Can Bed Bugs Live in Leather Couches?

The main food source for a bed bug is typically a human while they are asleep. That’s how bed bugs get their name. They tend to make a home near or in your bed, so they can come out at night for a quick feeding. That doesn’t mean bed bugs won’t be found in other locations. They’re frequently hiding in couches or other furniture. Can bed bugs live in a leather couch? They absolutely have enough nooks and crannies there to thrive. If you discover bed bugs and leather are a perfect combination in your living room, this is a bit trickier of a situation when it comes to eradicating them.

Inspecting for Bed Bugs

You may have lifted up a cushion on your leather couch and discovered a bed bug colony. There’s also the chance that you have bed bugs within the cushions but can’t see their trail because they’ve found a way into the frame or cushions. There are a few things to look for that will confirm a bed bug infestation. Once confirmed, you can begin to brainstorm how to get rid of bed bugs in a couch.

• Black spots will indicate that there is bed bug waste on your leather couches. They could be streaks or small specks.
• Bed bugs will molt their skin as part of their five growth stages. Molting occurs between the point of hatching and reaching the age of maturity where they can reproduce.
• Dried blood will indicate that they have been feeding off a food source.
• Eggs are very small, but you can see them with the naked eye. They are approximately half the size of a grain of rice. They are typically laid within the deep cracks of your leather sofa where they won’t be disturbed.
• You may be able to see the bed bugs themselves when they are mature or they have recently fed off of a host. They will be the size of an apple seed when full grown.

Cleaning Your Leather Couch to Remove Bed Bugs

Cleaning a leather couch is a little bit different than cleaning an upholstered sofa. You have to be careful to not damage the leather. Once you’ve taken apart the couch as best as you can (removing cushions and covers), you can use a vacuum with attachments to get into all of the different cracks of your sofa. Just be careful that you’re not using an attachment that will damage or scratch the leather.

Don’t forget to move the entire couch and clean underneath on the floor and the underside of the sofa. You should also be vacuuming the crack where the baseboard meets the floor around your sofa. Remove the vacuum bag or container from the house so the bed bugs cannot escape into another area of the home.

Steam Cleaning

You don’t want to steam clean the leather on your sofa, but there may be a fabric interior of the sofa when the top cushions are removed. This area can be steam cleaned to kill and remove any bed bugs, larvae and eggs. You may want to spot treat a small area to make sure it’s not going to become damaged. An effective steam cleaner will heat up to a minimum of 180 degrees Fahrenheit. This kills bed bugs on contact without the use of harsh chemicals.

Interceptor

If you want to stay away from dangerous chemicals to kill and prevent bed bugs, there are interceptor products that will lure the bed bugs away from your couch. It’s essentially a trap that will result in the bed bug falling into a container that they cannot get out of. You can remove the trap from the home and dispose of it properly.

There are a few different types of material bed bugs like and dont like. While leather might not be the most appealing to them, there is still the chance that they will find the interior of the couch plenty comfortable.

If you’re having a tough time removing the bed bugs from your leather couch on your own, you can use a professional to help the process along. Because this is a commonly used area of your home, there are some safe products and methods that can be used for removal of the bed bugs.