Carpet beetles are small, oval-shaped insects with a black, white, and yellow coloured pattern. These destructive pests invade homes and businesses and have an appetite for natural fibre items like wool, leather, silk, feathers, and dead insects. Carpet beetles also have bristly hairs that irritate the skin.
Fortunately, carpet beetles do not contain or spread disease. But they can destroy precious items like furniture, clothing, bedding, carpet, and curtains. Without taking action early, you may need to throw out and replace such personal items, as you won’t know which items have and have not been affected by carpet beetles.
Fortunately, it is relatively easy to get rid of carpet beetles, as long as you know what to do. Here are some useful tips to help you control a carpet beetle infestation.
Signs of an infestation
- Carpet beetles tend to leave discarded brittle skins near areas of damage.
- Droppings the size and texture of sand granules appear near the areas of damage.
- Noticeable signs of damage to personal items like furniture, clothing, bedding, carpet, and curtains.
- Live adult carpet beetles may appear in the Spring or Summer on window sills and near door frames, trying to go outside to feed on pollen.
How to control carpet beetles
Cleaning is one of the most effective ways to control a carpet beetle infestation. It’s also relatively inexpensive and you can do most (if not all of it) on your own.
Try the following cleaning tasks:
- Vacuuming: Vacuum any areas where you have seen adult or larvae carpet including floorboards, carpet, furniture, and curtains.
- Steam clean: Hire or purchase a steam cleaner or enlist the help of a professional steam cleaning service. Thoroughly clean the same areas where you previously vacuumed plus other suspect areas. The combination of heat and water will eliminate any remaining adult and larvae carpet beetles including their eggs.
- Machine wash: All of your clothing and bedding plus your pillows. Where possible, without risk of causing damage or shrinkage, machine wash these goods with hot water and detergent. Be sure to wash pet bedding as an extra precaution too.
- Dispose of:Any clothing, bedding, towels, linen, or other items that suspect are damaged or infested. Sometimes it can be hard to tell whether an item is infested. Use your best judgement. Don’t be afraid to dispose of and replace items you suspect are infested, even if the signs aren’t obvious. Of course, do the best you can to preserve valuable or sentimental items.
- Thoroughly wipe and spray:All affected surfaces with a commercial spray solution. You can also create your own solution by mixing white or apple cider vinegar with water. Apply the solution to surfaces like cupboards, floorboards, drawers, shelving, and window sills to remove dirt and food residue.
How to keep carpet beetles away
Once you have taken control of the carpet beetle infestation, follow these steps to prevent a future infestation:
- Conduct a thorough inspection of both inside and outside your property. Seal up any cracks or crevices you find.
- Place mothballs in several parts of the building including your cupboards, walk-in wardrobes, storage spaces, possible entry points, and furniture.
- Repair or replace broken flyscreens to prevent carpet beetles from entering the building.
- Get into a habit of regular vacuuming. Also, where possible and affordable, steam clean your premise on a more frequent basis.
When to call the experts
If you have tried all of the above tips, and still have an infestation, contact your local pest experts.
Licensed pest controllers are trained to help manage carpet beetles and similar pests. They will consider your property layout and scope of the infestation, then develop a custom treatment plan for you. All plans are eco-friendly, safe, and non-disruptive.
For professional and reliable carpet beetle control,contact All Bugs today.
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