The report last week of Chicago’s investigation of 5 stores selling new or used mattresses with bed bugs included a consumer warning (PDF) from Chicago’s Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection that has to rank an important development in the way cities are engaging with the issues of refurbished mattresses.
Illinois, as far as I can tell, seems not to have sanitizing regulations (like New York).
Here is the Illinois used bedding law. The law requires renovators disassemble the components and inspect them. If any “soiling, malodor, and pest infestation” is present, the material cannot be reused:
(410 ILCS 68/20) Sec. 20. Use of secondhand material. Every manufacturer, renovator, rebuilder, repairer, or sanitizer of used bedding shall remove the outer fabric, the inner foam, the pad, any other fabric, and any other textile product, material, or component and shall inspect each such item for soiling, malodor, and pest infestation prior to the sale or distribution of the article. If any material or component of used bedding appears to be soiled, malodorous, or infested, that material or component cannot be reused, sold, or distributed for use in any bedding product. (Source: P.A. 91-164, eff. 7-16-99.)
So, then, the burden on the consumer to beware:
Purchasing a Mattress in Chicago (PDF):
BEWARE OF BED BUGS:
- When buying a used or refurbished mattress, the possibility of bed bugs arises.
- Bed bugs are small wingless insects that bite people and pets and do not transmit diseases.
- Their name comes from their preferred living quarters: mattresses, sofas and other furniture.
- A bed bug problem may not be detected in the store and typically begins after bringing it home.
- Signs to watch out for are clusters of black specks on your mattress. Bed bugs have an oval body and range in color from white, to a golden brown or orange.
- If you suspect bed bugs, take immediate action by contacting the retailer.
If you feel you have been a victim of fraud contact the City of Chicago by calling 311 to file a consumer complaint.
In one sense this is bold—New York City certainly has not done this and the city’s Department of Consumer of Affairs representative appeared disinclined to consider it at the February City Council hearing.
In another sense it is a capitulation. We don’t know how to keep bed bugs out of refurbished mattresses. You are on your own. Beware.
These pages may be of related interest:
- Ending the 30-day trial risk plus remembering the essential mattress problem
- Dateline NBC revisits the reconditioned mattress story
- Dr. Pollack and the 2006 NYC bed bug hearing
- Dr. Philip Tierno: “I would never buy a refurbished mattress, a reconditioned mattress, under any circumstances”
- We are reviewing the new NYS Department of State proposed mattress sanitizing regs
