Buying a used wool blanket - bed bugs?

[Auroras mom]

So, if I were to buy a really nice wool blanket from an online estate sale, is there any way to make sure it doesn't bring bed bugs into my home? I was thinking of putting it in the dryer, until I remembered - duh - wool shrinks.

Anything else I could do?

Is it worth the risk?

[Calliope]

Bed bugs are big. You would see them right away. I'd give the thing a good sunning.

[crunchymum]

Well, the bugs are big, but their eggs are almost invisible - what climate do you live in?

[ThirstyTurtle]

http://www.bedbugcentral.com/bedbugs101/topic.cfm/biology-behavior
Development from egg hatch to adult takes approximately 1 ½ -2 months but can take longer depending upon environmental conditions and food availabilityDoesn't DE kill them? If so, I would a bunch of DE in a bag, put blanket in, triple bag it, and leave it for several months. Then I think it should be fine ... if any eggs hatched the bed bugs would die from the DE.

For anyone who knows more about bedbugs ... does that sound right?

[allisonintx]

Put a pannof water in the bottom of a 200degree oven, Wrap the blanket in brown paper, and bake it for a couple of hours. This will kill any kind of critters that might have taken up residence.

[Rabbit]

Put a pannof water in the bottom of a 200degree oven, Wrap the blanket in brown paper, and bake it for a couple of hours. This will kill any kind of critters that might have taken up residence.

Even smallpox.

Safe for wool and nylon snaps.

[allisonintx]

Yea, I've even sterilized gloves like this. It is a tried and true, safe, sterilization method.

[Auroras mom]

I live in Florida.

I think I am now officially too scared to buy the blanket though, LoL. I fi I do, I will be trying Allison's technique!

[FaithHopeLove]

Just a point answering the DE suggestion: From what I understand, DE only kills them if they crawl through it by causing little slices in their bodies/exoskeleton. Then they dry up. But you wouldn't want to breathe that stuff because it can do the same to your lungs.

This is one of the challenges of treating a room for bed bugs with DE.

[StumblinMama]

Am I the only one who wants to see the blanket? :shifty

[Auroras mom]

Am I the only one who wants to see the blanket? :shifty

Oh, I just want some warm blankets,and am currentl obseesing over wool ones. They are pricey so I was checking craigslist and ebay. I found an estate sale that had quite a few for good prices. I just have this paranoia about bed bugs these days.

[Teacher Mom]

You are so smart to even think of this. I bought a beautiful old wool rug at the thrift store years ago. I had just put it away for a long time and just found it recently. We've been using it on the bed and man does it keep us warm!!!

It was just so darn pretty. Ihad actually bought it intending to make horse blankets from it. But then I thought man, it's just so pretty I don't want to cut it. I'm sure it's old and probably from an estate too.

I'm sure lucky we didn't get any bugs...........:shifty