How to Get Rid of Carpet Beetles in the Closet

As I was cleaning out my closet, I was shocked to find tiny holes in some of my favorite shirts.  These were tiny holes that didn’t just show up on one shirt but on a couple of my favorite shirts as well. It was a devastating sight.  So, I had to find ways on how to get rid of carpet beetles in my closet.

Get rid of carpet beetles and their eggs by cleaning closet’s shelves, drawers, hanger rods, and walls with natural cleaners such as rubbing alcohol, boric acid, and vinegar. Prevent further infestation by segregating, sanitizing, or throwing away clothes affected by carpet beetles

To learn more about how to get rid of carpet beetles in closet, continue reading below.

Empty Out your Closet To Assess Infested Areas

To eliminate carpet beetles in closet, empty it out first.  By emptying out your closet, you can carefully inspect the infested areas.  

Carpet beetles love dark places. Your closet is one good example of a perfect dwelling place for carpet beetles. So, if you haven’t cleaned out your closet for some time, don’t be surprised to find these tiny pests.

Carpet beetles survive on a diet of silk wool, leather, and fur. They feed on your clothing. 

So even if you can’t see these little pests but your clothes have holes in it, chances are, your closet is already infested. By emptying it out, you’ll be able to make a good assessment of the infested area.

The sooner you assess the infested area, the better. It’s not enough to get rid of the carpet beetles. You need to get rid of their eggs as well.

Since the female carpet beetles are capable of laying more than a hundred eggs a day, you have a lot of eggs to get rid of.

Sanitize Affected Clothes To Eradicate Source 

Once you have emptied out your closet, make sure to segregate the clothes that have already been damaged by the carpet beetles.

Keep in mind that there could also be some tiny eggs hiding in them. Hence, it’s better you segregate them immediately and wash them.

If they can’t be washed in the machine, then dry clean them immediately.  

Carpet beetles cannot survive extreme heat. Drying your clothes at a very high temperature can kill them instantly.  

If the affected clothes have been damaged tremendously, better to seal them up in a plastic bag and throw them out.

Vacuum Closet and Surrounding Areas

Now that your closet is empty, vacuum it thoroughly. Don’t stick to just vacuuming the inside of your closet. Make sure to vacuum the surrounding areas as well especially if there’s a carpet nearby.

The carpet beetles might just end up flying to the nearby carpet for shelter.  After vacuuming the closet and the surrounding areas, make sure to dispose of the dirtbag immediately and properly.

Seal it well to prevent the carpet beetles from crawling out. Don’t leave the dirtbag inside your home.

Use Natural Cleaners For Carpet Beetle DIY Sprays

The good news is that there are natural cleaners that can help get rid of carpet beetles inside your closet. You can easily concoct these natural cleaners.

The ingredients are not hard to find since they’re the usual household items.  One good example of an easy-to-make natural cleaner is a concoction of water, rubbing alcohol, and dishwashing liquid.

Spraying rubbing or isopropyl alcohol kills carpet beetles and their eggs as well. 

To make this concoction, pour two parts water into a spray bottle. Add in two parts rubbing alcohol. Once the two ingredients are combined, pour in the third one, which is two parts dishwashing liquid. Shake the spray bottle to mix the three ingredients.  

You can also concoct a vinegar-water solution spray.

Mix together equal amounts of both vinegar and water.  Undiluted vinegar is the best bet for this particular kind of natural cleaner.  Boric acid can also poison carpet beetles upon contact.

Create a boric acid spray by mixing together two cups of hot water and a tablespoon of boric acid.  Shake the bottle until the boric acid dissolves.  

Use Indoor Pesticides

You can also opt to use indoor pesticides formulated to eradicate carpet beetles in closet.  They’re easy to find since they’re available in stores.  

Examples of indoor pesticides are:

• Bayer Suspend Polysone Insecticide (deltamethrin as the active ingredient)
• Tempo Sc Ultra Premise Pest Control Spray (cyfluthrin as the active ingredient)
• Syngenta Demand CS Insecticide (lambda-cyhalothrin as the active ingredient)
• MGK NyGuard IGR Concentrate Insecticide (pyriproxyfen as the active ingredient)
• Ortho Home Defense MAX Insect Killer (bifenthrin as the first active ingredient and cypermethrin as the second active ingredient).

While the active ingredients found in these indoor pesticides are toxic to insects, they’re not to humans. It’s worth noting that these kinds of pesticides cannot be used on carpets, clothing, and furniture.

They’re ideal to eradicate carpet beetles living inside closets and crevices.  

Spray Every Nook and Cranny of Your Closet

After choosing which kind of cleaner you want to use to kill the carpet beetles, spray every nook and cranny of your closet. Make sure to spray on baseboards and corners.

Don’t forget to spray the walls of your closet as well. Don’t spare the hangers because they also need some good spraying.

Keep in mind that you’re not just eliminating carpet beetles in your closet. You’re also eliminating their eggs to prevent future infestation.

So, don’t skimp on the sprays. Spray as much as you want until you feel comfortable that the carpet beetles and their eggs are eradicated.   

Use Sticky Flypaper to Catch Carpet Beetles

Now that your closet is clean, make sure to use sticky flypaper to prevent future infestation. It’s hard to tell when the carpet beetles will show up in your closet again.

The sticky flypaper can help you monitor insect activity inside your closet.  It not only catches carpet beetles but it also prevents them from laying eggs inside the closet. Just make sure to reapply once a month to avoid infestation.

You can also use essential oils such as peppermint and clove to prevent carpet beetles from crawling back into your closet.  Dilute an essential oil in distilled water and spray inside your closet.

Aside from the fact that the carpet beetles will refrain from returning, your closet will also smell amazing.

Keep Closet Clean To Prevent Future Infestation

To completely get rid of carpet beetles in closet, you need to keep your closet and surrounding areas clean at all times.  This means regular cleaning is a must. Use the homemade sprays liberally. Even if you see no signs of carpet beetles, make it a habit to spray your closet.

Pay special attention to areas where carpet beetles are most likely to hide.  If your home is wall-to-wall carpeted, the more you need to keep your eyes open for these tiny pests.

After all, they’re not called carpet beetles for nothing.

Another area where carpet beetles love to hide is the kitchen. They feast upon dried pasta and flour. Make sure these dry ingredients are stored in airtight containers to keep the carpet beetles away. 

Lastly, make sure that your doors and windows are always closed. Carpet beetles can easily crawl into your home unnoticed.

The steps mentioned above are simple ways to kill carpet beetles inside your closet. Don’t forget that you also have the option to seek professional help.

A pest control expert will not just help you get rid of carpet beetles but will also find the source of the infestation. Seeking the services of a pest control company will require a certain budget.

It’s up to you if you want to explore that manner of eradicating carpet beetles.

Can you think of another way on how to get rid of carpet beetles in the closet?