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How to Handle a Carpet Beetle Infestation

There’s a gross side of homeownership that everyone gets to know once they’ve lived in their house for a little while – and that’s dealing with dirt, dust, and mold, not to mention plumbing issues. But among the worst problems, you’ll have to fix the creepy crawlers that share your home.

A commonplace where pests reside is in your rugs and carpets. While it’s horrifying to think about what may be underfoot when you try to relax in your home, the real damage that they inflict is on your belongings and even your health.

Contrary to what their name suggests, carpet beetles don’t just live in your carpet. Even if you have tile or hardwood floors, these bugs can still be a problem. These insects don’t usually carry diseases, but they can destroy your clothes, upholstery, bedding, and other items around the home. They can quickly infest your property without you even noticing!

To prevent any significant damage, all homeowners need to recognize an infestation and know how to handle it. While fixing the problem is best handled by pest control experts, there are a few steps that you can take to banish the bugs.

Identify Carpet Beetles

Identifying carpet beetles correctly is the first step in ensuring that you can adequately eliminate them. There are various species of carpet beetles, but most of them are oval-shaped when fully grown, black with patterns of either yellow, orange, or white, and 1-4 mm long.

When they’re in their larval stage, they’re typically oval- or carrot-shaped, brown and yellow or just brown, and between 4-5 mm long. One distinctive trait they have is coarse hair on their back.

Verify Infestation

Carpet beetles are bugs that can fly through the holes and tears in screens, doors, and windows. They can also enter your home by hitching a ride on any flowers you buy.

To check whether these insects have entered your home, look for these signs: 

  • Small beetles roll over when touched or move slowly like the ones described above.
  • Eggs, larvae, or bugs in hidden places or corners in your house. Check under carpets, window sills, and edges of furniture that are upholstered.
  • Skin that has Shed and fecal pellets in the carpet or on upholstered furniture and clothes.

Vacuum 

How to Handle a Carpet Beetle Infestation

To effectively remove carpet beetles, you can vacuum all areas of your house where you find them. Before you vacuum, move the clutter from the area. Pay particular attention to rooms where you keep clothing.

You want to vacuum every day and thoroughly to ensure that you eliminate all adults, eggs, and larvae. To get them, spray insecticide on the baseboards and the floor before vacuuming. After you’re finished, remove the dust bag outside your home and discard it away from your house.

Do Laundry

It’s sometimes hard to see carpet beetles on clothes. However, just because you don’t see them, it doesn’t mean they’re not there. To ensure that you’ve removed all of these pests from your wardrobe, launder all of your clothing. Discard any pieces of clothing that are too infested or beyond repair.

When washing your clothes, use hot and soapy water. Dry them in the dryer for about 30 minutes (but always check the garment label before doing so to prevent shrinking). Doing these simple things will make it easier to stop any infestations.

Clean Surfaces with Vinegar

Vinegar is a common cooking ingredient that serves as a tough and natural cleaning agent. When you use white vinegar or apple cider vinegar to scrub away grime, you’re eliminating what attracts the bugs. Wipe down hangers, drawers, and other surfaces where you store your clothes.

Protect Your Carpets 

Left unchecked, carpet beetles will cause substantial damage to your home and everything inside. Don’t let these bugs fly by!

If you notice signs that they’re in your home, call in experts and take your steps to protect your property and family.

About Julee: Julee Morrison is an experienced author with 35 years of expertise in parenting and recipes. She is the author of four cookbooks: The Instant Pot College Cookbook, The How-To Cookbook for Teens, The Complete Cookbook for Teens, and The Complete College Cookbook. Julee is passionate about baking, crystals, reading, and family. Her writing has appeared in The LA Times (Bon Jovi Obsession Goes Global), Disney's Family Fun Magazine (August 2010, July 2009, September 2008), and My Family Gave Up Television (page 92, Disney Family Fun August 2010). Her great ideas have been featured in Disney's Family Fun (Page 80, September 2008) and the Write for Charity book From the Heart (May 2010). Julee's work has also been published in Weight Watchers Magazine, All You Magazine (Jan. 2011, February 2011, June 2013), Scholastic Parent and Child Magazine (Oct. 2011), Red River Family Magazine (Jan. 2011), BonAppetit.com, and more. Notably, her article "My Toddler Stood on Elvis' Grave and Scaled Over Boulders to Get to a Dinosaur" made AP News, and "The Sly Way I Cured My Child's Lying Habit" was featured on PopSugar. When she's not writing, Julee enjoys spending time with her family and exploring new baking recipes.
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