Bed Bugs – Throw Furniture Away?

Do I Throw my Furniture Away if I Have Bed Bugs?

On almost every single call we take, we are asked if having bed bugs = throw furniture away. It’s time to address the topic! Before you begin dragging items to the curb, here are some things to consider.

In most situations, furniture can be treated and does not need to be thrown away.

For many, whether you have a new issue or have had a problem for awhile, your furniture is treated as part of a bed bug treatment process. This includes upholstered furniture like couches, chairs and mattresses as well as hard furniture like headboards, dressers, tables, nightstands, etc.

Throwing your furniture away and getting new items will not solve a bed bug issue. Not only will you end up spending money unnecessarily to replace the furniture you’ve pitched, but it will not solve the problem. Whether you have your old furniture or new furniture, the items need to be treated as part of a bed bug treatment process.

What Situations SHOULD Furniture be Thrown Out?

In very severe infestations, furniture may need to be thrown away. If the furniture is old, and is infested with bed bugs, it may make sense to remove the infested furniture from your home. This is ALWAYS on a case by case basis, and is of course ultimately your decision. But in some severe infestations, we will recommend to our customer that a specific item be tossed in the trash.

Another scenario is in the situation with mechanical items (lift chairs, mechanical beds) or storage beds (under-bed drawers). In MOST situations these items can be heat or chemically treated successfully, however some of these items can be very difficult to rid of severe bed bug infestations due to the nature of the furniture, and the internal components giving bed bugs many places to hide. It’s unfortunate because these items are often expensive to purchase and expensive to replace.

ALWAYS consult a professional before making the decision to throw something away that has value.

Cleaning Furniture After Treatment

Many folks cannot wait to get to cleaning up furniture before and during the treatment process. It is CRITICAL to wait until your treatment process is finished and the chemicals applied stop working. Resist the urge to scrub until you’ve gotten the full impact of your treatment process. Again, always consult a professional for advice!