Bed bugs know how to evade detection, and furniture is one of their favorite places to hide. While we mostly associate bed bugs with mattresses, these pests are just as likely to infest couches, chairs, dressers, and other household furnishings. Knowing how to spot bed bugs early, before an infestation spreads, can save homeowners time, money, and lot of stress.
Why Bed Bugs Love Furniture
Bed bugs prefer to stay close to where humans rest and sleep. Furniture provides plenty of cracks and crevices where they can hide during the day so they can come out at night to feed. Upholstered furniture is especially attractive to bed bugs because the fabric, seams, and padding offer warmth as well as safety.
Secondhand furniture typically comes with a higher risk of bed bugs. But new furniture can also become infested if bed bugs are already present in the home.
Common Furniture Bed Bugs Like to Infest
When we think of bed bugs we naturally think of bedroom furniture as prime hiding spots. But these pests rarely restrict themselves to a single room or area in a home and can be found in an array of household furnishings.
For example, it’s not unusual to find bed bugs in:
- Sofas and Couches
- Recliners and Armchairs
- Bed Frames and Headboards
- Nightstands
- Dressers
- Wooden Chairs and Benches
- Upholstered Furniture Office Furniture
Key Signs of Bed Bugs in Furniture
Spotting bed bugs in furniture requires looking for several tell-tale sign rather than just the insects themselves. The most obvious signs of infested furniture include:
- Live Bed Bugs – Bed bugs tend to hide deep in cracks and crevices, and it may be necessary to use a flashlight to spot them. Adult bed bugs are typically about the size of an apple seed and will be flat, oval and reddish brown. Younger bed bugs, or nymphs, will be smaller and lighter in color.
- Dark Stains or Spots – Small black or brown spots on furnishings may be bed bug droppings. These stains often appear on fabric, wood, or along seams and joints. If you lightly wipe these stains with a damp cloth and they smear, that’s a good indication that there are bed bugs present.
- Shed Skins – As bed bugs grow they shed their exoskeletons. These pale, translucent skins often collect in hiding areas and can be found in corners, joints, and underneath cushions.
- Eggs and Eggshells – Bed bug eggs are about the size of a pinhead. They’re white and oval shaped. They can typically be found sticking to cracks or fabric seams, making them difficult to notice without close inspection.
How to Inspect Upholstered Furniture
Upholstered furnishings are one of the most common hiding places for bed bugs. They’re warm and offer easy access to their hosts. When inspecting upholstered furniture you should start by removing all cushions and looking at every seam, zipper, and fold. Pay special attention to piping, tufts, and buttons. Use a flashlight to look inside creases and underneath fabric edges.
Next, flip the furniture over and inspect the underside. Check the dust cover (the thin material stapled to the bottom), the frame, and anywhere the fabric meets the wood. Bed bugs often hide where materials change or where staples and tacks are located.
How to Inspect Hard Furniture
Wooden furniture offers plenty of cracks, crevices, joints and screw holes that appeal to bed bugs as hiding places. Examine corners, joints, and drawer slides for any signs of bed bug activity. Remove drawers completely and inspect inside, underneath, and along the tracks. Check behind any decorative trim, along glued edges, and around hardware.
Headboards and bed frames should be given extra attention, especially where they attach to mattresses and box springs.
What Tools Will You Need for Your Inspections?
Fortunately, everything you need for your inspections is easy to find and likely in your kitchen junk drawer.
The tools you’ll need include:
- Flashlight (for examining dark cracks and crevices)
- Credit card or thin scraper to probe seams
- Magnifying glass for spotting eggs and nymphs
- Gloves (to avoid direct contact with dead bugs, shed skins, and fecal matter)
What Not to Do When You Find Bed Bugs
If you suspect bed bugs have infested a piece of furniture avoid dragging the item through your home. This will only likely spread the infestation. Don’t immediately discard any furniture unless advised by a professional, since improper disposal of infested items can lead to bed bugs spreading to other homes or apartments. Avoid spraying over-the-counter pesticides on or around any furnishings as this can cause bed bugs to scatter and make the problem more difficult to control.
If you find signs of bed bugs it’s best to contact a pest control professional as quickly as possible. Early intervention is key, and professionals can confirm the infestation, identify hiding places, and recommend an effective treatment plan.
Spotting bed bugs in furniture requires patience, attention to detail, and regular inspections. This is especially true if you live in multi-unit housing, travel frequently, or are prone to bringing secondhand items into your home. But knowing where to look and what signs to watch for can help you catch bed bugs early and prevent a small problem from becoming a full blown infestation.
Published by Scott Palatnik
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