I owe you fair warning: this post might give you the willies. It’s a true horror story from my renter days that I’m sharing in hopes it might help someone experiencing something similar.
My Move to the City and an Unpleasant Surprise
After graduating, I moved to New York City in June 2004 and rented a two-bedroom apartment in Astoria, Queens with a college roommate. It was far from glamorous, but the bedrooms were large and the rent was cheap, so we were thrilled to have a place to start adult life. We furnished it with thrifted and IKEA pieces, hung inexpensive posters, and settled in—until one August night when everything changed.
Waking Up to an Infestation
I woke in the middle of the night and went to the kitchen for water. When I turned on the light, I felt a small brown bug on my shoulder. As I tried to flick it off, I noticed more crawling down my back. I ripped my shirt off so fast it felt like an emergency. I ran back to the bedroom expecting an open window and a swarm of flies, but both windows were closed.
Turning on the light revealed dozens of bugs swarming the bed and walls. I started squashing what I could, but they appeared faster than I could kill them. A quick search for symptoms and descriptions made it clear: bed bugs.
What Bed Bugs Are and How to Spot Them
Bed bugs are small, flat, nocturnal insects that feed on warm-blooded hosts—people included. Often you’ll first notice an infestation from itchy bites rather than seeing the insects themselves. My roommate and I had many bites; she even had one on her eyelid. It’s common to mistake these marks for mosquito bites. Look for other signs on bedding: small black specks from droppings near the mattress edges, or rust-colored blood spots where a bug was crushed after feeding.
How We Likely Caught Them
Bed bugs have been making a comeback in major cities. An infestation doesn’t mean a place is dirty; it’s frequently linked to travel and to bed bugs hitching rides on luggage or clothing. We never pinpointed the exact source in our apartment, but our wall-to-wall carpet probably made it easier for them to spread.
The Battle to Get Rid of Them
Bed bugs are notoriously difficult to eliminate. We learned that multiple treatments are often necessary. Our landlord, trying to save money, hired an acquaintance to spray a chemical in cracks and crevices rather than calling a licensed pest professional. The treatment required dismantling our furniture because bed bugs hide in small holes and joints.
Beyond the spray, my roommate and I had to take extensive steps to quarantine anything that could harbor survivors. We washed all fabric items in hot water (which meant lugging sheets, towels, and clothing to a laundromat) and sealed everything in plastic for two months. Bed bugs struggle to traverse slick surfaces, so keeping items in sealed bags helped prevent reintroduction. For weeks, our closet and storage looked like a barricade of sealed bags and plastic-wrapped garments.
Sleeping on Plastic and Checking for Progress
Because the mattress interior can harbor bed bugs, we bought zipped plastic mattress encasements and left them on until we could replace the beds. For several nights we checked our bodies each morning for fresh bites as the only gauge of whether the infestation persisted. I slept on a sheetless, plastic-covered mattress and layered as many clothes as I could to limit bites. It was hot, uncomfortable, and stressful.
Resolution and Lessons Learned
After a few weeks of bite-free mornings, we declared ourselves clear. The whole ordeal lasted roughly twelve weeks. I eventually replaced much of my furniture when I moved out. The experience was emotionally draining—arguing with the landlord over responsibility, enduring invasive treatments, and living in a constant state of unease. I wouldn’t wish bed bugs on anyone.
That said, infestations can be handled. If you find yourself dealing with bed bugs, research your options, hire reputable professionals when possible, and be prepared for discomfort and disruption for several weeks. Prevention remains the best defense: when traveling, inspect hotel mattresses and keep luggage off the floor; at home, vacuum regularly and consider protective measures for bed frames. Small physical barriers—sticky traps, metal or slick materials under bed legs—can help prevent bugs from climbing onto the mattress.
Hopefully this long account didn’t put you to sleep. If it did, I’ll hope you slept tight and didn’t let the… well, you know the rest.