Bed Bugs in Used Furniture (And NEW too!)

Finding and buying used furniture can be a great way to save money. We all know to watch out for bed bugs! Many places won’t even sell used mattresses, and require special sanitizing for used furniture. The question is what about everything else that goes into a bedroom or living room? The threat is in the nooks and crannies in a nightstand, a bed frame, dressers or sofa! Bed bugs can be lurking, and can cost you in the long run.

In today’s day and age Craigslist,  Buy Sell Trade Facebook sites and a plethora of garage sales are gaining popularity.   With these easy resources at our disposal, it’s easy to get a great deal – but are you investing your money wisely? Taking one piece of used furniture into your home that has live bugs, nymphs or eggs can lead to disaster!

New furniture can also run the potential risk of bringing bed bugs into your home.  Delivery processes and lack inspection procedures can mean you are actually buying new furniture that has come into contact with old items!

used furniture

Being a Responsible Bed Bug Victim

Taking preventative measures when you do have a bedbug problem, such as disposing of mattresses or furniture the proper way, is incredibly important. Calling your local waste collection company may or may not prove helpful.  Some companies will not knowingly take bed bug infested items at the tree lawn.  Our best recommendation is to properly wrap, and take items directly to the area dump.

Being dishonest about a bed bug issue can cause big problems and a domino effect.  

Think about a mattress company for example, they offer haul-away services!  This is a major issue if they’re taking away and invested mattress. This can transfer bed bugs or eggs onto other old mattresses, as well as on the new mattresses and even in the truck and equipment they use. This also means that your new mattress could be at risk, if a previous customer had done the same.

It’s always a best practice to pick up your new furniture yourself if possible. If applicable, take extra care not to have infested items hauled away. This can cause incredible expenses for a business, including their reputation.  For innocent individuals receiving future deliveries, it can mean a bed bug problem is being hand delivered.

10 Tips for Keeping the Bugs Out {New and Used Furniture}

To prevent bed bugs in used furniture, or to ensure your new furniture is safe, follow these tips.

  1. Talk with the person you are purchasing from – Have they ever had a bed bug problem?
  2. Try to do some recon – See if they have bad feedback or past issues on Buy Sell Trade, Etc.
  3. Hire a professional to inspect furniture – One infested chair can lead to an entire home becoming infested!
  4. Talk with your furniture company about their pick up and delivery processes.
  5. Ask about storage processes and warehouse inspections at furniture stores
  6. Call your local waste management company for specific disposal questions.
  7. Haul infested items to the dump if possible!
  8. Whenever possible, buy new furniture and pick it up yourself!
  9. Always make sure a bed bug problem is 100% clear before bringing new furniture in.
  10. Call the Bed Bug Pros at RIDTEK for questions!