How to Get Rid of Carpet Beetles Naturally? The Best Solutions & Identification Methods

Are there any effective methods for how to get rid of carpet beetles naturally in your own home? In the following, you will find some great and easy solutions!

There are material pests in every flat or house, and if you specifically need to get rid of carpet beetles, there are some specifics to consider. We are talking about an Australian beetle species that is nowadays widespread in Europe and causes problems for many people. Although these insects do not bite, their larvae can cause allergic reactions. The adult beetles are scavengers and, similar to moths, cause various material damages, especially to textiles. For this reason, it would be useful to be able to recognize a possible infestation in order to take the necessary measures in time. Here is some useful information and tips on control that can help you.

How to Get Rid of Carpet Beetles Naturally?

The oval-shaped beetle can be found in almost all parts of the home. However, it is most often found in home textiles such as carpets, as well as skirting boards, vents, or even in rarely cleaned basements. Adults are a small size of about 0.2 to 0.5 cm, with mottled colours such as brown, black, white, yellow, and orange. The beetle larvae are brownish and covered with bristles, but shed their skin before pupating. They reach a length of about 6 mm and look more like small furry caterpillars. After they are fully grown, carpet beetles not only feed on fabrics, but also forage for pollen and nectar.

Furthermore, adult carpet beetles are usually found outdoors and often feed on buckwheat and other plants that produce abundant pollen. Since they can also fly, they often enter living spaces or are accidentally brought into homes via contaminated furniture, pets or cut flowers. Sunlight also attracts the beetles, with indoor adults typically staying near windows, on windowsills or curtains. Therefore, in order to get rid of them and control carpet beetles, it is first necessary to find out what attracts them to your house. In addition, it is still advisable to consider the associated symptoms in case of any allergies.

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What Kind of Allergy Symptoms Could the Beetle Larvae Trigger?

In the growth phase, carpet beetles feed mainly on dead animal products or other waste, but also on dry matter. Although it is rather rare, some people react allergically to contact with the bristles of the larvae or the shed casing. Such a symptomatology manifests itself through rashes, itchy and watery eyes, runny nose, skin irritation, hives or even gastrointestinal disorders and respiratory problems. You can prevent allergy symptoms by naturally controlling carpet beetles and removing their shedding from your home.

In addition, there is evidence that people become desensitised with prolonged exposure, but removing the pests is actually the best possible solution to the problem. However, if the problem persists, it may be because you have dirty carpets or other areas where the pests can thrive. They also eat hair, dead insects and dead skin, which requires regular cleaning and prevents infestation. But what other steps can you take to prevent complications?

What Steps Can You Take to Prevent an Infestation?

As already mentioned, occasional cleaning and hygiene help to get rid of carpet beetles and prevent infestation. In the worst cases, chemical treatment can also be considered as a last resort, but this should be done professionally. However, such control methods are not suitable for bed linen and clothing, and chemicals should only be used on specific areas. Instead, follow some simple steps to prevent the spread of insects in your home naturally.

Identify the Sources and Control Carpet Beetles

The first and most important step you can take if you suspect an infestation is to inspect your home. In doing so, you should identify the type of pest so that you can apply the appropriate control method. After you have verified that it is carpet beetles, you can remove accumulations of lint, hair, dead insects and other debris that the larvae feed on. Here are the typical places where you should check for carpet beetles and how to deal with them:

• Heavily infested furniture or furnishings to be thrown away when infested.
• Check purchased cut flowers for adult beetles before bringing them inside.
• Make sure window screens, doors and vents are secure to prevent carpet beetles from flying in from outside.
• To prevent and control these pests, regular and thorough cleaning of carpets, curtains, upholstered furniture, closets and other places where carpet beetles reside is important.
• Use your hoover to remove eggs, larvae and their food sources and dispose of the hoover bags.
• Check clothing and home textiles for sweat stains that attract carpet beetles, and wash them at a high temperature before prolonged storage in the wardrobe.
• Air fur and wool clothing in the sun and brush them thoroughly. Dry cleaning can also control carpet beetles.
• Since adult insects also feed on pet food and food scraps, check kitchen cupboards for them and throw everything away if necessary, or store it in containers.
• Also inspect mattresses and pillows filled with feathers regularly to prevent deeper infestations.

How to Get Rid of Carpet Beetles and Keep Them Away?

In principle, carpet beetles feed on most organic materials and since they can fly, it is not surprising that they are often found on such. Therefore, it is crucial to take some preventive measures to keep them away and prevent infestation.

• If you cannot clean infested objects or areas, some home remedies can be used that are suitable for indoor use. For example, you can use homemade solutions with essential oils. Lavender oil, neem oil, clove oil, peppermint oil or cedarwood oil are suitable for this.
• To properly store items that are susceptible to carpet beetles, first make sure they are free of the pests. Then pack everything in an airtight container and place a layer of paper every few centimetres. On top of these layers of paper, you can place mothballs, flakes or crystals labelled to control carpet beetles on fabrics.
• You can also use diatomaceous earth against them, as such a powder damages the beetle’s shell on contact and eliminates it.
• Other options are steam cleaning or freezing the infested textiles.
• A humane and natural option is to make insect repellent based on distilled white vinegar. Thus, you can then preventively treat areas previously infested by the pests and keep them away without having to kill them.
• Since carpet beetles do not eat synthetic materials, you can consider buying such carpets and furniture, while also keeping them clean regularly.
• Also, try to keep pantry and kitchen areas free of spilled flour or other food remnants at all times.

As you may also realise yourself, timely identification and prevention of a pest infestation are the most important measures to take. Carpet beetles, like other material pests, can become a nuisance. However, if you maintain hygiene in your home, chances are good that the likelihood of this happening will remain low.

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