VWB Blog Are you in the market to upgrade your living room with a new couch, chair, or ottoman? Perhaps you’ve been using an old hand-me-down piece for the longest time and are ready to upgrade.
While visiting the furniture store or browsing online, you’re likely to come across used furniture. Used furniture comes with its fair share of pros, such as lower pricing and longer durability. But buying used furniture comes with some downsides, one of which might be the presence of bed bugs.
You’re likely wondering if there’s a risk of bed bugs in used furniture. It’s not a common occurrence, but it is definitely a possibility. In this guide, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about avoiding bed bugs in second-hand furniture.
What is Safe to Buy Second-Hand?
When it comes to furniture shopping, money spent can go from $0 to $1000 pretty quickly. Because of this, it may be tempting to buy certain pieces second-hand to alleviate the stress on your wallet. This shouldn’t be the case for all types of furniture. Bed bugs are extremely small and their minuscule size allows them to slip into the most unconventional hiding places.
Complicated or upholstered items with a lot of cracks or crevices like mattresses, bed frames, and couches are all examples of favorite hiding spots for these pests.
Inspect Your Furniture
The next step before you purchase your second-hand item is to do an inspection. Due to their size, bed bugs are hard to spot and even harder to get rid of. That’s why it’s important to do an inspection of all the items you intend to buy before carrying them home.
Signs Used to Spot Bed Bugs
The presence of bed bugs may be difficult to identify, but it’s not impossible. There are some telltale signs that the furniture you’re using or about to purchase may be infested. Tiny black pinpoints, red/brown stains or smears, and of course, live bed bugs are all signs of a bed bug infestation.
You can also do some additional research about signs exhibited during the early stages of bed bugs to ensure you’re fully informed when it’s time to inspect your furniture.
Bed Bugs are Difficult to Eliminate
Bedbugs are small, parasitic insects that feed on the blood of humans and animals. They are reddish-brown in color, flat, and oval-shaped, and notoriously difficult to eliminate once they have infested an area.
If you think you may have bedbugs in your newly bought used furniture, it is important to contact a professional exterminator. Attempting to do so yourself is likely to be unsuccessful.
A professional exterminator will have the experience and knowledge necessary to eliminate the bed bugs in secondhand furniture and prevent them from returning.
Avoid the Risk of Bed Bugs in Used Furniture
When purchasing used furniture, it is important to be aware of the risk of bed bugs in used furniture. If you suspect that your used furniture may be infested with bedbugs, it is important to take precautions to avoid bringing them into your home.
Inspect the furniture carefully before purchasing it, and avoid bringing it into your home if it appears to be infested.
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