A bargain bed frame or a sofa from a marketplace listing can save you money. However, it can also carry bed bugs into your home. The NHS advises that you do not bring second-hand furniture indoors without checking it carefully first. This guide shows you how to do that check, and what to do once the furniture is yours.

Why used furniture is a risk

Bed bugs are small, flat, reddish-brown insects. According to the CDC, bed bugs range from about 1mm to 7mm long, depending on their life stage. They do not live on people. Instead, they hide close to where people sleep and come out to feed at night.

Because they hide in tiny gaps, a piece of furniture can carry them without any obvious sign. A seller may not know they are there. As a result, a clean-looking mattress can still be a problem.

Check before you pay, not after, because once the item is in your bedroom, you have far fewer options. If you want to learn what an infestation looks like, our guide to the signs of bed bugs is a good place to start.

Where bed bugs hide in furniture

The CDC lists the seams of mattresses, box springs, bed frames and headboards as favourite hiding places. They also use dresser tables, cracks and crevices, and the gaps behind wallpaper. In practice, this means any joint, fold or seam is worth a look.

For beds, check these spots first:

  • the piping and stitched seams around the mattress edge
  • the underside of the mattress and the base
  • slats, joints and screw holes in the frame
  • the back and inside of the headboard

For sofas and chairs, look under the cushions and along the zips. Next, turn the piece over if you can and check the dust cover on the underside. For bedside tables and drawers, pull each drawer out and inspect the runners and the back panel.

What to look for when you inspect

You are searching for signs, not just live insects. The NHS lists spots of blood on bedding and small brown spots on bedding or furniture. These brown spots are bed bug droppings. Because live bugs may be hard to find, take the other clues seriously.

Take a torch and a stiff piece of card. Run the card along seams to flush anything out. Then look closely at dark corners and wood joints, because that is where droppings collect.

However, marks can be misleading. Many dark specks are just dirt, mould or woodworm. If you are unsure what you have found, read our guide on telling bed bugs from other household pests before you decide.

Rules for buying safely

Inspect the item at the seller’s address, in good light, before you hand over any money. If the seller will not let you look closely, walk away. Be extra careful with anything that is stored in a damp garage or shed, or that comes from a house clearance.

Also think about what you cannot check. You cannot see inside a sofa frame, and you cannot open up a mattress. Therefore, many people choose to buy new mattresses and pillows, and only buy hard furniture second-hand.

Do not carry the item through your home to inspect it. Instead, keep it outside or in the vehicle while you look. If you find a sign, leave it where it is.

Quarantine after you bring it home

Even a careful check can miss a few bugs. So treat every second-hand item as untested for a while. Put it in a garage, porch or outbuilding, away from your bedrooms. Do not place it next to a bed or sofa you already use.

Before it moves indoors, vacuum all the seams and joints thoroughly. Empty the vacuum outside straight away, in a sealed bag. Then wipe down hard surfaces and look again with a torch, because a second look can still catch what the first one missed.

If you spot anything suspicious, stop. You can then compare the options for heat versus chemical treatment before you bring the item anywhere near your home, although sometimes the safest choice is to refuse the delivery or dispose of the piece.

Monitor the furniture once it is in use

Once the piece is in place, keep watching it. A bug you missed may show up days or weeks later. This is where monitoring helps. A set of bed leg interceptors can catch bugs climbing up to the bed. A few sticky traps placed near seams can also show activity, while an active monitor with a lure can add to your picture.

Traps detect activity, yet they do not cure an infestation, and an empty trap does not prove the furniture is clear. Read what traps can and cannot do so your expectations stay realistic. Our how to use guide explains where to place each type.

Check the traps on a regular schedule, and check the furniture seams at the same time. If you want a wider comparison, our best bed bug traps page sets out the options. We also explain how to keep watching after any treatment in monitoring after bed bug treatment.

When to ask a professional

If you find live bugs, droppings or blood spots, do not try to fix it alone with a guess, because a trained inspector can confirm what you have and check the rest of the room. Our guide to a professional bed bug inspection in the UK explains what to expect.

Acting early matters, because a small problem is easier to deal with than a spread one. Tell the seller what you found as well, if you bought the item already. Then check your own rooms, starting with the beds.

Sources

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