I am sure some folks do that more diligently than I do . I usually inspect them carefully before buying. Once home I would hit them with alcohol spray (70% alcohol diluted 1:1 with water).

The alcohol sounds like a good preventative. I will do that. And inspecting them before purchase is also a good idea. It is hard when one sees a pretty plant that would be nice to bring home to set it back down if it seems sick. But after reading much on these forums about pests and how hard they can be to treat, I certainly need to be more diligent!

I am going back through many old threads and found this. It may be helpful for others that are interested and find this thread.

http://forums2.gardenweb.com/discussions/1492068/post-purchase-examination-and-management-of-new-plants?n=7

I keep them a little further away from my main plants until confirmed they are pest-free. Everything is washed and repotted.

Most important is leaves between plants are not touching, as that can spread pests quickly.

Horticulture spray....( don't try to mix your own unless you have mastered those skills )

I actually keep them in a separate room for a couple of weeks. That way I can monitor over time to ensure nothing hatches. 3 weeks max- you can usually tell within that time whether something is going to go south. Sometimes to speed it up, I put a slice of potato on the dirt surface for at least 4 hours, then inspect the potato for crawlies. Quite a few bugs gravitate to the potato- especially the dreaded fungus gnat.

anthonysears - I had to look up horticulture spray and will need to pick some up.

SaraM- I have read the cut potatoes will bring fungus gnat larva to the surface. I didn't know they attracted other pests too.