Can Garage Sales Bring Home Bed Bugs?

Alana Korol

May 30, 2019

In a recent blog, we discussed why it’s almost always a bad idea to bring home furniture from a garage sale or craigslist. After all, you decide what comes into your home, and not bringing in something with bedbugs is one way in which you can control the situation. So while it’s possible to take some precautions and make sure some pieces of furniture are bed bug safe, there are just some pieces that should be avoided at all costs (mattresses and upholstered furniture are certainly two of them).

“Okay,” you might think, “I don’t need any furniture anyway. But I sure do love a good garage sale. Can’t wait until Saturday!” Hold on a moment, we’re afraid we have to ruin a bit of your fun. While furniture is almost always a no-no, we’ve got some smaller items that are also a good idea to avoid. When you’re looking for a bargain, you have to ask yourself “how confident am I that this doesn’t have bed bugs?” and “is it worth the risk?”

Stuffed Animals

Danger Level: High

Head to Toys R Us and take a look at the price of stuffed animals. $8, $15, $25, $149.99?! So when you see a stuffed animal at a garage sale for a quarter, it can be tempting to give in when your son or daughter starts hugging it and going on about how “totes adorbs” it is.

Sorry kids, but as cute as it is, it should be left at the garage sale. Sure it could have bed bugs, but it also probably has other “features” that you’ll want to avoid as well, like dried snot and saliva.

Bags and Luggage

Danger Level: Sky High

Okay, let’s think back to some recent blogs and detail the most common way that bed bugs get into people’s homes. The answer is that they travel in luggage that brings them in after people have been an infested hotel.

So, the luggage is definitely out. But what about bags, including purses and camera bags? Best not to risk it. They’re filled with nooks and cranny’s that the little vampires can hide in.

Bedding and Pillows

Danger Level: High

Best to leave it at the garage sale. If you just can’t say no, you’d better be willing to wash them in hot water and put them in your dryer on the hottest setting. Just make sure no bugs drop to the floor on the way to the washing machine.

Electronics

Danger Level: Pretty Low, but...

Are we going to ruin all the fun? What’s wrong with electronics? Well, we weren’t going to mention it until this story broke last week, about PlayStation 4’s being particularly susceptible to roach infestations. Yes, you read that right. Remember, insects are cold-blooded, so they like any place that’s a) warm, like a gaming console, b) has easy access, like heat dispersing vents, and c) safe, thanks to predators not being able to get through the vents.

While we deal exclusively in bed bug eradication products, we just thought we’d tell you what you could be in for if you have a gaming console in our bedroom. After all, bed bugs are cold-blooded too. And they’re just as nasty as cockroaches, so they’d probably get along pretty well!

So, what’s safe to purchase at garage sales? Perfectly smooth glass balls. That’s it.

We kid of course, but we thought it best to tell you that it’s always important to be careful about purchasing bed bugs, uh, we mean, great deals at a garage sale. If you just can’t give them up, make sure you have a plan in place when you get home, whether it’s a clothes washer and dryer, a handheld steamer, or some bed bug killing spray.

Let us at Bed Bug Store assist you. All our products come with a 90-day 100% satisfaction guarantee. We have been relieving customers of their bed bugs for over 15 years. Our products are also 100% all-natural, chemical and pesticide-free. The smell you notice when using our solution, is peppermint.

Safe for children and pets, completely deadly for bed bugs.

Our sprays are made with 100% effective natural ingredients and essentials oils, making Bed Bug Patrol a great alternative to harsh pesticides and insecticides which bed bugs are becoming increasingly resistant to.

Enjoy the safety of knowing your bed bug battle will soon be won by the all-natural power of Bed Bug Patrol.