A man cautioned others about purchasing furniture second-hand after he discovered the barstool he recently bought from Facebook Marketplace was home to what he said were cockroaches, as seen in a now-viral video.
Posted by TikTok user @blocheadkg, the video was viewed more than four million times as it shows the pests fall from the barstool and onto the ground.
"This [is] why you don't buy used furniture from facebook marketplace," read the caption of the video. "Could have been full of roaches."
Dr. Michael Bentley, a board-certified entomologist and the director of training and education for the National Pest Management Association, told Newsweek in an email that it is possible to introduce pests into a home through second-hand furniture.
"Used items, such as sofas, chairs, beds and even some electronics can all become the perfect hiding places for a number of unwanted pests," he said.
They often prefer to live in areas where most people spend their free time, like chairs, couches and mattresses. Sometimes, they may be found in microwaves, blenders and even alarm clocks.
"Cockroaches are opportunistic pests that can thrive in nearly any home environment once introduced," Bentley said. "Some species, such as the German cockroach, are particularly well-adapted to surviving in close association with humans and are often found infesting second-hand furniture."
These pests can present serious health risks to humans as carriers of parasitic worms, bacteria including E. coli and Salmonella and other human pathogens.
Bentley said cockroaches can also trigger asthma and allergy attacks because of their droppings, saliva and shed skin.
When purchasing furniture, Bentley recommends inspecting and sanitizing the furniture, whether it is used or new.
If there is a pest infestation, he said homeowners should contact a licensed professional to handle the matter.
'Why I Don't Buy Used Furniture'
In his video, @blocheadkg set the camera on the ground before he picked up the modern-looking wooden barstool, which was covered in a light-colored cloth with nailhead trim.
He firmly slammed the barstool's legs on the ground, resulting in numerous roaches tumbling from the seat before scurrying away.
Turning the camera to himself, @blocheadkg shook his head before the video ended.
Viewers were just as disgusted by what they saw.
"You better hope none went in your house and [multiplied]," a viewer wrote.
"No really. Please guys beware," another viewer wrote. "We did this and it was nearly impossible to get rid of them. I still have dreams about them sometimes too."
"This is exactly why I don't buy used furniture," one comment read. "I'm even careful with new furniture."
Newsweek reached out to @blocheadkg for further comment.
This is not the first time creepy crawlers have stunned internet users.
A Reddit post went viral after it showed the view of a fly trap that was full in about six days, while one man found the bug trap under his desk filled with dead spiders.
A hunting dog went viral for her attempt at protecting her family from a bug on the floor.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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