In difficult economic times, many people are finding it necessary to turn to second hand stores or yard sales to find great deals on used furniture pieces.  Some people will even find it hard to resist the temptation of a “free” piece of furniture sitting curbside waiting to be picked up by the Sanitation Department.  In the past, a family may have had to worry about bringing home cockroaches, fleas, or perhaps a spider nest when obtaining used furniture.  Nowadays, there could be a pest like no other lurking in the cracks and crevices of any used furniture piece.  Bed bugs could easily be waiting to make your home, their new home.

The problem is that even for the trained eye, it is very difficult to detect bed bugs on some types of furniture…especially upholstered ones.   If you do choose to pick up used furniture you should not bring it into your home until you have had it inspected and/or treated by a pest control professional.  Another option would be to call in a bed bug sniffing dog which will be able to detect live bed bugs, dead bed bugs, bed bug eggs, fecal spots, and bed bug skins.

New York City has been under siege from nasty blood sucking bed bugs with no real end in sight.  In an effort to try to avoid transferring bed bugs to neighbors and sanitation workers, a new mattress disposal regulation will soon be implemented.  Beginning on December 3, 2010, all mattresses that are placed curbside must be completely encased in plastic so that there is no opportunity for bed bug transfers, even if you don’t have an infestation.  Those who violate this new policy will be fined a whopping $100 per occurrence.  Residents have a grace period until 1/3/11 before the city begins to issue the fines.  Wrapping a mattress in plastic is not easy.  To make it easier, you can use the Protect-A-Bed Storage or Disposal Bag that is available at Stern Environmental Group.  Despite the mattress being wrapped in plastic, there will be those who will still think it is a great find.  When disposing of a bed bug infested mattress, it’s a good idea to put a sign, write in permanent ink, or spray paint “bed bugs” on the mattress so that you too can help end the spread of these little vampires!

My theory is if it’s free, leave it be!  The amount of money you save on a free piece of furniture is not worth the costly expense and aggravation that is caused when your home becomes infested with bed bugs.