Wondering how do you get rid of carpet beetles naturally? Learn all the carpet beetles related information from this article and keep them away from your home!
People have moved forward from basic house decors and are experimenting with carpets, rugs, throws, blankets, and whatnot. Although these decor elements bring the necessary homely vibe, it is also essential to keep them free from any infestations. The common type of infestation for such elements is the carpet beetles. As their name suggests, these are tiny insects that infest carpets and rugs. They feed on wool, silk, hair, feathers, and fur and feed on other materials as well, such as books, grains, spices, and other dried foods. They can not only destroy your carpet but cause itchy rashes to you as well. Therefore, it is crucial to get rid of them asap before they become a nuance. Yet if you don’t wish to kill them with chemicals, learn how do you get rid of carpet beetles naturally by reading further.
How to Identify Carpet Beetles
Carpet beetles are small and usually black or dark brown. They look like furry brown worms in the larval stage, which is the most damaging stage for the fabrics. These beetles are not easily identifiable by the naked eye due to their small size and they often go unnoticed until they cause severe damage. Once in your house, they can settle and lay eggs, creating havoc. Carpet beetles tend to hide behind dark cupboards, basements and are capable of poking a hole in an expensive carpet or even cut through clothes and books as well.
If you find any damage to the carpets and other fabrics, which look like tiny wormholes, it is time to look for an infestation. Other than that, they form noticeable conglomerates around the cracks of windows and doorways or in dark corners. Or, you can look under your carpet for small moving insects to rule out the infestation of carpet beetles.
How They Enter the Home
There are many ways carpet beetles can enter your house. They enter the house in ways that are not easy to avoid, but regular cleaning can prevent them from settling and lay eggs which can cause an infestation. The ways in which carpet beetles can enter your home are:
- Flying through open windows and doors.
- Flowers can attract carpet beetles.
- They can attach themselves to your clothing while you’re out.
- Pets can carry them inside after a walk outdoors.
- They can enter through crevices because of pipes and cables.
- Via chimneys.
The reasons why carpet beetles are attracted to your home can be many-fold, some of which are:
- If you have stained fabrics like carpets and other fabric items.
- Lack of sufficient light in your home. This gives them enough space to hide, which is an attractive factor for carpet beetles.
- Dead animal carcass trapped inside the walls.
- Potpourri.
How do You Get Rid of Carpet Beetles Naturally
If you could not identify the infestation early, it is always recommended to go for proper pest control. This will help eliminate it from all nooks and corners in which the beetles might have spread because of the longer duration. These might get missed and can cause the infestation again. However, if you successfully identify their infestation at the early stages, here are a few ways to get rid of them naturally.
1. Boric Acid
Spray boric acid on the carpet and vacuum it after a few hours. Boric acid will dehydrate the beetles and eventually, kill them. However, be careful in using it because it can be poisonous to humans. Direct your pets and children to stay away from the treated area. You can also create a spray with a tablespoon of boric acid and water in a spray bottle and use it to spray the liquid on fabrics and other dark corners.
2. Diatomaceous Earth
Diatomaceous Earth is another natural ingredient that can deter off carpet beetles. Use it similarly to boric acid by spreading on the carpets and vacuuming later. It has a similar impact on the beetles and it dehydrates the beetles and impacts their neuro capabilities, all of which lead to death.
3. Deep Cleaning
Perform proper cleaning of the house, including all the dark corners, by moving the furniture and other objects and cleaning behind them. Make sure to clean every corner of the house, the cupboards, and all the surfaces. You may use boric acid or diatomaceous earth to make a spray and use it to clean the places.
How to avoid carpet beetles?
While it might not be easy to avoid entry, you can take a few precautions to prevent an infestation.
1. Regular Cleaning
Vacuum the carpet regularly and ensure you do not have any dirty laundry piled up for more than 2-3 weeks. Dirt and stained laundry are a big factor that leads carpet beetles to infest your home.
2. Natural Light
Carpet beetles do not like sunlight and they rather tend to stay in cool and dark place than in light. So let the light enter the home and keep moving your furniture every few days so that enough light travels there as well.
3. Decorate with Synthetic Carpets and Rugs
Replacing natural carpets and rugs with synthetic material can prevent the infestation as carpet beetles won’t get any wool, fur, and other materials to feed on.
4. Use Plastic for Storing Clothes
Keep your clothes and other unused fabrics in containers so that the beetles can not infest them. Also, regularly cleaning your wardrobe will help prevent any further infestation.
5. Check the Outdoors
Look outside and get rid of any spider webs and nests from birds, rodents, or bees, in which carpet beetles can hide.
6. Avoid Flowering Plants for Indoors
Carpet Beetles can attach to the pollen of the flowers and hence, avoid planting flowering plants indoors. Even if you choose a flowering indoor plant, make sure you keep checking every few weeks for any infestation.
7. Use of Yellow Lighting
Replacing outdoor lighting from white bulbs to yellow ones can help avoid carpet beetles. Carpet beetles don’t like yellow lights and they refrain from entering houses that have such lights.
8. Seal Windows and Doorways
Ensure you do not have any open cracks or crevices on the doors or windows, and they are tightly sealed once closed.
Hope we answered your question on how do you get rid of carpet beetles naturally and these methods will help you to get rid of them effectively. Let us know your valuable suggestions and feedbacks in the comment section.
