Before you buy a used piece of furniture, remember that just because it may look nice on the outside, doesn’t mean it is on the inside. It’s best to inspect used furniture before buying to avoid pest infestation in your home. By taking the right precautions when inspecting, you won’t have to miss out on buying inexpensive furniture and avoid calling an exterminator. To help you save money on furniture costs and keep your house pest-free, we have tips on where to look for hidden pests and how to identify them in second hand furniture. Before you buy a piece of furniture at a yard sale or anywhere else, try to avoid choosing anything upholstered. “The truth is, you probably won’t notice if your furniture is infected by bed bugs as the person selling it would have steam cleaned it most of the times,” said Amber Morris, pest control expert at 24/7 Pest Control. “But bed bugs are quite difficult to eradicate and with upholstered furniture, it is certain that they are still alive in there and it’s just a matter of time before you see the signs of infestation.”
So the next time you decide to buy used furniture, a good tip would be to choose a chair or barstool because bed bugs are most likely to set up fort on a bed or couch. “If you want to be on the safe side, but still not 100% safe, that’s how adaptable bed bugs are, pick furniture made of solid materials and has a simple design,” said Morris. “Bed bugs are quite stealthy and indestructible, and can survive on the oddest of surfaces, such as pleats and seams of lampshades.” Bed bugs are one problem, but when choosing wooden furniture, keep an eye out for termites. According to Orkin, signs of termites in your furniture include caved-in wood and visible mazes. The Bed Bug Treatment Site provides steps on how to inspect second hand furniture for bed bugs: Remember, bed bugs don’t only live in beds and couches. They can reside in the nails and screw holes on the backside of framed pictures. And even underneath loose paint on the frame! “These are just a few places – bed bugs can hide in just about anything you can think of – shoes, rugs, bags, plush toys,” said Morris.
While it may be hard to pass up a free couch or chair sitting on the side of the road (especially if you’re in need of one), it’s best not to. Not only for sanitary purposes, but for termites, bed bugs and other pests. The Bed Bug Treatment Site indicates that furniture left on the side of the road is generally thrown away for good reason. When going to yard sales, don’t be afraid to ask the seller if the furniture has ever had a prior pest infestation. According to Galin Kolev of Fantastic Pest Control, if you realize that the furniture you brought home is infested with bed bugs – take it outside immediately. “Seal every cushion cover in a plastic bag. Go to your dryer and empty the bag inside it,” said Kolev. “Run the covers on high heat for at least half an hour and dispose of the plastic bag in a trash bin outside.” You should also vacuum the furniture along the seams, folds and other hidden areas. Once done, remove the vacuum bag and dispose of it.
If your furniture has a termite issue, spread out newspaper on your basement or garage floor, put your furniture on top of it and shut all of the doors and windows. Next, you should either spray the furniture with a bug spray or use a bug bomb. “Bug bombs are some of the best ways to get rid of any unwanted pests,” said Evan Harris, co-founder of SD Equity Partners – a real estate finance company that deals with second hand furniture on almost every property flip. “Essentially these are little devices that emit a poisonous gas that kills larvae and insects. They can be purchased at most supermarkets or hardware stores.” Also, hiring an exterminator is an effective option – but can be expensive. Hire one if you feel like you can’t control the issue and need help. “Your last resort should be to contact a pest control company, which will inspect the item you’ve purchased and treat it,” said Kolev. “The downside here is that bed bug extermination services don’t come cheap, however, it’s the most efficient option you got.”
So the next time you’re at a yard sale, make sure you do a thorough check for bed bugs and termites before bringing furniture or decor inside your home. Do you have any tips on checking furniture for pests? Share in the comments below!In Bristol since 1982, The Sofa Project charity is named after the acronym to Shift Old Furniture Around. It has a store at West Street, Old Market, selling pre-loved furniture and electricals, with a free car park at the rear. There's also a large warehouse at Silverthorne Lane, St Phillip's. Both are open six days a week, Monday to Saturday, and you can buy online via eBay. .uk A social enterprise project giving homeless people a home and work, Emmanus has two retail outlets, at Backfields House, Upper York Street in Stokes Croft, and 72 Bedminster Parade in Bedminster. The stores are open six days a week and there's an eBay shop. .uk Another social enterprise, this time helping people who are recovering from addiction, The Compass Project has two stores, one on Broad Street, Staple Hill (open seven days) selling furniture and the other at Gloucester Road, which sells clothes, books and other items alongside furniture.
This store is open Monday to Saturday. .uk Operating from a warehouse at Bristol Vale Industrial Estate, Hartcliffe Way, Bedminster, this charitable store aims to give both people and furniture a second chance. It's open daily except for Thursday. Contact: BS35RJ / 0117 963 7178 / 2ndchance@ndchancebristol.co.uk In the heart of Bristol's arts and retro scene in Stokes Croft, this place is affiliated to Second Chance Furniture (above) and is great for used and restyled clothing, furniture, crafts and other bits 'n' bobs. Open Wednesday to Sunday. Contact: BS1 3PY / 07825 068676 Open Monday to Saturday, Happytat is another Stokes Croft goodies cave and social enterprise selling recycled, restored and upcycled donated household goods. British Heart Foundation Furniture and Electricals Cheap and cheerful charity shop selling donated items from the store in East Street, Bedminster. Contact: BS3 4HB / 0117 321 1560 Specialising in uber cool furniture, lighting and taxidermy (yes, really), this old shop on Colston Street is an interior designer's dream.
It's full of vintage and antique items - and the website is beautifully dark and moody. Contact: BS1 5AX / 07789145175 / info@dig-haushizzle.co.uk Selling furniture and vintage items, including record players, from a shop on St George's Road. It's open Tuesday to Saturday. Contact: BS1 5UW / 0117 926 8453 Antiques and vintage interiors items, including clothing and accessories, arranged over two stores in fashionable Clifton Village. Open seven days a week in Waterloo Street. An Aladdin's Cave, this shop on Gloucester Road, Bishopston, is full of upcycled, quirky, trendy treasures - perfectly reflecting the people of the neighbourhood. Contact: BS7 8TG / Facebook / 0117 924 8000. In Bedminster's increasingly trendy North Street, Rhubarb Jumble sells "nifty threads and oddities for the home". Check out the Instagram page for a peek at stock. House clearance specialist Hodgsons, on Stapleton Road, Easton, has been running since 1918. Visit the shop or buy online via the website. On Cheltenham Road, Stokes Croft, there's no website, so you'll just have to pay a visit.
Contact: BS6 5QZ / 0117 908 6893 On Mina Road, St Werburgh's, this place buys and sells furniture of all sorts and vintages. Contact: BS2 9XW / 07407 701533. With everything from antiques to budget buys, this West Street store is full of the unusual and quirky that's become typical of outlets in Old Market Quarter. Open Monday to Saturday. Contact: BS2 0BL / 0117 923 95482 Long-established Gloucester Road store for new beds, sofas, tables, chairs and wardrobes plus secondhand pieces. Open six days, closed on Sundays. Contact: BS7 8NZ / 0117 949 0904 In the South Gloucestershire village of Westerleigh, near Yate, this emporium sells everything and anything for home and garden. There's a car wash and cafe too, and it's packed at weekends. Open Wednesday to Monday. No website or Facebook page, no phone, and no cards accepted either. It's old school cash ony here. Promise it's well worth the visit to BS37. Estalished four decades ago, The Attic is a house clearance specialist based at North Street, Downend.
Open Tuesday to Saturday. Based at Dragon Road, Winterbourne, but with a comprehensive website, Roger sells new and refurbished items for every room in the home. Contact: BS36 1BQ / 07 864 337 194 / sales@rogersfurniture.co.uk Operating from Cattle Market Road in St Phillip's, this place saves all things timber from landfill. You'll find some furniture, but also shelves, doors, logs and charcoal, plus bit and pieces for DIY projects. .uk This architectural salvage business is open seven days a week at Parkway Trading Estate, St Werburgh's, specialising in doors, floors and fireplaces, but also basins, lighting and random household fixtures such as period switches and radiators. Contact: BS2 9PG / 07881 817372 / sales@doorsfloorsfireplaces.co.uk From the yard at Park Road, Southville, Bristol Reclamation stocks a wide range of period and more modern furniture, plus things like floorboards and fireplaces. The team can also create bespoke pieces to order. Open Tuesday to Sunday. Contact: BS3 1PU / 0117 953 2111