How to Check Used Furniture for Bed Bugs

So, you scored a real bargain at the second-hand furniture store, and now you’ve got a pretty decent sofa for your living room. Brilliant, but as you’re already here, you’re probably wondering what the signs of bed bugs in wood furniture actually look like — and how to check before you buy.

Although tiny, bed bugs can be a real nuisance to exterminate. And DIY methods rarely work. That’s why inspecting the furniture before you purchase is the best way to (not) deal with a bed bug infestation.

Keep reading if you:

• Are planning on introducing some vintage to your interior;
• Have fallen in love with a designer couch on Facebook Marketplace;
• Simply need an extra closet and aren’t splashing on a new one.

In this article, we’ll go over how to inspect second-hand furniture for bed bugs, how to try and get rid of them (if you brought them inside your home), and what not to do during the inspection process.

About bed bugs

So what are bed bugs? They are small parasitic insects, ranging from 1 mm to 7 mm in length, that infest homes — usually through contaminated luggage and used furniture. Adult bed bugs are flat, oval, and reddish-brown, roughly the size and shape of an apple seed. After feeding, they darken to a deeper reddish-brown and swell slightly. Once they “move in” at a property, a single female can lay up to 250 eggs in her lifetime, with eggs hatching in as little as 6 to 10 days — so infestations can grow faster than most people expect.

While bed bugs don’t transmit any hazardous germs, what makes them an absolute menace is the fact that they feed on blood from humans and even pets. Essentially, at night, while everyone is sleeping, they crawl out of their hiding spots and literally get into beds to bite the unsuspecting sleepers.

Usually, after a few nights of sleeping with bed bugs around, people tend to notice the bites and rashes on their skin so they decide to take action. You can learn more about bed bugs here.

Signs of Bed Bugs in Wood Furniture

Now, let’s take a look at an extensive list of signs of bed bugs in wood furniture. We’ll start with the more obvious ones and then get to the more obscure ones.

• Live bed bugs – Naturally, if you see live adult bed bugs in the furniture, then you have them present. However, if you see them out during the day, this usually means a heavy ongoing infestation.
• Bed bug eggs – Bed bug eggs are tiny (about 1 millimetre in size), and are pearly white or sort of translucent in colour. They are oval-shaped as you might guess. The eggs are often found in clusters, usually attached to surfaces with a sticky substance.
• Bed bug exoskeletons (shed skins) – As time goes on, adult bed bugs shed their skins which look like tiny brownish flakes.
• Rust-coloured stains (from crushed bed bugs) – You might spot tiny dark spots on the wood furniture here and there.
• Dark spots (bed bug faecal matter) – If you notice tiny dark dots looking kind of like ground black pepper, then this could be bed bug poop.
• Musty odour – A prolonged bed bug infestation might leave the wood furniture with an unpleasant musty smell. This odour is produced by the bugs’ scent glands and has been described as resembling overripe raspberries or coriander — if you catch that distinctive sweet-musty note, take it seriously.
• Tiny white or yellow eggshells – These are usually hard to spot but they suggest that bed bugs have hatched in the exact piece of furniture you are inspecting.
• Small holes or cracks in the wood – Bed bugs can hide in small holes or cracks in wood, using these spaces as harborage areas to stay hidden during the day.
• Slightly raised bumps or blisters on the surface – Raised bumps or blisters on wooden surfaces may indicate areas where bed bugs have clustered or where their eggs are concentrated beneath the surface.

The earliest signs of bed bugs in wood furniture are usually tiny dark faecal spots (like ground pepper) and pale shed skins in joints and crevices — you may notice these long before you ever spot a live bug. Rust-coloured staining from crushed insects is also an early indicator. Focus your inspection on joints, the underside, and any cracks where bugs can shelter unseen.

Check also: What is the First Thing You Should Do If You See Signs of Pest Infestation?

Do bed bugs live on wooden furniture?

Yes — bed bugs regularly inhabit wooden furniture such as bed frames, wardrobes, and nightstands, using cracks and joints as harborage sites during daylight hours.

This is because wooden furniture offers plenty of secluded dark spots and crevices where bed bugs can hide during the day and lay their eggs. Used wooden furniture is particularly at risk because it may have damaged parts, cracks, and holes that give bed bugs easy access.

How do bed bugs infest wood furniture?

Bed bugs infest wood furniture by simply crawling to it from other infested objects or pieces of furniture at the property.

Given enough time and a feeding source, a bed bug infestation will gradually expand. As the population grows, they will populate the spots that offer them darkness and protection. Naturally, the wooden furniture found at the property will be affected as it offers plenty of hiding spots.

Can bed bugs live in wood?

Bed bugs cannot burrow into solid wood the way termites do — they live on or around wood, hiding in pre-existing cracks, joints, and hollow spaces rather than creating their own tunnels.

Wooden furniture simply offers them plenty of dark hiding spots, which is how they come to inhabit it. It’s the gaps and crevices that make wooden pieces attractive, not the wood itself.

Do bed bugs lay eggs on wood?

As bed bugs infest wood furniture, they will lay their eggs in it. Usually, they will lay their eggs in the dark secluded corners and crevices that offer the most protection. However, as those get filled up, eventually they will start to lay eggs in other parts of the furniture, making them a lot more noticeable.

How to remove bed bugs from wood furniture

If you have bought a piece of wood furniture and figured out that it has bed bugs, then you can try to deal with the problem yourself.

(NOTE: Hopefully, you have not brought the furniture into your home yet. In case you have, then keep in mind that some of the bed bugs might have moved out of the piece of furniture and infested other areas of your home.)

Your best option in this case is to carefully wipe the entire piece of furniture with a cloth and wood-safe cleaning product, paying particular attention to joints, cracks, and the underside — not just the visible surfaces. After that, apply a bug spray that targets bed bugs all over the item, concentrating on every crevice and hollow, to tackle adult insects and their eggs. For a more thorough approach, see the heat treatment and professional options covered further down this page.

Steam cleaning is another popular method to deal with bed bugs but you probably don’t have immediate access to such equipment and the high temperature of the steam can actually cause damage to the wood.

Check also: Can Bed Bugs Infest Your Hair?

How to Inspect Second-Hand Furniture for Bed Bugs

Before you start, grab latex gloves and a torch — you’ll need both. The most common places for bed bugs to hide are the wood joins and internal sections of the furniture. Occasionally, you can see signs of an infestation in the furniture legs too.

Noticing an ongoing infestation is no easy task. Tiny nooks, crannies, and cracks in the furniture are perfect bed bug hiding spots. Not only that, but other insects that look like bed bugs can hide there as well. Still, for the time being, let’s focus on bed bugs.

Signs of an upholstered furniture bed bug infestation

It’s easy for bed bugs to burrow into upholstered items since they conceal themselves in seams and pleats.

You should consider the possibility that the furniture was cleaned and vacuumed. In such cases, any evidence of bed bug activity may be absent. You can still perform your own inspection, there’s just a chance that you won’t be able to detect anything.

Look for the same signs as wood furniture — faecal stains, shed skins, eggshells, and musty smell — but focus particularly on seams, zippers, and pleats, where bed bugs concentrate in upholstered items. Run your torch along every seam and tuck the fabric back at joins to check what’s underneath.

It would be best if you inspect second-hand upholstered furniture for any signs of bed bugs. Check the seams, zippers, tags, and cracks on the wooden elements. Bed bugs are more likely to hang out near a bed or couch used for sleeping or leisure than they are to occupy an upholstered dining chair or bar stool. Alternatively, you can look for items not in immediate use by people and aren’t used in the bedroom area or close to the bed.

Find out where the used furniture has been stored

Inquire about the furniture’s storage location. It’s not uncommon for sellers to store their furniture in storage units, leading to bed bug infestations since the units aren’t always sealed and airtight.

In the case of an upholstered piece or an item that’s been left in a storage facility, ask the seller if you can inspect the furniture for pests yourself.

In addition, since many customers move between different storage units, bed bugs can quickly spread from one place to another — much like a hotel room. Furthermore, many people store mattresses and upholstered items in these units, making these perfect environments for bed bugs.

Check also: Bed Bugs on Mattress – What To Do Now?

It’s important to remember that bed bugs can survive for over a year without feeding, so just because some used furniture has been placed in a storage unit for a long time does not mean that they’re dead.

You may want to consider buying used furniture that is kept inside or furniture directly from the seller’s home.

How long does it take for bed bugs to infest furniture?

Bed bugs can start infesting furniture surprisingly quickly. After entering your home — usually by hitchhiking on luggage, clothing, or used furniture — bed bugs can begin laying eggs within days. A single female bed bug can lay up to 250 eggs in her lifetime, and those eggs hatch in about 6 to 10 days.

The exact timing depends on factors like temperature, availability of food (that’s you, your family members, and your pets), and hiding spots, but infestations can develop rapidly if not addressed early. Within a month, a few bed bugs can multiply into a noticeable infestation, especially if left unchecked.

How to get rid of bed bugs in upholstered furniture

If you’re not sure whether a piece of furniture has bed bugs or you wish to purchase a great piece with signs of pests, then you’ll need to clean it thoroughly.

Does steam cleaning kill bed bugs in furniture?

Yes — steam cleaning kills bed bugs and their eggs when the steam reaches at least 82°C directly on the surface. A commercial steamer with a larger capacity and adjustable steam allows for better penetration between fibres, and that higher temperature is what makes it effective against eggs as well as adults. That’s why it’s recommended to book a professional bed bug steam treatment rather than relying on a domestic machine.

Steamers are far more suitable for injecting high temperature on flat surfaces. So, if you have to treat tiny cracks and crevices, these aren’t very reliable. In addition, avoid using carpet cleaning machines. They cannot reach temperatures high enough to kill bed bugs or their eggs.

You should seek professional advice if you don’t know how to use a steamer or don’t have one. Alternatively, you can schedule an appointment with a local pest control company.

Things to avoid when you have bed bugs on your property

Being aware of what not to do is equally important. Fighting a bed bug infestation is hard, mainly because the bugs can develop resistance to a lot of chemicals, which renders all-natural ingredients useless.

Keep in mind to:

• Never use pesticides for agricultural or garden purposes to kill bed bugs. Insecticides used outdoors to control bed bugs can be harmful to your health. Many over-the-counter pesticides claim to eliminate bed bugs, but they might not be powerful enough to destroy insects deep within the upholstery.
  
• Avoid using rubbing alcohol or petroleum products.
  
• Avoid using bed bug bombs. The only effect they have is to spread pests all over the place, but they cannot rid you of them.
  
• Don’t throw your furniture away. It is not a good idea to throw away furniture since you may spread the bugs. There are ways to treat bed bugs in beds and other furniture.

Frequently Asked Questions

Professional bed bug treatment

Getting rid of bed bugs is a complicated process, frequently requiring more than the tools accessible over the counter. Even a few bed bugs can wreak havoc on your property, and the cost of recovering from a bed bug infestation can be quite steep.

Your best option is to call a professional bed bug pest control company and ask them to inspect your property. That way, you’ll know the full extent of the infestation and exactly how much it will cost you to get rid of this pest.

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