How to Get Rid of Carpet Beetle – Carpet beetles infestation is a serious problem that obviously every homeowner wants to get rid of. These unwanted guests are irksome and can cause serious damage to the carpets. These little creatures can be very destructive, if not controlled on time. Carpet beetles are quite health conscious and love eating organic things, like organic fibers of the carpet. Despite their name being carpet beetle, they can eat anything such as furniture, Fast Pest Control, clothes, wood, leather, pet food… the list may go endless. These hungry beetles should be treated as soon as you notice them. These ladybug resembling beetles are hard to remove, but it can be done using the right equipment and approach.

What Causes You to Get Carpet Beetles?

The larvae of carpet beetles feed essentially on plant and animal materials such as fur, wool, dander, feathers and silk.  As a result, they harm clothing, damage furniture and other household materials. You can also refer to this helpful resource from the Australian Government’s Department of Health  for your pest problems. Inspect your building soon to prevent this from the pesky pest infestation and keep safe you and your family health before it causes with long disease and infestation.

Some Tips on Carpet Beetle Removal

1. Steam cleaning
2. Thoroughly vacuum all fabric
3. Laundering cushions and bed-sheets cloths
4. Rubbing or spraying area with vinegar
5. Use Boric acid
6. Using an indoor insecticide targeting carpet beetles
7. Hiring an expert exterminator

Natural Ways to Get Rid of Carpet Beetle

Here are a few ways to deal with Carpet beetles and chasing them away from your home.

• Locate the Problem
• Spot the Source
• Vacuum the Carpets
• Wash the infested cloths and Fabric
• Apply Insecticide
• Use Steam
• Use The Glue Traps
• Store The Clothes in Plastic
• Clean Regularly

Locate the Problem

Before anything, you need to find the clues of having the carpet beetles.

• If you find the fecal pellets and shed skin in large quantity, mark it as the sign of carpet beetle infestation. These beetles can be found in both adult and larvae form.
• Adult carpet beetles are oval-shaped and exist in a variety of colors. Mostly, they range from black and grey to black and brown.
• Larvae carpet beetles have brown stripes across their body and have hair extensions at the end.

Spot The Source

Once you identify the problem, try spotting the source. You can locate the source by tracking the heavier mass of carpet beetles and fecal pellet.

• Carpet beetles are attracted to fabric, so, you can find them on carpet, clothes, upholstery furniture and more.
• You can find carpet beetles in dark and secluded places like drawers, closet, cracks in the walls, attics, baseboard, air ducts and more.
• Underneath the carpets and rugs.

Vacuum The Carpets

As soon as you find the source of the beetles, vacuuming has to be the first thing to do. Primarily focus on the area having the heavy concentration of Carpet Beetles and make sure to remove their larvae as well. Also, vacuum the whole house to in order to get rid of the beetles entirely. Don’t forget to vacuum the upholstery furniture and the other things that cannot be washed in the machine. Vacuuming regularly is one of the best and simple practices to remove the carpet beetles. And if the infestation is really bad, then vacuum the carpets twice a day.

Wash The Infested Clothes and Fabric

After vacuuming, wash all the fabrics and clothing in hot and soapy water. Washing in hot water ensure that there are no carpet beetles, larvae and their eggs are left. Clean all the clothes properly so, there are no remnants of the beetles left. And the carpets and rugs that cannot be machine washed need to be steam cleaned. If you are not sure, whether you can do carpet steam cleaning on your own, call in the professionals for the best help.

Apply Insecticides

Use the carpet beetle spray to kill and remove these creepy creatures from your house. Boric Acid is one of the best pesticides that can kill any insect. Despite being harmful to insect, it is completely safe for humans, as this is a naturally occurring compound. Still, don’t forget to wear the hand gloves while sprinkling it.

One thing you need to keep in mind while treating the carpets with Boric Acid is that you don’t end up bleaching its fabric, so, avoid using them on the dark objects.

Use Steam

Steam can help in exterminating carpet beetles. Most of the larva, insects and their eggs eventually die whenever they get in contact with steam and heat. Any by using steam on our carpets can help in getting rid of carpet beetles. For further help, we can go for a professional pest control services.

Use Carpet Treatments

There are a number of Carpet treatments available in the market, made to help you get rid of carpet beetles. Make sure the treatments you are purchasing contain chlorpyrifos, bendiocarb, and allethrin as these ingredients are effective at removing the carpet beetles.

Use The Glue Traps

Using glue traps is one of the most effective ways to get rid of carpet beetles hidden in the cracks and crevices. These traps are effective in killing the insects and also give you the idea about the infestation condition.

Prevention of Carpet Beetle Infestation

Store The Clothes in Plastic

One of the best ways to prevent infestation is to store the off-season clothes in plastic bags. Let the doors of your closet open, so, the clothes can expose to the little sunlight. You can also keep the mothballs in the storage areas, in order to prevent the infestation.

Don’t Leave The Door and Windows Open For a Long Time

Try to keep the doors and window of your home closed as much as possible, as, carpet beetles find their way from outside. If there are any holes in your window screen, then make sure to repair them as soon as possible, doing so will block the way of carpet beetles.

Clean Regularly

Keep the house clean and make sure there are no food remnants left on the carpet and the floor.