I found the bed bug crawling on my pillow.
My pillow. Where my face goes.
I was horrified.
I called three different pest control companies.
All three said the same thing:
"We'll need to treat your mattress, box spring, headboard, and surrounding area."
"With what?" I asked each time.
Each time, a list of chemicals I'd have to Google.
Pyrethroids. Neonicotinoids. Desiccants.
I looked them up.
Neurotoxins. Endocrine disruptors. Respiratory irritants.
Approved for use, yes. But safe?
I read the studies. The warning labels. The safety data sheets.
"Avoid prolonged exposure."
How do you avoid prolonged exposure in your bedroom?
"Ensure adequate ventilation."
You mean the room where I sleep with the door closed for 8 hours?
"May cause skin irritation, eye irritation, respiratory irritation."
That's where I put my face. Every night. For a third of my life.
I couldn't do it.
I started researching alternatives.
Diatomaceous earth: "Avoid inhaling dust. Can irritate lungs."
Great. Breathable powder in my bedroom.
Bed bug traps: Only catch bugs that walk into them. Don't eliminate the infestation.
Mattress encasements: Trap bugs inside, but don't kill them. And you still have bugs in the room.
Heat treatment: Non-toxic but $2,500, and I'd have to leave for 8+ hours.
DIY sprays: Still chemicals, just "natural" ones. Peppermint oil, tea tree oil, alcohol.
My bedroom would smell like a medicine cabinet.
I felt trapped between bed bugs and poison.
Neither was acceptable.