I have bought almost all my furniture used, and I have never once brought home bedbugs. That is not luck. It is because I inspect everything like I am about to bring a stranger into my bedroom, which, in a sense, I am.

Used furniture saves a fortune, but a bedbug infestation costs thousands to treat. The math only works if you check first.

The inspection that matters

Bedbugs are not a sign of a dirty home, so you cannot judge by how nice a place looks. They are hitchhikers, and they hide in seams and cracks. You have to look.

1. Bring a flashlight and look along every seam, crevice, and under every cushion.
2. Look for live bugs, which are flat and reddish brown, about the size of an apple seed.
3. Look for black speck stains, which are their droppings, or tiny pale shed skins.
4. Check the joints of wooden frames, not just the cushions.

The seams are where they hide during the day. If you see dark staining around the seams or corners, walk away.

The safe way to bring it home

Even a clean inspection is not a guarantee, so I always treat the item as suspect until proven clean.

• Skip used mattresses and box springs entirely. That is the one thing I will never buy secondhand.
• Vacuum every surface and throw the vacuum bag away immediately, outside.
• Heat is the killer. If it is small enough, run it through a hot dryer cycle, or leave it in a hot car in full sun for a day.
• Seal it in a plastic bag during transport so nothing spreads.

Bedbugs die at sustained heat, so the dryer trick is my favorite for anything fabric. For solid wood, a close inspection plus a good wipe down is usually enough.

Used furniture is still the best deal around. Just do the two minute check before you load it into your car.