How to Get Rid of Carpet Beetles With Essential Oils Naturally

Carpet beetles find organic items appetizing. They include your hair as well as the skin flakes and essential oils on your scalp. But did you know that there are also essential oils that can kill or repel (or both) carpet beetles? Obtained from plants, these aromatic liquids with therapeutic properties can help you get rid of carpet beetles naturally.

The most effective essential oils to get rid of carpet beetles are cedarwood, cinnamon, clove, lavender, neem, peppermint, spearmint, tea tree, thyme, and citronella oils. Most of them serve as insecticides and repellents at the same time.

Keep on reading if you want to effectively rid your home of carpet beetles and make it smell amazing, too.

Below are some of the best recommendations on how to get rid of carpet beetles with essential oils. Yes, you can live in a pest-free home without the need to spray toxic and foul-smelling insecticides for carpet beetles.

Cedarwood Essential Oil

Let us kick off this article on how to get rid of carpet beetles with essential oils by talking about one of the most effective all-natural carpet beetle insecticides and repellents.

It’s none other than cedarwood.

You can use cedarwood in a couple of ways: in block or chip form, and in essential oil form.

Cedarwood blocks and chips can be purchased from local hardware or home improvement stores. To use them, simply place them where you don’t want any larvae carpet beetles to hang around.

The chemical compounds in cedarwood that give it its characteristic woodsy odor can suffocate carpet beetles.

What’s more, they can also dissolve the outer protective coverings of larvae carpet beetles, causing them to die.

If your home is prone to a carpet beetle infestation, it’s a wonderful idea to invest in cabinets and furnishings that are out of cedarwood.

To refresh their smell and keep them effective against carpet beetles, wipe their surfaces with cedarwood essential oil every three years or so.

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Speaking of which, you can use cedarwood essential oil to kill larvae carpet beetles. You may also spray it where it is likely for those hairy critters to hide in between meals.

Cedarwood essential oil can damage carpet beetle eggs, too.

You can also use cedarwood essential oil as an alternative to cedarwood blocks and chips.

All you need to do is put a few drops of it in a cotton ball. Place the cotton ball where it matters. Do not allow it to come into contact with your clothes as they may end up stained.

Aside from carpet beetles, cedarwood essential oil can also kill and repel many other pests. Some examples are lice, fleas, ticks, mites, ants, silverfish, mosquitoes, and flies.

Here’s one of the best brands of cedarwood essential oil available in the market…

Related Post: How Long Does It Take to Get Rid of Carpet Beetles In Your Home

Majestic Pure Cedarwood Essential Oil

Size: 4 ounces

Unlike other essential oils extracted from leaves, flowers, seeds, and peels, cedarwood essential oil is obtained from the wood pieces of cedarwood.

Such is done by means of steam distillation, which isn’t easy and cheap. That explains the price tag of Majestic Pure cedarwood essential oil.

Especially if you are into cruelty-free products, you will love the fact that this particular brand of cedarwood essential oil isn’t tested on animals. It also comes with a dropper for easy dilution or straight application.

Cinnamon Essential Oil

It’s no secret that cinnamon can make a number of baked goodies smell and taste phenomenal. But other than that, it can also make the lives of common household pests miserable.

That’s because cinnamon is both an insecticide and repellent.

You can use cinnamon powder for eliminating larvae carpet beetles. However, it can stain carpets, clothes, linens, upholsteries, and others.

This is why the best form of cinnamon for the job is the essential oil kind. It’s so concentrated that, according to a study, it can kill some insects better than DEET, which is an ingredient commonly found in many of today’s insect repellents.

Cinnamon essential oil is so powerful that you should avoid coming into contact with it. Otherwise, you may end up with rashes and even skin burns!

Diluting it with water is pretty much useless because cinnamon essential oil and water don’t mix. If there’s a need to dilute it, you have to do it using a carrier oil such as almond oil, coconut oil, sesame seed oil, or olive oil.

Going back to cinnamon essential oil as a home remedy for carpet beetles, many homeowners swear that it becomes more effective when mixed with a little dish soap after it’s diluted with a carrier oil.

Worry not if you cannot seem to find live larvae carpet beetles but you are pretty sure that they are around. You can use cinnamon essential oil as an insect repellent instead.

Spraying it on or around items that are out of natural fibers or contain animal products can keep them from serving as snacks to larvae carpet beetles.

Are you looking for a high-quality cinnamon essential oil to buy? Check this product out.

Mary Tylor Naturals Cinnamon Essential Oil

Size: 4 ounces

This cinnamon essential oil from Mary Tylor Naturals is certified pure and organic by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).

This makes it ideal for various aromatherapy applications, from reducing stress to boosting the immune system. It’s also suited for DIY pest extermination purposes.

Just like what was mentioned earlier, allowing your skin to come into contact with pure cinnamon essential oil is a complete no-no. It’s a good thing that the product comes with a dropper that makes it easier and safer to dilute it or instill it in common carpet beetle hiding places.

Clove Essential Oil

The main chemical component of clove essential oil is called “eugenol”.

It has many therapeutic properties, which makes the essential oil capable of dealing with an assortment of health concerns, including most especially aches and pains.

Eugenol in clove essential oil also possesses insecticidal properties, which is why the essential oil is excellent for ridding the home of common household pests, including carpet beetles.

To deliver results, clove essential oil has to be sprayed directly to larvae carpet beetles. This means that you will have to locate them if you want to see them dead.

Many homeowners who are into DIY remedies and swear by the effectiveness of clove essential oil as an insecticide prefer to combine it with other essential oils with minty smells.

Related Post: Do You Recognize These 15 Signs of Carpet Beetle Infestation?

Such is to enhance its pest-killing properties and make their homes smell nice, too.

Before spraying clove essential oil on a surface, it’s a good idea to test it on an inconspicuous area first. That’s because it may stain or damage it, depending on the material.

Clove essential oil’s insecticidal properties have residual effects. This means that it will still spring into action days after you have sprayed it. It may no longer be able to kill carpet beetles alright.

However, it can still repel them. This is why you may regularly spray clove essential oil around items that you would like to safeguard from larvae carpet beetles.

By the way, aside from the essential oil, you may also use dried cloves as an insect repellent.

Other than larvae carpet beetles, cloves in whole form are also very good for repelling ants, fleas, cockroaches, spiders, and moths.

Here’s a brand of clove essential oil that you might want to consider getting.

Plant Therapy Clove Essential Oil

Size: 1 ounce

One of the nicest things about Plant Therapy clove essential oil is that it’s formulated to be safe for kids.

If your little one’s safety is the reason why you are hesitant to deal with carpet beetles with all your might, then this product will give you the peace of mind that you need.

Especially if the goal is to keep carpet beetles and other common household pests off-limits, the maker recommends adding a few drops of Plant Therapy clove essential oil to household cleaners.

Just like what was mentioned earlier, clove essential oil has residual effects that make it able to repel insects for a long time.

Lavender Essential Oil

Because of its soothing and relaxing scent, lavender essential oil is commonly recommended for people who are experiencing stress, anxiety, and insomnia.

While it can cause humans to calm down, lavender essential oil can drive carpet beetles and many other bugs away. That’s because it’s an all-natural insect repellent.

Aside from fending off larvae carpet beetles, lavender essential oil can also kill them. It does so by interfering with the proper functioning of the neurotransmitters of carpet beetles.

It’s no secret that clothes out of natural fibers are some of the favorite treats of larvae carpet beetles.

You can protect your clothes from being eaten by those hairy bugs by placing lavender sachet bags in cabinets and closets.

Not only will it keep larvae carpet beetles at bay but also make your clothes smell fantastic.

Applying lavender essential oil to cracks and crevices can kill carpet beetles hiding in them. You may also spray it on various items and surfaces, particularly those that contain organic materials.

One of the nicest things about lavender essential oil is that you can use it without diluting it beforehand. As a matter of fact, you can apply it directly on your skin.

This is why it can be used as an alternative to insect repellents that contain questionable ingredients that can irritate your skin and put your health in danger, too.

However, it’s not a good idea to use lavender oil for dealing with carpet beetles if there are small children around.

Here’s the best lavender essential oil for the job.

Plant Therapy Lavender Essential Oil

Size: 3.3 ounces

Any maker of lavender essential oil can say that its offering is 100% pure. However, it’s a different thing if third-party laboratories are the ones that are attesting to a product’s purity.

Such is the case with Plant Therapy lavender essential oil. It has gone through multiple rounds of testing by different laboratories.

Every spray of the product gives you peace of mind that you are not filling the indoor air with impurities and contaminants in your attempt to kill or repel carpet beetles through the DIY approach.

Neem Essential Oil

Some people call it “neem oil”. Others refer to it as “neem essential oil”. No matter which of its two names you prefer to use, there’s no denying that this volatile oil is one of the most effective for killing carpet beetles.

It works very well against adult and larvae carpet beetles. Neem essential oil can disrupt the hormone levels of adult carpet beetles.

Because of this, they become unable to mate and lay eggs. On the other hand, it can cause larvae carpet beetles to stop eating. Ultimately, those hairy pests will die due to hunger and malnutrition.

Neem essential oil can also destroy carpet beetle eggs. This can keep them from hatching and, more importantly, introducing a new batch of larvae carpet beetles into your home.

This essential oil works well because it’s nature’s insecticide. Neem essential oil is extracted from the seeds of the fruits of a tree that has the same name. Neem is native to India and other South Asian countries.

Aside from killing carpet beetles, neem essential oil also repels them. That’s because carpet beetles, no matter the life cycle they are in, cannot tolerate its smell.

Unfortunately, some people cannot tolerate neem essential oil’s smell, too. If you haven’t smelled it yet, here’s an idea: neem essential oil smells like sulfur or garlic.

It’s not just effectively killing carpet beetles and other common household pests that neem essential oil is known for.

A staple in aromatherapy, it’s also revered for its many benefits to the skin.

Some cosmetic issues it can deal with are skin dryness, fine lines, wrinkles, sagging, scars, and acne.

Check out this brand of neem essential oil trusted by many.

Harris 100% Cold-Pressed Neem Oil

Size: 12 ounces

One of the reasons why Harris neem oil is selling like hot cakes is that the maker guarantees that it contains no chemicals or additives. So, in other words, it’s pure and unrefined.

Spraying the product undiluted on live carpet beetles and eggs is recommended for best results.

However, just like what was mentioned before, it smells like sulfur or garlic.

Your home will surely be filled with its overpowering smell. If you do not want your home to reek of its odor, add several drops of another essential oil with a pleasing scent to it.

Peppermint Essential Oil

It’s no secret that toothpaste, mouthwash, and many other oral care products contain peppermint essential oil. It can freshen the breath not only by masking foul smell but also by killing odor-causing bacteria.

Well, it’s not just bacteria in the mouth that it can kill. Peppermint essential oil can kill carpet beetles and many other common household pests, too.

Some examples include mosquitoes and dust mites. It works very well because its primary chemical compound, which is menthol, can kill harmful organisms.

Other than being an excellent insecticide, peppermint essential oil is also a phenomenal repellent. This means that you can apply it to surfaces or items that you wish to protect from being devoured by larvae carpet beetles.

The overpowering smell of peppermint essential oil gives away the fact that it’s extremely potent.

It’s because of this why it needs to be diluted before applying it topically for an assortment of health and beauty uses.

Peppermint essential oil can deal with many issues. They range from nausea, stomachache, muscle pain, itchiness, to acne.

But for dealing with a carpet beetle problem, it may be used without diluting it beforehand. Feel free to douse carpet beetle eggs with it to make sure that they will no longer hatch.

Worry not if you cannot tolerate the strong aroma of peppermint essential oil. You can weaken the intense smell by diluting it with equal amounts of water.

However, this will decrease its potency, which means that you will have to spray it generously. Also, before spraying away, you should remember to shake the spray bottle very well.

Online, this is one of the best-selling peppermint essential oil brands.

Eve Hansen Organic Peppermint Essential Oil

Size: 4 ounces

What’s really nice about Eve Hansen peppermint essential oil is that it’s certified organic by the USDA.

This means that trying to kill carpet beetles with it won’t expose you to parabens, sulfates and other questionable compounds.

Because it’s 100% pure, it can be used for various health and beauty purposes, too.

By the way, the product comes with a dropper that makes it easy to place peppermint oil in cracks and crevices. It also makes it easy to add several drops of it in a spray bottle with distilled water.

Spearmint Essential Oil

If you cannot stand the strong aroma of peppermint essential oil but you desperately need to get rid of carpet beetles, there is an alternative to it that’s easier on the nose.

It’s none other than spearmint essential oil. The reason for this is that it has less than 1% menthol. On the other hand, peppermint essential oil contains up to 50% of it.

Earlier, we mentioned that menthol is the reason why peppermint essential oil can kill carpet beetles. It’s also what gives peppermint essential oil its unmistakable fragrance and taste, too.

You may be thinking that spearmint essential oil should not be included in this article on how to get rid of carpet beetles with essential oils since it contains very little menthol.

Well, there is another chemical compound in spearmint essential oil that makes it just as effective for DIY extermination of carpet beetles. It’s called “carvone”.

Spearmint essential oil contains up to 70% carvone. Peppermint essential oil, on the other hand, contains less than 1% of it.

Carvone has insecticidal properties, which is why it’s effective for killing carpet beetles.

Oh, and by the way, spearmint essential oil is generally cheaper than peppermint essential oil.

Because spearmint essential oil has a weaker aroma than peppermint essential oil, you can use it for DIY exterminating purposes without the need to dilute it with water first.

As a matter of fact, its scent is more sweet than minty. This is why it’s popularly used as a massage oil, usually for relieving muscle tension and joint pain.

Other than the chemical components, there is another key difference between these essential oils related to each other.

Peppermint essential oil is stimulating and energizing. In contrast, spearmint essential oil is soothing and relaxing.

So, if you are stressed and anxious because of carpet beetles, you know which one you should count on.

Here’s a brand of spearmint essential oil that you might want to opt for.

Majestic Pure 100% Pure and Natural Spearmint Essential Oil

Size: 4 ounces

The minute that it reaches your doorstep, you can immediately use Majestic Pure spearmint essential oil for dealing with carpet beetles.

The included dropper makes it hassle-free to douse hiding places with it. You can use a spray bottle to apply it to various surfaces, particularly those that contain natural fibers or animal matter.

Compared to peppermint essential oil, spearmint essential oil is gentler. Despite this, for topical applications, the maker recommends diluting the product beforehand with a carrier oil, such as coconut oil or jojoba oil.

Tea Tree Essential Oil

When checking out online articles on essential oils that you should have, all of them will surely mention tea tree essential oil.

Also known as “tea tree oil” or “melaleuca oil”, it’s extracted from the leaves of the tea tree or melaleuca alternifolia tree, which is a shrub or small tree that’s native to Australia.

Many people, including especially those who are into aromatherapy and holistic healing, know that tea tree essential oil has plenty of uses. As a matter of fact, your medicine cabinet or first-aid kit should never be without it.

Tea tree essential oil can deal with a wide variety of skin issues.

For hundreds of years now, it has been used for treating acne, warts, and all sorts of fungal infections such as ringworm and athlete’s foot.

It can also disinfect minor cuts and scrapes to keep them from getting infected, and speed up their healing, too.

One of the most popular uses of tea tree essential oil is for relieving insect bites. Well, it’s not just insect bites that this essential oil from an Australian plant can eliminate but also the insects responsible for those bites.

Tea tree essential oil works as an insecticide by penetrating into the outer protective covering of insects, such as larvae carpet beetles. When this happens, those critters die of suffocation.

The essential oil is also capable of destroying carpet beetle eggs, thus helping to keep the population of larvae carpet beetles in check.

Aside from being an insecticide, tea tree essential oil also works as a repellent. You may spray it on items that larvae carpet beetles may munch on.

If you are looking for a bottle of tea tree essential oil online, consider this product.

Natures-Star Tea Tree Essential Oil

Size: 16 ounces

The product is therapeutic grade, which means that it’s ideal for naturally dealing with all sorts of health and beauty issues. However, Natures-Star tea tree essential oil is also suited for getting rid of carpet beetles.

Because it comes in a massive 16-ounce bottle, you will have plenty of tea tree oil to spray directly on larvae carpet beetles, the eggs, and infested surfaces.

Be as generous as you possibly can when applying it to nooks and crannies. The product is 100% pure, which means that it contains no ingredients that you don’t want.

Thyme Essential Oil

In the agricultural industry, many farmers prefer using all-natural insecticides to get rid of pests that can wreak havoc on their crops and, ultimately, their profits.

There are many naturally existing substances that they count on. Thyme is one of those that many farmers prefer to use because it’s completely natural and highly effective, too.

Similarly, you may count on thyme essential oil in ridding your home of carpet beetles via the DIY way.

A member of the mint family, thyme essential oil works because of the chemical compound in it called “thymol”.

Needless to say, thymol has insecticidal properties — the minute that it comes into contact with larvae carpet beetles or other insects, it will kill them.

Thymol also poisons them when they ingest items that are doused with it.

Thyme essential oil also contains what’s referred to as “carvacrol”. Found abundantly in oregano, too, carvacrol is just like thymol in that it’s an all-natural insecticide.

Aside from for zapping carpet beetles and other crawling, jumping, or flying pests, thyme essential oil also has many other uses. For one, it helps deal with acne and hair loss. It can also provide relief from upper respiratory tract infections.

Despite having a rather mild warm and spicy aroma, thyme essential oil is extremely potent.

Practice caution when using it as an insecticide because it may cause irritation if it comes into contact with your skin.

To be safe, it’s a good idea to dilute pure thyme essential oil with equal amounts of distilled water. Apply using a spray bottle.

Here’s one of the best thyme essential oil in the market these days.

Best Naturals Organic Thyme Essential Oil

Size: 4 ounces

The packaging says that the product is certified organic by the USDA. This means that it is free of anything that can keep it from being 100% safe for a variety of beauty and health purposes.

The majority of people who purchase the product intend to use it for boosting the immune system and optimizing the digestive system.

It’s a wonderful all-natural insecticide for larvae carpet beetles and other common household pests, too.

The included dropper makes it easy for the content to be diluted in water in a spray bottle, or instilled in hiding places.

Citronella Essential Oil

Last but not least, there’s citronella essential oil.

Does the name ring a bell? Well, it’s because it is one of the most popular all-natural mosquito repellents.

Aside from mosquitoes, it can also drive away many other flying and crawling insects. Larvae carpet beetles are just some of those.

What makes citronella essential oil a reliable insect repellent is that it masks just about anything that many common household pests find delectable.

In the case of larvae carpet beetles, citronella essential oil keeps them from finding items that are out of natural fibers or contain animal products.

If you are living where carpet beetle infestations are quite common, it’s a must that you keep adult carpet beetles from flying inside your home through open windows to lay eggs.

Planting some citronella plants outside your windows can help keep pregnant female adult carpet beetles from attempting to lay eggs indoors.

Citronella plants can also be grown in pots and containers, which you may place on window sills.

Some people plant citronella together with lemongrass around their homes to safeguard themselves and their loved ones from mosquitoes and other insects, many of which can transmit infections and diseases through their bites.

Citronella plants may not be the prettiest plants on the face of the planet.

That’s because they come in the form of grass. However, their superb insect-repelling abilities and their lovely smell with mood-lifting properties easily make up for their appearance.

Are you wondering which citronella essential oil is best for the job? Consider this brand.

Diffuse Essential Oils Citronella Essential Oil

Size: 2 ounces

Citronella essential oil may be applied on exposed areas of the body to safeguard them from insect bites.

However, some people are not fond of the greasiness, and that is why they use citronella essential oil using reed and diffusers instead. Diffuse Essential Oils citronella essential oil is designed for this job exactly.

To protect your belongings from being damaged by larvae carpet beetles, you can apply the product on or around them.

You may add several drops of it in cotton balls, and then place them in drawers and closets to keep your clothes out of harm’s way.

There are numerous DIY solutions available for a carpet beetle infestation.

Many homeowners who refuse to leave the job to professional pest control companies look for tips on how to get rid of carpet beetles with essential oils.

Some of the essential oils that can impress were discussed above.

By now, I hope that you already have a clear idea of which of them you should give a try.

When choosing, consider the circumstances surrounding the infestation. Do you want to kill larvae carpet beetles? Or do you simply want to protect your belongings from damage?

It’s true that essential oils are 100% natural.

However, you should still use them with caution. Follow the tips above and the manufacturer’s directions for use to get rid of carpet beetles hassle-free.

Read Also: Do Carpet Beetles Travel With You?

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