Carpet beetles, as the name suggests, are insects found in carpets and bedding, clothes, and upholstered furniture. Since all these are household items, finding carpet beetles anywhere in your home is not strange. They may be brought in while hidden in any of these items or get into the house through openings like the windows.
Having carpets has its pros and cons. Sometimes, they can be infested by carpet beetles. Though carpet beetles are not deadly, they can cause skin irritation and damage to the items they are hidden in. You need to ensure you do not make your house comfortable with these carpet beetles.
In this blog post, I will discuss nine effective ways to eliminate carpet beetles from your house. From using some products in your pantry to buying some chemicals from the store and maintaining a regular cleaning schedule, you can get rid of carpet beetles.
Understanding Carpet Beetles
Carpet Beetles’ Appearance And Lifecycle
When fully developed, carpet beetles are oval-shaped insects with black, brown, white, and yellow or orange-striped shells. The “baby” carpet beetles are hatched out of cream-coloured or white eggs, which take anywhere from 10 days to 1 month to incubate. When they are young, carpet beetles feed on wool, silk, leather, and pet hair. Adult carpet beetles, on the other hand, eat pollen, plants, and flowers.
Essentially, female carpet beetles lay eggs in spots where their babies will get food to eat. They are larvae once they are hatched and progress to the pupal stage once they develop. The final stage is the adult stage. This developmental process can take many months to a year.
Signs Of Carpet Beetles infestation Your Home
To know if carpet beetles infest your home, inspect the areas where they are most likely to thrive. Carpet beetles hate direct sunlight and prefer areas where there is shade. So, you can find their eggs in cool places like carpets, bedding, and furniture. Moreover, if you have pets that have fur and are most likely to shed hair, look out for carpet beetles. They also usually gather around artificial sources of light.
Apart from looking at these areas in your home, you can watch out for deteriorating carpets, clothes, bedding, and furniture. Because carpet beetles cause damage to these items, if they are present, you will realize that holes and patches will begin to develop in them after some time.
Also, wearing carpet beetle-infested clothes and laying on infested carpets, bedding, and furniture will cause some form of irritation to your skin. Individuals with susceptible skin may develop some skin rashes, itch, or infections.
Causes Of Carpet Beetle Infestation
1. Bringing Infested Items Into The House
If you buy carpets, clothes, bedding, and upholstered furniture that have already been infested with carpet beetles and bring them into your house, those insects may take over your space. These items can hide the eggs of carpet beetles, and once brought into the house, the eggs hatch, develop and begin to multiply.
2. Carpet Beetles Can Get In By Themselves
Apart from bringing them in yourself, carpet beetles can get into your house through some openings, especially the windows. If, for instance, there are trees in your compound and there is a bird’s nest with carpet beetles, they can find their way into your house through the nearest windows. They are most likely to lay their eggs on the window sills and, once developed, get into your home.
3. Poor Cleaning Habits
Your unwillingness or inability to regularly clean your space can make it a breeding ground for carpet beetles. It is important to vacuum clean regularly and reach for spots like under your carpets and furniture where carpet beetles are likely to create a home for themselves.
4. Conducive Breeding Grounds
If you have anything in the house that carpet beetles feed on, that could cause the infestation. Carpet beetles feed on wool, silk, leather, pet hair, plants, pollen, flowers, and dried foods, which can attract them and, if not checked, can become destructive.
5. Artificial Lights
Adult carpet beetles are attracted to artificial lighting. It is not automatic that once you have lights in your space, there will be carpet beetle infestation. However, this is one around you can look at when you begin to see signs of infestation.
6. The Weather
Carpet beetles thrive in warm and humid environments. Thus, if a seasonal change like summer presents these conditions, it could cause carpet beetle infestation in your house. Aside from that, if you provide such situations in your home, constantly look for carpet beetles.
How To Get Rid Of Carpet Beetles
Natural Remedies For Eliminating Carpet Beetles
1. Diatomaceous Earth
To use diatomaceous earth to get rid of carpet beetles, you must ensure it is Food-Grade. This type is the safest to use in the home, causing no harm to individuals and pets. Sprinkle the diatomaceous earth in spots where you are likely to find carpet beetles.
Be sure those areas are dry to ensure the efficacy of the application. Leave the diatomaceous earth in these areas for a day or two and then vacuum clean thoroughly. Repeat the application as many times as you want, depending on the level of infestation.
2. Essential Oils With Repellent Properties
Some essential oils have repelling properties that can help remove carpet beetles. Examples are lavender, peppermint, eucalyptus, rosemary, and cedarwood essential oils. You can even combine any two of the essential oils for better results.
For the application methods, dilute the essential oil or oils with water, pour in a spray bottle, and spray on those infested areas. You may have to repeat spraying for a few days because essential oils evaporate quickly.
Alternatively, you can buy diffusers that will periodically spray the essential oils into the atmosphere in your house.
3. Vinegar
Another way to get rid of carpet beetles is by using vinegar. Dilute equal parts of vinegar and water, pour into a spray bottle and spray on those areas where carpet beetles are likely to thrive. Though not a strong remedy, if the infestation is not too severe, it can curb the problem.
4. Vacuuming And Steam Cleaning
One cause of carpet beetle infestation is dirt. One way to get rid of them is by vacuuming and steam cleaning. Pay particular attention to window seals, under furniture, and carpets.
5. Control Temperature
Another way to get rid of carpet beetles is to ensure the indoor temperature does not favour them and their growth. Reduce warmth and humidity in your house as much as possible so that these carpet beetles begin to hate your space.
Chemical Solutions For Carpet Beetle Eradication
1. Insecticide Sprays
Ideally, you must vacate the house for at least 1 hour after spraying any insecticide. The same applies to insecticidal sprays used to eliminate carpet beetles. Spray in all corners and crevices of the house after closing all windows and doors.
Then, leave the house for a while. On return, open your windows to allow aeration before settling down in the space. Repeat as necessary.
2. Boric Acid
Boric acid works just as the way diatomaceous earth works. It is a powdery chemical that must be sprinkled in areas where the carpet beetles have invaded. Ensure that moisture does not contact the boric acid, as that will reduce its efficacy. Leave the boric acid dust in these spots for a few days and vacuum clean thoroughly. Hopefully, it will stop the growth of these carpet beetles.
3. Insect Growth Regulators
Insect growth regulators, also known as insecticides, essentially stop the growth and reproduction of carpet beetles. Different insect growth regulators have different instructions for modes of application. As such, please read these instructions before using them.
However, always buy an insecticide containing pyrethroids, an essential ingredient for battling carpet beetles.
Seeking Professional Pest Control Services For Severe Infestations
In severe cases of carpet beetle infestation, none of the natural and chemical methods you will employ may work fully. At this point, your best bet is to seek professional help. Pest control services are better equipped to handle severe infestations of carpet beetles.
Prevention Strategies
Now that we have discussed ways to get rid of carpet beetles, we must implement measures to ensure they do not return.
- One sure way is to sensitize everyone in the house on what not to do to get the carpet beetles back.
- Regular cleaning and maintenance of the space, including vacuuming and deep cleaning, will help keep carpet beetles at bay.
- Seal all potential entry points for carpet beetles to prevent future intrusion.
- Regularly inspect hotspots and be vigilant so the infestation of carpet beetles does not reoccur.
- As previously mentioned, carpet beetles can thrive in carpets, clothes, bedding, and furniture. So, as part of the preventive strategies, deep clean all carpets and rugs after employing any of the methods to get rid of them.
- Finally, wash and treat infested clothes and linens and steam clean other problem spots.
Conclusion
Prevention is said to be better than cure. However, if you fail to prevent the infestation of carpet beetles and the worse happens, all hope is not lost. Maintaining a clean space, sealing all entry points for these insects, making sure they have nothing to feed on, and using any of the natural and chemical methods can keep carpet beetles out of your home. The bottom line is not to make the home conducive for them, as they can be destructive and cause skin irritation.