How to Remove Bed Bugs from Wood Furniture

While we detest many types of bugs, from termites to fleas, bed bugs are top on the list. They are not only a nuisance, but they feed on you as you sleep, are experts at hiding during the day, and seem impossible to get rid of. Fortunately, we know how to remove bed bugs from wood furniture, and we explain simple ways to eradicate these pests from your home.

Waking up in the morning with itchy welts and blood stains is definitely a cause for concern. These are some of the first signs that you have a bed bug problem. While these pests are not always visible upon waking, their presence is obvious, and it’s time to take steps to kill bed bugs.

Your first instinct after seeing signs of bed bugs is to call pest control services. However, not everyone can afford an exterminator. While a bed bug infestation requires serious action, it’s not necessary if you get to the problem right away.

Ways to Get Rid of Bed Bugs in Furniture

Bed bugs are the last thing anyone wants to see within their home. Can you get rid of bed bugs at all? Yes, with a little patience. Learn how to determine if you have bed bugs in your furniture, how to get rid of them using several effective methods, and ways to prevent a recurring problem.

Signs of Bed Bugs in Wood Furniture

Bed bugs and mites have many hiding places, and you often need a magnifying glass to find them. Do you know the signs of wood mites? How do you know if you have a bed bug problem? Here are common signs of bed bugs in wood furniture.

Bed Bugs

These insects hide in crevices that are as small as a credit card inside your bed box spring, headboard, night stands, and other wood furniture.

While this isn’t always a problem with new furniture, it is cause for concern if you purchase used furniture from a second-hand store.

Bed bugs also hang out in inconspicuous areas such as the inside of electrical outlets, screw holes, and baseboards. They are small, reddish-brown, and oval, and they lay eggs in and around furniture such as a bed or couch.

Signs that there is a bug problem are blood stains, bed bug bites, rusty spots of bug excrement, shed skins, and egg shells. If you notice any of these indicators, it’s vital to perform a thorough inspection of the furniture. Clean bed bug stains on the wall or your furniture while you are getting rid of the pests.

Getting Rid of Furniture Bed Bugs by Vacuuming

The first step to get rid of bed bugs is a thorough vacuuming of the room and furniture to suck up adult bed bugs, nymphs, and eggs. Do bed bugs live on leather furniture? They can. Discover how to get rid of bed bugs in furniture using your vacuum cleaner.

Begin by pulling the furniture away from the wall and use your vacuum cleaner hose to clean along the wall and baseboards and the entire floor.

Use the hose attachment to suck dirt and debris from the crevices of the furniture and the brush attachment to clean upholstery. Empty the vacuum into a plastic garbage bag, tie it shut, and dispose of it in the outside trash can.

How to Get Rid of Bed Bugs in Furniture with High Heat

High temperatures are very effective at killing insects, including bed bugs. After vacuuming the furniture, it’s a great idea to use a steamer on the carpeting and upholstery.

Here is how to kill these pests with heat and how to get rid of bed bugs in furniture by using a steam cleaner.

Follow the directions for your steam cleaner model and fill the tank with hot water. Use the hose attachment to steam clean the upholstery of your wooden furniture, making sure to get into all of the creases.

Slide the furniture away from the wall and clean all the carpeting around it, paying special attention to where the rug meets the wall.

How to Remove Bed Bugs from Wood Furniture

While a vacuum cleaner and steam cleaner are valuable tools for removing and killing obvious bugs, they don’t always reach the areas where bed bugs hide. You can make a homemade bed bug spray with alcohol to treat furniture or purchase bug spray.

The fastest way to kill bed bugs on wood is with an insecticide. Cleaning wood furniture with white vinegar, either as a wipe-on or a spray, is also effective.

There are two types of insecticides for killing bed bugs – spray and a fogger. It’s important to follow the instructions for the type you choose to safely and safely use it.

If you opt for a bug spray, wear protective gear such as gloves and a mask and open the window for ventilation. Spray the insecticide as directed along the baseboards, bed frame, dressers, night stands, and any other area of activity.

To use a fogger or bed bug bomb, follow the directions and plan the treatment when you, your family, and pets are out of the house for the day. Set the can in the middle of the room, activate it, and leave immediately.

Killing Bed Bugs with Diatomaceous Earth

After you notice signs of bed bugs in wood furniture, we recommend vacuuming the area and follow up with heat treatment and a bed bug spray. If you prefer not to use commercial pesticides, DE powder for bed bugs is a natural alternative.

Pull the wood furniture away from the walls. Sprinkle a fine layer of diatomaceous earth along the crease where the floor meets the wall and over the surface of your furniture.

Remove the electrical outlet faceplates and use an applicator to puff some of the powder behind the wall.

The bed bugs’ exoskeletons are damaged as they travel over the powder, leading to dehydration and death. Leave the powder as long as possible, and use a vacuum cleaner and damp rags to clean up the dust.

Diatomaceous earth is also the best way to get rid of termites you may find in the house. It costs little and is highly effective.

How to Treat Small Furniture Items for Bed Bugs

The wooden furniture and floor are not the only hiding spots for bed bugs. If your furniture has a blanket throw or small pillows on it, these items require treatment as well.

Both freezing and high temperatures effectively kill bed bugs, so it’s easy to exterminate them in the freezer or clothes dryer. These insects die at 119 degrees Fahrenheit and zero degrees Fahrenheit.

To kill them in the freezer, place the item in a plastic bag, seal it shut and freeze it for at least four days. To kill them with heat, set the items in the dryer, use the highest heat cycle, and run the dryer for at least half an hour.

Ways to Monitor and Prevent Bed Bugs in Furniture

After going through the fiasco of getting rid of bed bugs in your home, you undoubtedly do not want to relive the experience. Here are several tips for monitoring bed bug activity and ways to prevent these nasty pests from getting into your home.

If you live in a rental and have a serious bug problem, call your landlord and request pest management services. Otherwise, place interceptors on all the legs of your furniture to monitor activity and stop them from climbing up onto the couch, bed, or chair.

Vacuum the room and furniture daily and cover your mattresses with a mattress cover as a form of bed bug control. Use an essential oil spray to keep the bugs away. Lavender oil repels bed bugs so they won’t want to live on your furniture.

Avoid purchasing used furniture if possible. If you find a deal at a rummage sale or thrift store, complete a thorough inspection of the item before bringing it into your home.

Check for blood and fecal stains and other signs of bed bugs. Always check your luggage and other items when returning home from a hotel or motel.

Ignoring a bed bug problem hoping that these insects eventually go away on their own is a horrible idea.

It’s crucial to use a bed bug treatment immediately to prevent an infestation of your home. Luckily, there are simple ways to kill bed bugs and stop them from returning.

We hope that learning how to remove bed bugs from wood furniture keeps your home bug-free and helps you sleep at night, and we’d love it if you’d share our bed bug elimination guide with your family and friends on Facebook and Pinterest.