How to Get Rid of Carpet Beetles

Dealing with a carpet beetle infestation can be frustrating and stressful. These tiny pests can cause serious damage to your rugs, furniture, and clothing if you don’t handle them quickly. Wondering How to Get Rid of Carpet Beetles for good? You’re in the right place. With the right approach, you can take back your space and protect it from these pesky insects.

Natural Pest Control is a great, eco-friendly way to deal with a carpet beetle problem without resorting to harsh chemicals. Start by vacuuming often and thoroughly to get rid of beetles, larvae, and eggs hiding in carpets, furniture, and small cracks. Washing any infested items in hot water can also do the trick. Keeping things clean and using natural solutions, you can protect your home without harming the environment.

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What are Carpet Beetles?

Carpet beetles are small, oval-shaped bugs from the Dermestidae family, and they’re pretty common in homes. They feed on natural materials like wool, silk, fur, and feathers. Adult carpet beetles are tiny, about 1/16 to 1/8 of an inch, and come in a mix of colors and patterns like black, white, and orange.

While the adults stick to pollen and nectar, it’s their larvae, known as “woolly bears,” that cause trouble by damaging fabrics and household items. These bristly little larvae prefer dark, undisturbed spots. Knowing their life cycle and habits is key to keeping them under control and preventing infestations.

Why Do I Have Carpet Beetles?

Carpet beetles tend to find their way into homes for a few key reasons, usually related to food and shelter. They feed on natural fibers like wool, silk, and leather, as well as other organic materials such as pet hair, lint, and even dried foods. If your home has these materials, it might accidentally be providing them with the perfect snacks.

Carpet beetles can also sneak in through open windows, doors, or small cracks, especially during warmer months when they’re more active. On top of that, things like skipping regular vacuuming or having cluttered storage areas can make it easier for them to settle in. Knowing these causes can help you figure out how to tackle and prevent the problem.

Spring season brings these beetles to fly in houses from flowers. The females lay eggs at vulnerable areas in clusters that develop into larvae and feed on fabrics in our indoor setups, including carpets, ornamental fabrics and other clothing items derived from animal products like wool.

They can also intrude through infested items brought into the house or indoor. Threatened items, if stored without necessary cleaning, are the more likely cause of attracting these beetles.

The adults are not the main threat, but the larvae in the nourishing phase. The females lay eggs in huge clusters near areas of their choosing inside houses, stores, junkyards and warehouses etc. Later these larvae nourish on the available animal-related items and cause damage to the articles.

What are the Signs of a carpet beetle infestation?

Carpet beetles are tiny insects, which makes them tricky to spot. But don’t worry—there are some clear signs of carpet beetles to look out for if you think you might have an infestation at home.

Spotting adult beetles: The most obvious sign is seeing the adult beetles themselves. They’re small, round or oval-shaped, and come in various colors and patterns.

Shed skins: As they grow, carpet beetles shed their skins, leaving behind tiny brown shells.

Larvae casings: Carpet beetle larvae make fuzzy little tubes, or “cases,” out of hair and debris from their food. You’ll often find these cases under furniture or along baseboards.

Fabric damage: The larvae love to snack on materials like wool, silk, fur, and feathers. Look for holes or missing patches in your clothing, carpets, or other fabrics.

Fecal pellets: You might notice small, round droppings that look like grains of sand. These are usually near the larvae casings or in spots where they’ve been feeding.

Keep an eye out for these clues to catch a carpet beetle problem early!

How Do Carpet Beetles Enter the Home?

Carpet beetles are tiny pests that can find their way into your home in a number of ways. They often sneak in through open window screens and doors, drawn by light or the smell of materials they like to eat. They can also hitch a ride on plants, flowers, furniture, or even clothing you bring inside.

Outdoor nests, like bird nests or insect colonies, can be a starting point for these beetles, giving them a path to migrate indoors in search of food and shelter. Once they’re inside, they tend to hide in undisturbed spots, so it’s important to keep an eye out and deal with infestations quickly.

Carpet beetles are common in dwellings, and their damage is often mistaken for that of clothes moths. In springtime, they often appear on windowsills, suggesting an infestation may be present inside the home.
Entomology of the University of Kentucky

How Can I Get Rid of Carpet Beetles?

Keeping carpet beetles out is all about prevention, but sometimes they still manage to sneak into your home. If you’ve got an infestation—or think you might—here’s how to deal with them. It’s always better to get rid of bugs using natural methods than relying on chemical treatments that can make you, your family and your pets sick.

Vacuum Often: This is the first thing to do when you find carpet beetles. The beetles and their larvae are no match for a vacuum cleaner. Focus on spots where they’re likely hiding, like carpets, rugs, and furniture.

Steam cleaning: Steam clean the same areas that you vacuumed. The heat and moisture in this step kills and removes remaining beetles and eggs.

Wash Infested Stuff: Toss any clothes or linens that might have larvae into the washer on hot, then dry on high heat. This kills the bugs and their eggs.

Spray surfaces with vinegar: After you do a thorough cleaning of the affected area, make a mixture of white or apple cider vinegar and water that can be sprayed on shelves, in drawers, window sills and cupboards.

Use Natural Repellents: Cedar chips or lavender sachets can help keep carpet beetles away. Stick them in your closets and drawers as a natural deterrent.

Homemade Cedarwood Spray: This will kill the bugs and then you can vacuum them up. You can add some drops of cedarwood essential oil with white vinegar and water to a spray bottle!

Diatomaceous Earth: This is a non-toxic pesticide, diatomaceous earth works by dehydrating insects that come into contact with it. Sprinkle food-grade diatomaceous earth on areas like window sills, rugs, carpeting, closets, along baseboards, etc. You can then wipe or vacuum to remove the dust.

Seal Up Cracks: These little pests can sneak in through tiny gaps. Check for cracks around windows and doors and seal them up to block their way in.

Clean Up Food Sources: Carpet beetles are drawn to crumbs and pet hair, so regular cleaning is a must and super important to keep food in airtight containers. Don’t give them a reason to stick around!

NAtural Pest Control REmedies

What’s the Best Way to Wash Clothing with Carpet Beetles?

Getting rid of carpet beetles from your clothes takes a little extra care, but it’s totally doable. Here’s what to do:

Check and Separate: First, go through your clothes and look for any signs of carpet beetle larvae or droppings. Once you find the infested items, keep them away from the rest of your laundry by sealing them in a plastic bag.

Clean the Washer: Carpet beetle eggs can stick inside your washing machine, so give it a quick clean before running a wash. You can wipe it down with hot water and detergent or run an empty cycle with some vinegar.

Wash in Hot Water: Use hot water—it’s the best way to kill off beetle eggs and larvae. Just be sure to pick the hottest setting that’s safe for the fabric.

Add Detergent: A good detergent helps break down any leftover larvae or eggs. Make sure the detergent you’re using is fabric-safe.

Dry on High Heat: Once washed, immediately toss your clothes in the dryer on a high-heat setting. This will take care of any lingering pests and stop them from coming back.

Effective Essential Oils for Carpet Beetle Repellent

If you’re looking for natural ways to keep carpet beetles away, essential oils can do the trick. Here are some of the best ones to try:

Lavender Oil: Not only does it smell amazing, but it’s also great at keeping carpet beetles out. Just mix it with water and spray it on problem areas.

Eucalyptus Oil: This one has a strong scent that carpet beetles hate. Use it in a diffuser or dilute it and apply it directly where needed.

Peppermint Oil: A go-to for pest control, peppermint oil messes with the beetles’ scent trails, making them stay away.

Cedarwood Oil: Beetles really dislike the natural chemicals in cedarwood, so it’s perfect for treating closets, carpets, and storage spaces.

Tea Tree Oil: With its powerful insect-repelling and antimicrobial properties, tea tree oil is a great addition to your pest-control toolkit.

To use these, just mix a few drops with water in a spray bottle and apply wherever you’ve seen carpet beetles or think they might show up. Use regularly for the best results, and enjoy a bug-free home!

Carpet beetles are common in dwellings, and their damage is often mistaken for that of clothes moths. In springtime, they often appear on windowsills, suggesting an infestation may be present inside the home.
Entomology of the University of Kentucky

Regular cleaning, using natural repellents, and sealing up entry points are all simple ways to keep your home pest-free. With a little effort and regular upkeep, you can protect your stuff and keep your space beetle-free—no harsh chemicals needed!