Will my vintage couch bug me?

Technically, bedbugs can live in bookshelves and desks and so on - in the crannies and corners. However, these are not preferred bedbug dwelling places. I guess I would buy furniture that was amenable to close visual inspection and then vacuum it well before bringing it into the house. Ie, avoid deep, overstuffed pieces, favor mid-century style stuff that has a wood frame and cushions.) But consider that bedbugs have been found in commercial shops selling new clothes! Past a certain point, you just have to charge ahead or resign yourself to living without furniture.

For a sofa, first, inspect the piece carefully. Know what to look for in terms of bedbug "leavings." If you see no evidence of this and want to proceed with the furniture, buy a cheap steamer or steam cleaner ($30-$50 on Amazon) and steam the upholstered furniture very thoroughly the first time you bring it into the house. Steam heat kills them. Wipe down all wood surfaces with a healthy dose of Murphy's Oil Soap. I've done this in a bedbug-infested neighborhood twice with used pieces, and have had no problems.

Imagine getting bed bugs like getting a mosquito bite. It's possible anywhere because the bugs are everywhere. Get a piece that you like and if it has fabric or cushions, do a thorough cleaning. It's hard to say who may or may not have bed bugs.

It depends where you go. I've been in second hand stores that I would be worried about, and in ones where it would never cross my mind. The best kind of place is a dedicated "furniture consignment store." These generally have the nicest pieces, and have a lot of items that bed bugs couldn't live in (only a few couches, but a lot of desks, table, dining room furniture, bookshelves, etc). They check things out thoroughly before accepting them, so that combination makes it really low risk.

http://ask.metafilter.com/228183/Will-my-vintage-couch-bug-me: "My question is, how high is the bed-bug risk from higher-end used furniture?" I'd say approaching nil. I think that bedbugs are way more common than people think, while bedbug infestations are way less common. But beyond that, a reputable furniture seller gets by on reputation (there's a tautology for ya). They're not going to want to sell you a piece of furniture that's infested with bugs.

I think the chances are very low. However, if it's going to bug you then get buy upholstered pieces new and get unupholstered stuff from consignment. Your chances of picking up bedbugs from a dining room table approach nil (though it is possible). What's the good of having a sofa and chairs where you can't relax?

Thanks everyone! I guess a really determined bedbug can find its way anywhere! (And, fwiw, I haven't had any hitchhike home on secondhand clothes.) It's just that I'm one of those people who can't help scratching at even the mention of bedbugs. I already have a few nice pieces handed down or inherited. Unfortunately, none of them is a sofa, which is the one item I really need! I think that and a bedframe will be what I wind up splurging on, and buy from reputable consignment stores and cross my fingers for the rest.

http://ask.metafilter.com/228183/Will-my-vintage-couch-bug-me#3302128: "I think that and a bedframe will be what I wind up splurging on, and buy from reputable consignment stores and cross my fingers for the rest." Actually, I'd do the opposite. A bedframe is made (usually) from wood or metal, which makes it (a) generally resistant to infestation, and (b) durable. Upholstered furniture does not age nearly as well, and usually requires more work to be made comfortable.

Something in your favor is that you live in a detached house--which at least means that if on the off chance you somehow DO get bedbugs, you'd be able to get rid of them more easily than someone living in an apartment building where they could spread to your neighbors' apartments and keep coming back if the whole building isn't treated appropriately. That's where a lot of nightmare stories come in. If you want to be super-cautious and have the time and space, you can wrap stuff up properly and store it for a set amount of time until any possible bugs or eggs are dead. But if not, I would look for furniture from people who don't have a lot of traffic in their homes. Apartment shared by a few roommates who travel and have guests often and have people moving in and out often? High risk. Estate sale or older established couple who buy everything new or have had their home furnished for years? Low risk.