One of the most common misconceptions about bed bugs is that they only live in beds. In reality, they are actually not that fussy where they live… Any part of your home is just as good as your comfortable bed. Yes, this means that bed bugs are more than happy to settle down in your wood furniture…
Why do bed bugs like wood furniture?
Bed bugs don’t necessarily like wood furniture. It’s just that they are not picky about where they reside, and many homeowners happen to have a lot of wood furniture in their homes: making these household items as good a target as any.
As long as the items have nooks and crannies where bed bugs can slide in and out with ease, they are a potential nest. Wood furniture pieces are vulnerable to wear and tear. They may end up with cracks, crevices, and holes that bed bugs will find comfortable. It also doesn’t help that wood furniture pieces are often undisturbed and left alone in the corners of homes.
And no, bed bugs don’t eat wood. They just treat wood furniture as their shelter as they wait for opportunities to suck your blood.
What wood furniture pieces are vulnerable to bed bugs?
Practically all kinds of wood furniture pieces are vulnerable to these pests. Here are the most common wood furniture pieces in homes to give you an idea of how versatile these pests are when it comes to shelter:
- Bed frames
- Bookshelves and open cabinets
- Chairs
- Desks
- Drawers
- Dressers and wardrobes
- Nightstands
Wood furniture pieces are not just vulnerable to cracks, crevices, and holes. They also have corners, gaps, hinges, and joints that are just as attractive to bed bugs.
What are the signs you have bed bugs in your wood furniture?
You should look for these on the voids where bed bugs can reside. You shouldn’t also ignore undisturbed parts, like the legs of the furniture pieces.
- Live bed bugs. Seeing live bed bugs is the strongest sign you have an infestation on your property.
- Bed bug eggs. Bed bug eggs look like white capsules. They are small and hard to find, but the fact that they are often found in clusters makes them easier to spot.
- Bed bug carcasses. You may have accidentally killed bed bugs and you may see their carcasses around. You may also see some exoskeletons of bed bugs because shedding is part of the bed bug life cycle.
- Black or brown stains. These stains are fecal matter. You may see a lot of these near their hiding spots. You may also see red stains, which are blood from crushed bed bugs.
- Musky smell. Bed bugs release pheromones that give off a musky smell. You may not be able to smell pheromones from a single bed bug. But you will definitely smell them if multiple bed bugs release them. The musky smell is actually one of the signs of a serious infestation.
How do you get rid of bed bugs in wood furniture?
Bed bugs are not just minor inconveniences. They can be serious risk to health. They are unsanitary and they can bite you and your family. It doesn’t help that these pests are survivors. They are not easy to eliminate. But it is possible.
Here are some ways to get rid of these pests.
- Call a pest control professional. Bed bugs are hard to get rid of, especially if you are not a pest control professional. If you hire a professional, you are sure they will diagnose the problem properly, gauge its severity, and eliminate the infestation appropriately. They have the knowledge and the tools to do so.
- Try using a steam cleaner. Bed bugs die at extreme temperatures. You can use this to your advantage. Steam clean the furniture, giving particular attention to the common hiding spots.
- Throw away the infested wood furniture piece. Sometimes, it’s not a bad idea to just cut your losses. Throw away the infested wood furniture piece so it doesn’t spread bed bugs on your property further. But also remember that most wood furniture infested with bed bugs can be saved.
How do you avoid future bed bug infestations in wood furniture?
Your pest control efforts will be wasted if you don’t put preventive measures in place. You may just suffer from a bed bug infestation again in the future. Here are some things you can do to avoid bed bug infestations, particularly for your wood furniture.
- Declutter your home to reduce bed bug hiding spots. Decluttering is always a good idea to avoid various pests, not just bed bugs. More clutter just means there are more spots where pests can hide. If you have no use of the items, throw them away. If the items are sentimental and you don’t want to get rid of them, at least wrap them or put them in places like containers so they don’t become pest hiding spots.
- Always clean up to get rid of hitchhiking bed bugs. Bed bugs can thrive not just in beds and wood furniture pieces. They can thrive in carpets, curtains, and practically anywhere. Always clean your home to prevent bed bugs from thriving on your property.
- Check secondhand furniture before purchasing. One of the most common ways to get bed bugs at home is by getting them from secondhand furniture. That’s why it’s important to meticulously inspect secondhand furniture before buying it. This is particularly true for bed frames, sofas, and soft-cushioned chairs.
Get rid of the bed bugs in your wood furniture
So, bed bugs don’t just live in beds… They can thrive in other parts of your home, including your wood furniture. Luckily, having bed bug infested wooden furniture is not the end of the world. There are known methods to get rid of bed bugs in in your wood furniture.
But prevention will always be better than cure. Bed bug prevention is not as complicated as it seems. Maintaining the cleanliness of your home and being careful of hitchhiking bed bugs that may start infestations are good preventive measures.