How to spot a carpet beetle infestation and what to do about it
When you think of pest species, mice, rats, and wasps are probably the first thing that comes to mind, not carpet beetles.
In fact, many people don’t even realise that carpet beetles exist until they are dealing with an infestation of the insects themselves.
However, at https://harveyenviro.co.uk/ we actually deal with this species on a pretty regular basis and our technicians have developed somewhat of a speciality in deal with infestations.
What exactly are carpet beetles?
Carpet beetles are small, around 4mm, with oval shaped bodies and love to eat their way through clothes, carpets, or other fabrics.
Whilst they do not pose a direct threat to human health, they can do a pretty significant around of damage when left to their own devices as their larvae feel on the natural fibres of your woollen carpets, and any form of natural fibre clothing.
When fully grown, carpet beetles, despite their name, will move on from fabrics and instead focus their feeding on pollen, plants, and flowers instead.
Where do carpet beetles come from?
Carpet Beetles can enter your home in any number of different ways from being carried inside on a piece of clothing to more traditional routes such as simply crawling through an open door or window.
If fabrics are not sanitised shortly after being brought inside with a carpet beetle onboard an infestation can quickly establish itself and a population of beetles will spread far and wide in a remarkable fast time.
Are carpet beetles really that much of a problem?
It depends if you care about the cost of replacing your carpets and clothing or not! As we mentioned above, carpet beetles do not tend to do harm to humans directly, although they can cause irritation if they come directly into contact with the skin.
Unlike certain pests such s rats that will happily gnaw their way through structural wooden beams, carpet beetles do not tend to destroy your property itself, but rather the possessions that you have inside. As you can imagine, this can still lead to a pretty hefty bill.
How to keep carpet beetles under control
Getting rid of carpet beetles is not always an easy task, mainly due to their small size and their ability to spread far and wide in a short period of time.
Some of the most effective ways to keep them at bay, however, do include:
- Vacuuming – Good practice in any case! Vacuuming is a good way to remove unwanted debris from your carpet, not only food, dead skin and dust, but also eggs, larvae and insects. Make sure to get every nook and cranny when vacuuming your home, especially along the edge of the carpet near the skirting board.
- Vinegar cleaning solutions – A mix of vinegar and water in a spray bottle creates a highly effective natural anti-beetle spray.
- Calling a professional – If you are struggling with carpet beetles, calling a professional is always the best course of action.