I discovered the little bastards two weeks ago to the day actually, so on Friday night around 10pm. I only found 2 adults (in and around my pillows - gross!)
I immediately called my own exterminator, Luis, who uses the latest insecticides (Crossfire by MGK) and technology. He was there 7am the next day and sprayed the place. He guarantees his treatment for a year, so even if I see one 2 months from now, he will come back and treat again at no extra cost. He was pricey ($1,100 plus applicable tax) but ultimately after some back and forth, I was able to get my management company to credit it towards August rent. He indicated my infestation was light, maybe been occurring for 2 weeks, maybe 3 weeks at most. Luis further clarified that on a scale of 1 to 10, my situation was a 1.
The insecticide has a knockdown component (5 minute kill) and a long-term residual without a repellent so they wouldn't scatter or go to other adjacent apartments. Luis also dusted all of my electrical sockets. He also graciously went to my girlfriend's apartment and inspected it for no additional cost. Thankfully, she was in the clear.
Once my mattress dried out from spray, I immediately encased it. It's morbid to think I'm currently sleeping on a tomb of dead, dying, and possibly living bed bugs who can't get out.
Since treatment on Saturday 7/29, I have only seen dead beg bugs confined to the perimeter of my bedroom, and I've seen no new dead ones since the ones I found when I came back from the Jersey shore on Monday 8/7.
I'm still continuing the dirty clothes in a contractor bag routine, and living primarily out of plastic bins. My clean clothes that I don't often wear have blasted in the dryer on high heat for 64 minutes and vacuum sealed in plastic bags.
My bed remains isolated with Climb Up Interceptors and a 2nd layer of defense of double sided carpet tape on the frame posts and along the top of my baseboards. I also (maybe prematurely) got rid of some dirt other
I've seen absolutely nothing in the passive monitors so far the past 3 nights I've been home and sleeping in my bed again.
I've also invested in a HEPA filtered bug vacuum (can't get out if they get sucked up), some Cimexa, and a handheld Vapamore V-75 steamer that reaches 210 degrees to start steaming periodically once the residual wears off / breaks down after 30 days.
The psychological effects are definitely the worst part. Crumbs and pieces of lint nearly give me panic attacks. I can't even look at a poppyseed bagel without getting the willies.
When could I reasonably feel comfortable they are truly gone? Could 1 treatment possibly have been enough due to the low level of infestation to begin with? My PCO is extremely confident they are all gone at this point.