Rugs at Risk!

You decide it’s time to hoover under that heavy chest of drawers in your bedroom. Then you notice them. Loads of holes in your woollen carpet. Signs like this can point to an infestation of carpet beetles. Here’s how they cause chaos in your home.

Why and How Do Carpet Beetles Cause Damage?

It’s not actually the carpet beetles themselves that cause damage, it’s their larvae. They love to feed on natural fibres like silk, wool, fur, and feathers. Because they love to feed and hide in dark, undisturbed places, it can take a long time to notice an infestation. By then, the damage has often been done. Holes left in woollen carpets and rugs. Damage to clothing, cushions, blankets, and furniture. Anything made from natural materials is at risk.

Though even if you buy clothes made from synthetic fibres, they aren’t safe. If natural materials aren’t available, larvae will feed on synthetic clothing with natural oils, perspiration, or food stains on. Carpet beetles sometimes also feed on grains, nuts, spices, and cereals.

What Does Carpet Beetle Damage Look Like?

If carpet beetles have been at your clothing, expect to see small holes along the seams of the fabric. The larvae are really hard to spot with the naked eye too, so you might not notice them in your wardrobes or drawers at first. Though you’ll certainly notice the damage they’ve done.

If the larvae have been eating away at your carpets and rugs, they’ll start off on the bits that are hidden. As we mentioned earlier, they love undisturbed spots, so they’ll feed on the carpet that’s under the bed, under the wardrobe, or beneath the sofa. Eventually, the entire perimeter of your carpet could be damaged.

If there’s an infestation of carpet beetles in your home, you’ll notice other signs as well as the damage. You might see shed skins in hidden areas as the larvae mature. You could also notice the adult beetles themselves around your home.

What Do Carpet Beetle Larvae Look Like?

Carpet beetle larvae are 4-5mm long, have long, rounded bodies, and are reddish or light brown in colour. They have tufts of hair on their body. The best way to describe them is they’re a kind of hairy caterpillar. Their hairs can cause irritation to people with sensitive skin.

How to Get Rid of Carpet Beetles

Find the source of the infestation

Check those dark, undisturbed places we mentioned. Inside of, and underneath furniture. At the edge of carpets. In cupboards where you store food. Look for signs of damage to carpets and clothing, and the beetles and larvae won’t be far away.

Vacuum your home thoroughly

Vacuum the affected area and the rest of your home thoroughly. Remember to vacuum furniture like sofas and armchairs too. Get into all those hard to reach places.

Wash fabrics on a hot wash

Wash clothing, cushion covers, and any other machine washable fabrics on a hot wash to kill carpet beetle eggs and larvae. Shampoo or steam clean your carpets.

Throw away infested food

If you think that carpet beetles have infested particular foods, throw them away, and clean your cupboards thoroughly.

Signs of Carpet Beetle Infestation in Your Home?

Carpet beetles breed fast and they stay hidden out of sight. This means they can cause irreparable damage to your home and clothing before you even realise.

If you have noticed signs of infestation, call us for a fast, effective, and expert solution to your pest problem.

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