Carpet beetles, or Anthrenus verbasci, are a common pest in the American Southwest and are known for wreaking havoc on carpets and other fabric household items. What’s more, carpet beetles are infamous for being difficult to remove once they get ingrained.
Fear not, though, as there are some strategies for carpet beetle infestation removal. Read on to discover how to get rid of carpet beetles and keep them away for good.
Contact PrimePest Control today to schedule carpet beetle removal in Las Vegas!
Why Are Carpet Beetles Hard to Get Rid Of?
Adult carpet beetles are not as destructive a pest as their larvae are. Carpet beetle larvae feed on all kinds of animal-based fibers and materials, such as cotton, wool, fur, leather, hair, silk, and feathers. What’s more, carpet beetle eggs are practically invisible to the naked eye, and adults can lay up to 100 eggs at a time.
That means these menaces can quickly cover your home with their tiny eggs, making carpet beetle extermination difficult. Most people notice infestations due to holes in their clothing, rugs, and other natural fabrics. Once you start to actually see the bugs, it’s likely you have a significant problem on your hands.
How Do Carpet Beetles Get Into the House?
Carpet beetles can infiltrate your house through cracks in the doors, windows, walls, and foundations. They can also get into your home by hitching a ride on plants, pets, and even your clothing. One of the key factors of pest prevention is identifying and eliminating potential infestation vectors.
How To Get Rid of Carpet Beetles: Methods and Techniques
Below are some tried and true DIY methods of how to get rid of carpet beetles. You can try one of these carpet beetle prevention methods and then contact a pest control expert for a more permanent analysis.
Vacuuming
Vacuuming to eliminate beetles is one of the simplest solutions to your pest problem. The trick is to use a vacuum with a HEPA filter and get into all the corners and baseboards in your home. Vacuuming will also remove any loose materials that can attract carpet beetles in the first place. Deep vacuum your rugs once a day until you stop finding beetles.
Washing and Drying
Sometimes, simple washing and drying will be enough to get rid of stubborn larvae. Wash and dry infested clothing on high heat a few times to get rid of any beetles taking root.
Freezing
For fabrics that may be too fragile for deep vacuuming or cleaning, such as clothes, you can try freezing. Put the clothes in a heavy-duty plastic bag and place it in the freezer. The cold temperatures will kill any beetle larvae without damaging the fabric. After about a week, take the clothes out of the freezer and wash them before wearing them.
Steam Cleaning
Heavy-duty steam cleaning is another solution for larger carpets that have big infestations. The steam and heat outright kill the beetle larvae and sanitize the carpet. Steam cleaning can also preserve natural fibers.
Call a Professional
If the above strategies don’t work, contact a professional to determine how to get rid of carpet beetles. Pest control companies can get rid of pests using a special insecticide treatment for beetles.
Preventing Carpet Beetles
As is often the case with most things in pest control, the best solution for carpet beetles is prevention. Even a small infestation can be extremely damaging in a short span. Below are some strategies for keeping these pests away for good:
- Deep clean your carpets every few months and vacuum weekly to remove loose material carpet beetles can eat.
- When storing fabrics and cloth, make sure you use airtight containers that keep insects out.
- Reduce clutter in your home. Clutter and mess provide nooks and crannies for beetles to hide.
- Thoroughly inspect all second-hand items for carpet evidence of carpet beetles before bringing them into your home.
- Seal any cracks near your outside doors and windows to prevent insects from getting into your home.
- Essential oils and diatomaceous earth can ward off or even outright kill carpet beetle larvae and adults.
- Get pest control for carpet beetles at the first sign of an infestation.
Pest Control Services in Las Vegas
Read this blog post for another essential guide to pest control in Las Vegas. If you need more information on how to get rid of carpet beetles, contact Premier Pest Control online or call today!