How to Avoid Bringing Second Hand Furniture Bugs to Your Home?

Secondhand furniture comes at cheaper prices than brand-new ones. And if not bringing bugs with used furniture to home, this could be a great deal for those who don’t want to invest a large amount in buying new furniture.

Buying secondhand furniture is a great way to embellish your house while saving money. There are several online portals where people buy and sell their old furniture and other household articles at a good price.

But they also bring bugs with used furniture to their houses. This is why it is essential to countercheck secondhand furniture before buying it. You can yourself look for bugs like termites in furniture wood and bed bugs in upholstery furniture pieces, etc. And if possible, call a professional pest control company to come and disinfect.

Will I Get Bugs from Used Furniture?

If there are advantages of spending money on used furniture then it has some demerits too. You might be entering unwanted pests to your house by bringing second-hand furniture, especially if you haven’t carefully inspected the furniture before buying.

Soon you will find yourself having bed bugs, fleas, and other types of pest problems.

The common types of furniture bugs you can bring to your home are Fleas, Dust Mites, and Bed bugs. And sometimes you also bring carpet beetles to your home if buying used carpets.

Now, come to the main point that how you can avoid bringing furniture with bugs. How would you know if there are bed bugs in furniture and how to check the secondhand furniture for bugs?

In this article, we will answer all your questions on how to treat used furniture for bed bugs and other pests.

Tips to Check Bugs in Used Furniture

Bugs like mites, bed bugs, and fleas are found in furniture like chairs, sofas, couches, upholstery furniture, and of course beds.

If you are going to buy any of these pieces of furniture then ensure you are bringing those nasty pests along with your stuff to your home.

So, how can you avoid bringing these pests to your home? Below are some ideas on the same.

Ask the Seller  

If you are really interested in the piece of furniture but not sure about bugs infestation then you can ask the seller if the furniture had bugs problems before. If yes, then what type of bugs it has. And the treatments they used to get rid of them.

No seller would say ‘yes’ it has bugs, especially the ones who are in a rush to sell their stuff. But still, you should ask this question to the seller. He may answer honestly and you will know whether the furniture had bugs problems or not.

Also, the owners can tell you the right measures to prevent bugs.

If you don’t want to invite the nasty pests to your home then ensure the second-hand furniture you are buying is free from bug problems.

Bring the Right Tool to Inspect

No matter whether the owner or seller tells you about previous bugs problems in the furniture, you will have to be as thorough as possible while inspecting the furniture, if you are interested in that piece of furniture.

To check second-hand furniture for bugs ensure you have the following tools with you; –

• Strong flashlight
• Gloves
• Magnifying glass
• Screwdrivers and other tools for dismantling furniture
• Alcohol, baby wipes, etc. for the evidence of bugs dropping
• Credit or debit card as probe

The piece of furniture may have termite infestation as well. Hence, you need to check bugs in furniture wood as well. For this, you may have to dismantle the furniture.

Inspect the Furniture Implementing the Right Technique

• First, wear your gloves, then position the furniture on a clear and light-colored surface. This way you can easily spot pests moving.

• Use strong flashlights to spot the bugs and if not bugs then at least you can see stains on the furniture and bugs droppings.
• Now, run your old/unused credit or debit card along the furniture or any cracks and gaps to check if pests are hidden inside. The card will sweep and dislodge pests.
• Use a magnifying glass to inspect the things that have been ejected from the furniture.
• Once you are satisfied with your inspection you can buy the furniture.
• Now, let’s see what you can do to treat used furniture for bugs before bringing it inside your home.

Treat Second Hand Furniture for Bugs

Heat Treatment

No matter whether you have found bugs in your furniture or not, do not bring it to your home immediately after purchasing. Leave the furniture outside for a day, preferably at the place where it can be bathed in sunlight. Sun exposure is the natural way to kill bed bugs and other kinds of pests.

Also, you can give heat treatment to your furniture before bringing it indoors. For this, you can use heat-treating the furniture in a dark plastic bag. This will help in killing the bugs hidden inside the stuff but ensure the temperature is 110 degrees Fahrenheit for up to three or more hours.

Vacuuming Furniture

Bugs like dust mites cannot be seen with naked eyes and they can cause some severe illnesses such as asthma and allergies. Hence, you need to get rid of them completely. To remove this, vacuum the furniture thoroughly and let it air-dried to prevent these pests from entering your home.

Pest Control Sprays

Some sprays to kill bugs like mites, fleas, and bed bugs are readily available in the market. You can use them to spray down the furniture. But, follow the instructions written on the label of the product you are using.

Conclusion

Used furniture is a common way for the pests to move from one home to another. Hence, it is important to inspect the furniture carefully before bringing it to your house. Also, if you want to disinfect the furniture then you can hire a pest control company in Gurgaon or any other place.

Also Read: 10 Best Advantages of Creating an Inventory List

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