Carpet beetles are very common pests found in homes and businesses throughout North America. They feed on dead insects and other organic matter, and they also eat plant roots. Carpet beetles are often attracted to dark areas such as under furniture or behind walls.
Carpet beetles can cause damage to your health as well as your carpets, rugs, and other floor coverings.
The adult beetle lays eggs on the surface of the carpet, and larvae hatch from these eggs (similarly to fleas). These larvae then burrow into the fibers of the carpet, causing holes and tears. This can result in water damage, mold growth, and even structural damage to the carpet.
Carpet beetles are very small, and they can easily fly into your home through cracks and crevices. If you see any signs of damage to your carpets, then you should contact a professional pest control company as soon as possible.
So naturally, you want to get rid of carpet beetles. Well, this guide will give you all the tips you need on how to get rid of carpet beetles permanently.
What Are Carpet Beetles?
The first thing that you need to know about carpet beetles is that they belong to a family called Dermestidae and are often also referred to as skin-beetles. They have round bodies with two pairs of wings which they get when they are fully matured. Their antennae look like little short hooks, and they can grow between 2 millimeters to 4 millimeters.
They usually live in moist environments, but they can be found living anywhere there is decaying material and vegetation. In fact, it’s estimated that there are several types of carpet beetles worldwide.
They’re most commonly found in houses, offices, and basements, but they can also be found outdoors around gardens and parks.
What Causes Carpet Beetle Infestation?
There are many factors that can contribute to the presence of carpet beetles in your home or business. Some of these include:
• Attraction to dark places – Carpet beetles are drawn to dark places. So if you have any dark corners in your house, they may find it easy to hide out in those spaces.
• Lack of ventilation – If you don’t have adequate air circulation in your house, then you won’t be able to keep the humidity levels down. This means that moisture will build up in your house, which could attract carpet beetles.
• Presence of food sources – Carpet beetles love to feast on rotting fruit, vegetables, and meat. So if you have a lot of food lying around, then you might see an increase in the number of carpet beetles in your house. This includes cleaning up pet food.
• Poor cleaning habits – If you don’t clean your carpets regularly, then you run the risk of attracting more carpet beetles into your home. You should always vacuum your carpets at least once a week, and make sure that you remove any debris before vacuuming.
• Too much moisture – Moisture attracts pests, including carpet beetles and silverfish. Make sure that your house stays dry by using dehumidifiers or installing ceiling fans.
• Excessive pet activity – Pet urine
and feces can attract carpet beetles. Also, carpet beetles use pets as a ride into your home. They hide in pet hair and then jump into your homes.Steps To Getting Rid Of Carpet Beetles
Now that you know what causes carpet beetles to infest your home, let’s take a look at some steps you can take to prevent their return.
Step One: Vacuum Your Carpets Regularly
Vacuuming your carpets every day is one of the best ways to ensure that you don’t end up with a carpet beetle problem.
It’s important to remember that you shouldn’t just vacuum the areas where you think there might be carpet beetles. Instead, you should vacuum everywhere in your house so that you can remove any potential hiding spots for the insects.
Make sure you vacuum the edges of carpets as eggs might be in the gaps. You might want to enlist the help of a professional carpet cleaner to deep clean your carpets.
Step Two: Keep Food And Debris Away From Carpets
If you have any food lying around, then this could attract carpet beetles. Make sure to store all food items away from your carpets and in airtight containers. Also, try not to leave any garbage bags sitting around because this could encourage the growth of mold and mildew.
Step Three: Clean Up Any Decaying Vegetation Or Fruit
If you notice any rotten fruits or vegetables lying around, then you should dispose of them immediately. Be careful not to touch the outside of the fruit or vegetable because this could contaminate the rest of the product. You could also spray the surfaces with apple cider vinegar to clean them.
Step Four: Use A Good Insecticide
You can use insecticides to get rid of carpet beetles. However, it’s important to note that insecticides aren’t 100% effective against all types of pests. So if you want to kill off the carpet beetles completely, then you need to use a combination of methods.
If you are using an insecticide inside the house, it might be best to use a mild insecticide.
Step Five: Remove The Carpet Beetle Eggs
You should also check under your carpets for any eggs. These eggs usually hatch within 7 to 28 days, so you need to act quickly when you spot them. Once you detect these eggs, you should remove them immediately.
Step Six: Use A Steam Cleaner
Steam cleaners are another way to get rid of carpet beetle eggs. But again, steam cleaners aren’t 100% effective against all types of pest problems.
So if you use a steam cleaner, then you may still find yourself dealing with a carpet beetle issue later down the road. It is best to use a vacuum first and then use a steam cleaner to remove the remaining eggs as steam cleaning is not enough on its own.
Step Seven: Wash Clothes And Pillows
It is important that you wash clothes, pillows, throws, or anything you suspect has a carpet beetle infestation. A sign of carpet beetles is holes in clothing so be sure to wash the infested items.
Step Eight: Call An Exterminator
If all of these steps have failed to remove the carpet beetle infestation, then the next thing you should do is to call a professional pest controller. This will help you get rid of the carpet beetles once and for all and the pest controller will use the right treatment to ensure they’re gone for good. They might also give you tips on how to keep them out of your home, based on your individual needs.
Final Thoughts
These are the steps you should take to get rid of carpet beetles from your home. It is important to remember that if you find that problems with carpet beetles keep occurring you might need to call an exterminator. The best advice we can give you in order to help you get rid of carpet beetles is to clean your house well.
Hopefully, this guide has helped you to understand how to get rid of carpet beetles. Please share this post with others you think it could help.
