apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

This is a great episode! BUT the Mike Birbiglia bit is by far the best part of Fear of Sleep. I've saved all the This American Life podcasts over the last year and recently I deleted quite a few. However, I made sure to save Fear of Sleep since it's one of my favorites. It aired almost an entire year ago.

Word of warning to squeamish folks: This is a squirm-inducing podcast. Not only is there a story about bedbug infestations, but there's also a doozy about roaches. But I'll agree that it's one of the better TAL episodes.

Four of the units in my building have had bedbugs since January. My upstairs neighbor has seriously lost her mind...After months of extermination, we (the condo association) just paid $5,000 to have those units heat treated - they come in with electric heaters and raise the indoor temperature to 160 degrees to kill the bugs and their eggs.

Question -- My husband and I are moving to NYC and I'm so excited to hit the thrift stores and antique shops. Some people are telling me I should *never* buy used furniture for risk of bedbugs.

Now... i highly doubt the second hand furniture business in NYC has gone out of business. Is it possible to clean or treat furniture from thrift / antique stores before bringin it into your home?

divared,

I would never buy upholstered furniture used due to bed bug issues (I've known too many people who got them).

If it's not upholstered you could carefully examine it for traces of bugs (look online for images of what infestations look like).

Lived through a bedbug incident in college - took months until I could fall asleep without fearing creepy crawlies.

Our mattresses/furniture etc... were all brand new - the buggies came from the carpets which had been cleaned prior to us moving in. The exterminator indicated that they hide out under the baseboards and are fairly common in places with a high-occupancy turnover rate, new mattress or not!

i actually fear getting bedbugs more than i fear getting cancer or aids. it's pretty much the main reason i've stopped trash picking furniture or buying furniture at sidewalk sales.

i just cannot afford to have bedbugs. roaches and mice don't bother me in the least. a couple mouse traps and some raid, no problem.... but bed bugs?? you get them, and you're screwed big time.

Ummm, yea.

My mother in law died of cancer. Pretty sure she would have rather dealt with bedbugs.

Just an amusing side note on the picture you have selected for the story: I've heard many a story concerning someone coming across free mattresses while walking or biking, making a sign declaring an infestation of bed bugs to ensure nobody takes it, and then returning later to pick up the item.

To see the above photo was amusing.

ndmlosi, I would assume that story is apocryphal. Only a fool would pick up a free mattress anymore. My dh and I were the staunchest of reduce/reuse/recyclers and after spending over $4K to rid ourselves of bedbugs (which came from wooden bedside tables & a headboard with no soft elements) we are never buying used or picking again.