This was emailed to me by Dr Gila Martow - I'm working on prevention because spraying with chemicals is not an option.

Beware of Bed bugs in new linens, towels and clothing!

A bit of information that you might like to
know about. We have friends here in our community
and one of their sons is an entomologist (insect
expert), and has been telling them that there is an
epidemic of bed bugs now occurring in America.
Recently I have heard on the news that several
stores in NYC have had to close due to bed bug
problems, as well as a complete mall in New Jersey.

He says that since much of our clothing, sheets,
towels, etc. now comes from companies outside of
America, (sad but true), even the most expensive
stores sell foreign clothing from China, Indonesia,
etc. The bed bugs are coming in on the clothing as
these countries do not consider them a problem. He
recommends that if you buy any new clothing, even
underwear and socks, sheets, towels, etc. that you
bring them into the house and put them in your
clothes dryer for at least 20 minutes. The heat
will kill them and their eggs. DO NOT PURCHASE
CLOTHES AND HANG THEM IN THE CLOSET FIRST. It does
not matter what the price range is of the clothing,
or if the outfit comes from the most expensive store
known in the U.S. They still get shipments from
these countries and the bugs can come in a box of
scarves or anything else for that matter. That is
the reason why so many stores, many of them clothing
stores have had to shut down in NYC and other
places. If you buy clothing from a thrift shop or a
yard sale, make sure it is washed in hot water
before wearing it. All you need is to bring one
item into the house that has bugs or eggs and you
will go to hell and back trying to get rid of them.
He travels all over the country as an advisor to
many of these stores, as prevention and after they
have the problem.

Send this information on to those on your e-mail
list so that this good prevention information gets
around quickly.

Hint: Another reason to buy only cotton clothes so you can select a
tempature that will kill the pests.......sythetics or sweaters if put
through a dryer will be ruined, not so with cotton or permanent press
blends, or those materials which are a minimum of 50% cotton.