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

Different household pests have different effects on one’s indoor life. Carpet beetles are some of the smallest yet most destructive.

That’s because aside from your carpet, they can also damage your clothes, curtains, bed sheets, upholsteries, paintings, and others that have natural or organic fibers in them.

Fortunately, in some instances, it is possible to deal with a carpet beetle infestation without getting in touch with professional exterminators, but it takes time.

It can take as little as 30 days to get rid of carpet beetles with DIY methods assuming the infestation is relatively small. Home remedies for a carpet beetle infestation include vacuuming, steam cleaning, spraying vinegar, sprinkling boric acid, and using insecticides. Going for items out of synthetic fabrics is recommended, too.

Just like when eliminating bed bugs and many other household pets, springing into action right away is a must.

Sadly, the presence of carpet beetles is often discovered only after they have considerably multiplied and damaged a lot of your belongings.

The moment that you discover that you are sharing your home with them, carry out some of the most effective home remedies for carpet beetles if you prefer to deal with them on your own.

6 DIY Steps to Ending a Carpet Beetle Infestation

Before anything else, let’s get one thing straight: When trying to deal with a carpet beetle infestation, it’s of utmost importance to carry out the different home remedies correctly and consistently.

This helps ensure that every hiding carpet beetle is going to be killed, and every hidden carpet beetle egg is going to be destroyed.

There is no need to worry about eliminating adult carpet beetles, and it’s for a couple of reasons:

They are incapable of boring holes in clothes and others out of natural fibers.
They feed on pollen or nectar only, which is why they live outdoors.

What you need to focus on is exterminating larvae carpet beetles because they are the ones that can wreak havoc on your life. They may be young alright.

However, they have teeth that enable them to leave holes in your belongings with natural fibers. They can also cause what’s called carpet beetle dermatitis.

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Larvae carpet beetles can leave you itching and scratching because of the hair that covers their bodies measuring 1/8 to 1/4 of an inch long.

On the other hand, carpet beetle eggs are white or cream in color. Measuring 1/4 to 1/2 millimeter in length, they are oval and have a spine-like structure at one end.

They are usually laid by adult female carpet beetles in cracks and crevices. In many instances, they are also laid in items out of wool and other natural fibers.

How long does it take to get rid of carpet beetles? If you carry out the following steps, it is possible to remove them from your life in just as little as one month…

Vacuuming and Steam Cleaning

When it comes to dealing with bed bugs through the DIY approach, there are two steps that are always being suggested.

They’re none other than vacuuming and steam cleaning. More often than not, carrying out one after the other is recommended to bring the bed bug infestation to an end.

Vacuuming makes it trouble-free to remove carpet beetle eggs. It’s also great for zooming in on larvae carpet beetles hiding in cracks and crevices, as well as those that are crawling around.

Touching those hairy babies is a no-no as you may wind up with carpet beetle dermatitis.

On the other hand, steam cleaning makes it quick and easy to kill larvae carpet beetles, hiding and in the open alike, as well as destroy carpet beetle eggs.

Related Post: How to Get Rid of Carpet Mites In 2021

Laundering Items in Hot Water

Steam cleaning can target both larvae carpet beetles and the eggs because none of them can survive high temperatures.

It’s because of this exactly why laundering infested items in hot water is one of the most effective home remedies for a carpet beetle infestation that you may give a try.

The problem with this home remedy for carpet beetles is that a lot of items out of natural fabrics, which are the ones that larvae carpet beetles cannot resist, are not washable in hot water. It’s because hot water can make them shrink.

Using Diluted Vinegar

Going for the application of vinegar is like hitting two birds with one stone.

First, it can kill both larvae carpet beetles and carpet beetle eggs.

Second, it can repel adult carpet beetles, thereby keeping them from laying eggs.

Vinegar can make your room stink. Similarly, it can etch and bleach some surfaces. This is why vinegar should be diluted first in water before spraying or wiping. The recipe is this: seven parts water and three parts vinegar.

By the way, it is completely up to you if you prefer white vinegar over apple cider vinegar or vice versa.

Sprinkling Some Boric Acid Powder

Many homeowners swear that vinegar becomes several times more effective against carpet beetles with a little boric acid powder.

It doesn’t come as a surprise since it is poisonous to carpet beetles and many other insects.

However, it can be harmful to pets. You should also avoid coming into contact with it as much as you possibly can.

When using boric acid powder for dealing with carpet beetles, practice caution.

Spraying Commercially Sold Insecticide

When shopping for insecticide for carpet beetles, you have a couple of options.

First, there’s the kind that you spray in cracks and crevices as well as other hiding places for larvae carpet beetles and carpet beetle eggs.

Second, there’s a form of insecticide that you leave on one spot and wait for larvae carpet beetles to take the bait.

No matter your choice, it’s a must that you carefully follow the manufacturer’s directions on the packaging. Also, look for something that contains mostly all-natural ingredients.

Opting for Synthetic Fabrics

Aside from killing larvae carpet beetles, it’s also a good idea to discourage them from infesting your room. You can do this by making sure that there are not a lot of things that they can feast on.

This is why it can work to your advantage to replace items out of natural fibers with those that are out of synthetic fibers.

Especially if it seems like a carpet beetle is a seasonal problem, it is a wonderful idea to limit the number of your belongings that are out of wool, cotton, fur, and other natural or organic materials.

You can take all kinds of steps if you want to make your home off-limits to carpet beetles. Unfortunately, just like other home remedies for other problems, the DIY approach has its limitations.

If it’s clear that the carpet beetle infestation you have is massive, consider contacting the pros without delay.

Just Before You Hunt Down Carpet Beetles

It’s not enough that you ask, “how long does it take to get rid of carpet beetles?” You should also wonder which life cycles of carpet beetles you should focus on.

Well, because adult ones tend to feed on pollen and nectar found abundantly outside your home, you should zoom in on dealing with larvae carpet beetles and carpet beetle eggs.

Correctly and consistently carrying out the steps mentioned above makes it possible to have a carpet beetle-free life in about a month, provided that the infestation is small.

However, if it’s apparent that the carpet beetle-related problem is serious, based on the extent of the damage, it is a good idea to get in touch with professional exterminators in your area.

The sooner that you spring into action, the quicker that you can go back to having a normal life.