With the cold still here in Minneapolis, any bugs that have survived this far will want to be where it is warmest – indoors. Carpets are a great feature in your home to stay warm and comfortable, but, unfortunately, it is also where bugs like to hide. Carpet beetles and moths love to hide in the fibers to stay warm and eat. Getting rid of them can be easy with the right tools, but you’ll have to stay diligent to keep them away. 

Identifying Carpet Beetles and Moths

It’s fairly easy to identify carpet beetles and moths because they eat the carpet fibers. You’ll often find balding spots in your carpet where they have eaten it away. Carpet beetles are very small, often compared to the size of a pinhead, and are black, brown, and sometimes orange. The larvae are light in color, tan or white, like the moths. Both the moths and beetles are attracted to the light, so you will see them flying in the sunlight that comes into your home.

Treat Your Carpets

There are a couple of different ways to get rid of carpet beetles and moths. No matter which one you choose, always vacuum the carpet first. Getting most of the bugs out of the carpet will make it easier to get rid of the infestation quickly. There are a few chemical treatments that you can use including insecticides or chemical cleaners. Carpet beetles are particularly sensitive to boric acid and insecticides with bifenthrin or cyfluthrin. This cleaner will have to go all over your carpet to make sure all eggs, beetles, larvae, and moths are gone. If you are apprehensive about doing it yourself, a professional carpet cleaner can also treat your carpets. Steam cleaning is also a really great way to get rid of all the bugs. It is also great after using chemical treatments. There are traps and natural remedies to get rid of the beetles and moths, but they are not as effective as the other remedies. 

Clean Your Home

To make sure all the droppings are gone and they are deterred from coming back, be sure to wipe down the surfaces of your home with household cleaners, do your laundry, and clean your furniture. Carpet beetles and moths can get everywhere in your home, so it’s important to do as much cleaning as possible. Washing clothes, blankets, sheets, will get any of the bugs in them. For items you can’t put in the washer, like pillows, or things you don’t need right away, seal them into bags to trap the bugs left from their food sources. After a couple of weeks, they will be good to go. 

Prevent Future Carpet Beetles and Moths

Prevention is the last step to making sure your home is clean. There are a few ways to prevent the bugs from coming back, including replacing your carpets, setting a regular cleaning schedule, and looking for openings outside and closing them. Carpets with natural fibers are more enticing for carpet beetles and moths. Getting a synthetic carpet will help prevent them from coming back because it is not as good of a food source. A regular cleaning schedule by vacuuming every week won’t allow the bug population to grow. It’s a great way to keep bugs from staying in your home. Carpet beetles and moths get in from outside in many small spaces. There is a chance that there is a small opening from a broken window or door. Be sure to check your home for any ways the bugs can get in. 

Regular carpet cleaning can also help keep carpet beetles and moths from infesting your home. We recommend carpet cleaning two times a year, the spring and the fall, to make sure your home is bug free and stays that way. Give us a call to learn more.