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Buying used furniture is one of the most common ways people bring bed bugs into their home. Many people love to search for and find a diamond in the rough when it comes to furniture for their house.
While this is a good way to save money, there are some unwelcome guests that may be hiding in the seams. Bed bugs can be very expensive to get rid of, let alone the mental stress and physical discomfort that comes with their presence. The Bed Bug Inspectors has a few tips to help you avoid bringing home these infamous hitchhikers the next time you buy a piece of used furniture.
How to Make Sure Used Furniture Doesn’t Have Bed Bugs
It is very important to inspect any used furniture thoroughly before taking it home. Some tips to help you check furniture completely and thoroughly are:
- Use a Flashlight to Look for Bed Bugs – Before you take home any used furniture, one way to check closely for bed bugs is with a flashlight. Looking in cracks or hidden areas of the furniture is where you would most likely find bed bugs hiding. Flashlights make it much easier to see these areas clearly.
- Use a White Sheet to Help Spot Bed Bugs – When you are loading furniture up to take it home spread out a white sheet and place the furniture on top of it. By wrapping the furniture in a white sheet, you will be able to see if any signs of bed bugs or bed bugs themselves fall from the furniture on the way home.
- Use a Magnifying Glass to See Bed Bugs – If you see anything that might be questionable on any furniture, the use of a magnifying glass will help you decide if it is indeed bed bugs.
- Use a Credit Card to Look for Signs of Bed Bugs – You can run a credit card firmly across the top of the furniture to check for any signs of bed bugs. You should be looking for any feces or bits and pieces of the bed bugs themselves.
- Use Your Hands to Check for Bed Bugs– If you don’t want to touch the furniture with your bare hands, you can use white latex gloves. You should always use your fingers to check the cracks and crevices of any used furniture. Bed bugs are excellent at hiding, so you don’t want to leave any small cracks unchecked.
How to Treat Used Furniture Infested with Bed Bugs
The biggest thing you should not do if you are suspicious of bed bugs is bring the furniture into your house. Leave it outside until you can solve the problem. If covers can be removed from cushions, you can place them in the dryer on the hottest setting to kill bed bugs.
Bed Bug Fecal Staining On The Bottom Of A Sofa
There are also sprays and pesticides or Diatomaceous Earth that can help you kill them. If you use these products, the furniture should sit outside for several days. You can use steam and heat to kill bed bugs as well. Bed bugs can’t survive high heat, therefore, these are great options in getting rid of this pest.
Bed Bug Inspection & Control
If you find yourself with a bed bug problem as a result of buying used furniture, it may be time to call The Bed Bug Inspectors. They have the proper knowledge and equipment to rid you of this invasive pest. Bed bugs can prove hard to treat on your own, and will often resurface after a short time. Call today for an appointment!
