from showing their blasted little faces.

Also, does anyone store clothing, linens, etc. in plastic bags after washing until use? I've been putting clothing items either in large, heavy-duty zip locks or in white trashbags tied tightly, depending on the size of the items. Is this a good idea or not?

[jonsi]

Hi sojii,

kleen green did not help me at all!

When my clothes were biting me I would store my clean clothes in plastic bags and it did help. I would also spray my clothes with eco-vie or bug arrest right before I got dressed.

Have you tried Borax in your wash? I use it all of the time and it is very effective.

Itwl,
~jonsi

[fracty]

Originally Posted by sojii

Has anyone had success in reducing the critters at home with Kleen Green?

Hey Sojii,
None of the enzyme stuff worked that well for me. But I have read bunches of ppl here who swear by various enzyme cleaners.

I also moved but my new place had no carpet. It was a HUGE help!!!!!!! I basically dont have the "things" in my home - at least it is very few and far between and only a few types in a select few places.

I sweep and mop w either PineSol or (I used to use Swiffer). The Swiffer clogged up because at first I was using a lot of DE too. I spray a lot of vinegar, and every now and then use spray cleaners w bleach. On top of that I use all of my old "green" type of cleaners like Method brand. But a lot of those were just not effective enough on their own to get rid fo the stuff.

With that said, Kleen Green might work ofr you...

When I first got to the new place had to keep checking everything all the time. Btu it was not that hard, and it worked.

Also, does anyone store clothing, linens, etc. in plastic bags after washing until use? I've been putting clothing items either in large, heavy-duty zip locks or in white trashbags tied tightly, depending on the size of the items. Is this a good idea or not?

I used to do that all the time.. like I was in that movie Outbreak and dealing w a (what is it?) Level 4 (or 5?) deadly virus. Only I did not have one of those suits.

I put each piece of clothes separately in a zip lock plastic baggie. Then I sealed all of the clean ones together in a large THICK plastic container for storage. I did the same thing w the dirty clothes. I threw out each used bag each time.

At one point tho, I bought a bunch of plastic baggies that were already infected w Ms. Go figure. Also, I noticed that some fo the things can actually make little punctures thru the plastic of the baggie (not the thick box container tho).

I think it helped. I dont do that now, but I do still seal most things up the plastic box. But it is getting more and more lax.

PS - Really infected stuff that I did not want to toss, I stored in the thick plastic boxes and sealed the lids on w duct tape. then locked them in a storage facility.

[sojii]

Thanks! I use borax and oxyclean with my detergent, and depending on what it is, sometimes add Dr. Bronner's Peppermint soap. But that leaves a residue so I usually keep that for the tough stuff like towels and blankets. The only things that seem to be perennially infected are my bras, in the band under the cups. I snip off everything that's unraveled or any darkened spot sticking out before I wash them. They come out white and beautiful. They're white and beautiful and clean when I put them on. They'll last sometimes all day, sometimes just a few hours before the things are back, wiggling or stinging me. Mostly they just wiggle now. I've actually had good results with drycleaning other clothes but it's too expensive to continue indefinitely.

More questions...

I'm considering getting a Shark steam mop and portable steam cleaner.
What about those? Supposedly the steam evaporates immediately and I'm thinking most insect things can be killed with steam, although I guess the morgs can't, huh?

I'd like to try bug arrest but I don't order over the internet and there aren't any local distributors in the Fort Worth area.

[lamb]

just a thought... if your bra s are Vicky's soak em in borax. Try the Dr. Bonner's Peppermint soap for the laundry as recommended by MCS.

[fracty]

Hi Sojii,

I dont know about hte steamer, but one other thin I forgot that rocks agaiinst M is Lysol spray. I would just keep periodically saturating surfaces and even clothes w it. I put it on clothes right before wearing or the night before. It keeps away the Ms.

[sojii]

lamb,
I already do soak for 30 minutes to an hour in detergent, borax and oxyclean in hot water. (Yeah, I wash my bras in hot water. They're Playtex 18-hour bras and although it's shrunk them just a tiny bit, they've withstood it very well and get brighter white every week!) I also add Dr. Bronner's peppermint to all underwear wash. I still get the wigglies in the bras after wearing awhile, but rarely get them in the panties. The pants are all lycra or spandex-type hold-your-gut-in kindof things, and I wear them (don't laugh!) inside out so the cotton crotch isn't touching my skin. (Stop laughing!!! it works!!!!) Pretty much everything gets washed in hot water except tops and slacks. I've turned into Polyester Polly.

Fracty,
I'd read some of the posts about the Lysol but am afraid to use it; I already had thin, sensitive skin, eczema and lots of skin tags to begin with. But I have been planning to try it on the upholstery in my car. I may try soaking a bra with it for an hour and then laundering the bra and see what happens.

How does the Lysol work? It's not a bug killer. Is it for mold or what?

[fracty]

I was talking about hte Lysol spray. I've never had the liquid. I jsut do a light spray on the inside and sometimes outside of my clothes. Actually, once in a while I do a thick, soggy spray. It is less irritating if u do it hte night before and let it dry.

I don't know how it works but it "prevents mold and mildews. kills household germs." you can read on the can about some of the bacteria and other organisms it kills. Whatever the Ms are, they sure dont like Lysol. It does them in. (At least the little white things. I got rid of the otehr stuff; and maybe the Lysol was part of what did it. I'm not completely sure.)

[sojii]

Hey, Fracty,
I was talking about the spray, too.

Just to make sure we're talking about the same boogers,
the "white things" - little roundish things that come out of pores or hair follicles? Miniscule flying things that land on you (especially on my hair) And the "other things" - the black hair-like things? S'cuse my dumb questions, but I'm so new to this and there seem to be so many variations I can't just assume what anyone's referring to.

I hope the move will make a big difference. I've had a 2nd' "job" for the past few years, companion to the elderly dad of a friend. I've been very careful, keep my hair up, stay out of his space and off the furniture he uses, etc., to keep from possibly spreading this, but I shouldn't stay under the circumstances. His house is 60 years old, the carpets are probably 30 years old. I haven't seen mold, but we've had so much rain the past couple of years the covered patio is green so I know it's around somewhere. The whole house is damp all the time.

[sojii]

Fracty,
BTW, I got a chuckle out of your alluding to a disaster movie; I've been the same way. Because I can't personally fix whatever's wrong in this house
I've lived like a person under siege for the last few months since I figured out what I have. I buy boxes of plastic "t-shirt" bags like grocery stores use, store dirty clothes in them individually and tie them tight until I can launder. By the weekend I've got 40 little bags. I got rid of all my cotton bedding and most of my cotton clothing, bought polyester satin sheet sets, poly microfiber blankets and poly satin pajamas on sale from Penneys. Bought enough for a week so I don't have to do laundry every night. I haven't used them yet, though; saving them for the move, except for one microfiber blanket, which I wash every day. I made up a "health" excuse for why I couldn't sleep in my bed and have been sleeping in the leather recliner I brought here that's in the den. I'm ditching the antique wood furniture I brought with me and bought a light-colored leather living room set for the new apartment. I like leather, but would never choose it as an option if it were up to me; I like the heavily upholstered homey look, but we can forget that! Most of my belongings have been in storage for the almost-3 years I've been this guy's caretaker (fortunately no hands-on care; he's just blind.) I'm so afraid I'll open that storage unit and find the things were in my stuff BEFORE I came here and everything infested. I packed everything in big rubbermaid tubs and used masking tape to seal them because I'm afraid of spiders so hopefully things will be ok. I've already blown my small savings because of this whatever-it-is. I'll shoot myself if all my books are ruined, my kitchen stuff, etc. but I'm steeling myself for the prospect. However, I'm gonna keep smiling come hell or high water...