is this dresser too good to be true? in other words, is it bedbugs?

January 31, 2016 8:26 AM

I found a dresser on the sidewalk in Brooklyn yesterday, the 30th. I rushed to take it, since it appeared to be of very high quality and, having recently moved, I needed one! Now, I'm paranoid I may have exposed myself to bedbugs - not because of any obvious empirical evidence, but because the risk in New York City is purportedly so high, and the piece could have been thrown out because of an infestation. (It could also have been the casualty of a move.) The only possible visual sign of any infestation is here, in the base of the dresser: http://imgur.com/ARBrX3K This white substance scattered and disappeared when I tried to scoop a bit of it up with some paper. I think it's probably wood shavings from the dresser itself; an extensive search turned up no obvious signs of droppings, shed skins, the things themselves. But this white, salt-like substance does not seem altogether inconsistent with eggs. Should I get this thing out of my apartment immediately?
posted by barbudo to Home & Garden (11 answers total)

Yes. Don't pick stuff up off the street in NYC.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 8:32 AM on January 31, 2016 [10 favorites]

How much are you willing to spend on a dresser and how much do you like this one? If it's more than the cost of a bedbug dog inspection and very much, respectively, just get an inspection. I don't think there's any point to rushing to throw it away now that the furniture has already been in your house overnight -- just don't put your things in it yet.
posted by telegraph at 8:39 AM on January 31, 2016 [1 favorite]

Never, ever pick up anything off the street in New York. (I live here, can attest to this). It's likely already too late, but get the thing out of there anyway, and then watch for signs of infestation in your apartment anyway.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 8:43 AM on January 31, 2016

I've gotten some really great shit from the sidewalks of Brooklyn (stool, sidetable, etc). I think it's fine to grab stuff so long as it's not upholstered (no couches or mattresses, etc). Sprinkle some diatomaceous earth around inside, then a few days later use a handvac and make sure to vacuum all the cracks, or you could get a handsteamer and steam all the cracks also. And if you really want to be sure, get a plastic mattress bag and tie it up for a few weeks. Just be vigilant about checking for bites and looking in your mattress for bugs for a few weeks until you're sure you didn't bring them in. If you catch bedbugs early on, it makes the fall-out a lot easier to deal with.
posted by greta simone at 8:53 AM on January 31, 2016 [3 favorites]

barbudo: "it appeared to be of very high quality"

If the dresser would be significantly expensive to replace I'd just treat it with heat to be sure rather than throwing it away. For a $100 you'd be sure any bedbugs within were dead. I'd imagine in NYC you can even rent commercial heated tents for this purpose.
posted by Mitheral at 9:41 AM on January 31, 2016

Honestly in the future, this is just not worth the risk. Source: former bedbug infestation
posted by sideofwry at 9:47 AM on January 31, 2016 [1 favorite]

former NYC bedbug plague survivor here: it is definitely not worth it, and in NYC I believe it is illegal to take used furniture from the streets for this reason. It's not worth a nice free dresser, especially because we spent upwards of $3k dealing with the infestation.
posted by eusebis_w_adorno at 9:51 AM on January 31, 2016 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: thanks, everyone. i've got a friend coming over shortly, and we'll most likely take the thing outside. my hesitation, based on what i know about the risk, was mitigated by the fact that visually, the thing looks completely clean. if bedbugs were going about their business in the dresser, laying eggs, i'd think there'd be other signs of their presence. (i know, though, that it only takes a few eggs hatching to lead to a full-blown infestation).

in retrospect, i certainly wouldn't have done this again. i obviously wasn't aware it was illegal.
posted by barbudo at 10:06 AM on January 31, 2016

Really sad for something to go to the landfill if it might be fine...I appreciate when people put a sign on free things saying 'no bedbugs.' Just to quickly comment on the legality--it's only illegal if you happen to be driving a car. Despite my paranoia about bedbugs, I've picked up numerous things off the sidewalk over the years, checked them carefully, and never had a problem. If you want a free dresser, I feel like it's pretty safe to get one from someone giving one away on Craigslist, if they seem trustworthy (ask, obviously, if they've ever had bedbugs).
posted by three_red_balloons at 11:25 AM on January 31, 2016

Best answer: I dealt with a bedbugs off and on in my NYC apt for 18 months, so I know the potential pain you're facing.

That said, I think there are a few things you could do if you want to keep this dresser.

1. Vacuum the dresser throroughly and then take out the vacuum bag immediately, wrap it in plastic and throw it away.

2. Go to Broadway Pest Control on Amsterdam avenue and get some do-it-yourself materials. Get a spray and some diotemaceous earth based dust. Treat the dresser with spray once, then again a week later.

I think if you do this you will greatly minimize, if not eliminate, the risk. But it's up to you if you want to do the work to eliminate any possible infestation or just dump the dresser.
posted by brookeb at 11:50 AM on January 31, 2016

If it looks clean and you take appropriate and thorough preventative measures as described above, I say keep it. Bedbugs aren't wizards, or travelling between dimensions. They or their eggs need to actually be somewhere in the dresser, and there's nothing for them to hide in.
posted by zjacreman at 2:07 PM on January 31, 2016 [6 favorites]