There are not enough stars in the constellations for me to rate Muhammad's service.
Bed bugs have always constituted one of my worst nightmare scenarios. I travel quite a bit and endeavor to take as many precautions as possible while on the road, congratulating myself on staying bed bug free for over sixty years.
And then, as summer was approaching, I started to get small, itchy bumps on my fingers. I garden and hike in the ravine near my house, so my initial guesses were mosquitoes or a latex allergy. After a few days, when red welts began to appear on my arms, I suspected a more serious allergic reaction and visited my doctor. The nurse commented the welts were grouped in threes and resembled--urk--bed bug bites.
I came home and researched bed bugs and was filled with HORROR!
Up until this point, I had not seen any bugs. I had just changed my sheets from winter flannels to cottons and perceived nothing unusual, but, since I realized that I had neglected to change the pillowcases on the shams, I decided to start with them.
I parted the back flap of the first sham,and, omigod, I caught sight of a few black crawling things. My research had fortuitously taught me some important guidelines to follow, which proved to be crucial. Though my inclination was to dash screaming from the room and never return, there happened to be a large black garbage bag on the floor from a construction project. I grabbed the sham, pillowcase and all, and stuffed it into the bag. For good measure, I stuffed the second sham in as well. Then, I gave in to my urge to run screaming from the room and ran the bag straight outside to the garbage can, where I dumped it. Only at that point, with the bugs securely ensconced in the bin, did I go get my camera and take a few pictures. Which confirmed that there was at least one adult bed bug in there.
I am writing this in my review because it is extremely important to be aware not to move anything unless you have it well contained. Better not to move anything at all.
I called my regular pest control person, who is great, but does not live in my neighborhood. I have used her to deal with wasp nests, mice in the garage and to spray the outside of the house for carpenter ants. I know she does bed bugs. She told me I would have to move everything out of all the cabinets and closets in the house in preparation for her treatment. I started to panic. I have a very big house. This pest control person works with a guy who helps people pack their possessions, but he had just left for cottage country and would not be available for the next week. My granddaughter had just gotten engaged and the party was to be in Chicago the weekend the guy was available to help me pack. So, not only was my entire world collapsing, but I was going to be missing a very important family occasion.
My pest control person told me I must sleep in the same bed, while waiting, and not move to another room because bed bugs follow the trail of a person's breathing.
I lasted one night with the lights on, not sleeping at all, and then, about to totally lose my sanity, found Muhammad through Homestars. Muhammad is not only an entomologist of the highest calibre, but he is also a non card carrying psychiatrist and psychologist. In his gentle and compassionate manner, he reassured me that I could deal with this--I had my serious doubts I would ever recover my former life-- and he SHOWED UP, almost immediately, on the weekend, to do an inspection.
Would you believe that the bedbug nest turned out to be in my pillow sham? I had miraculously removed the entire nest when I had lugged it out to the garbage can, where it still was. Muhammad was able to examine it before garbage day.
I was very, very lucky. Muhammad took the bed frame apart and found a few junior bedbugs in the legs. He was very thorough.He told me that the treatment would cost $3500, which shocked me, truthfully--be prepared. He has done houses that cost $20,000 to fully eradicate the problem.
And that he could do it while I was out of town because HE WANTED ME TO GO TO CHICAGO AND BE AT MY GRANDDAUGHTER'S ENGAGEMENT PARTY.
Muhammad patiently examined anything I was going to pack from my bedroom, to make sure there were not any bedbugs or larvae on them. And, I returned from Chicago to a bedbug free house (though I was paranoid for quite a while thereafter--full disclosure).
All of the mattresses and box springs in the entire house had been encased in bed bug protecting covers.
I did not have to empty all of my closets, cabinets and drawers, which was a huge relief.
Muhammad was as good with eradicating the bedbugs as dealing with a paranoid old lady. I give him a lot of credit.
Every penny I spent for his services was well worth it.
If you suspect a bed bug problem, do not call anyone but Muhammad. And have some chocolate handy. Muhammad loves chocolate.