Have you seen one or two carpet beetles buzzing in your home?
If yes, then you need to take action immediately because there could be much more hiding in the mattress.
Like bedbugs, carpet beetles usually attack mattresses in large colonies and can be very difficult to get rid of if you don’t take action before things get out of hand.
But the big question is, how to get rid of carpet beetles in mattress once you notice their presence?
In this article, we will give you proven tips on how to get rid of carpet beetles in your mattress. Make sure you read until the end so that you don’t miss out on anything.
Do carpet beetles live in a mattress?
Before we discuss ways of eliminating carpet beetles on your mattress,
it is important to first discuss whether carpet beetles live in a mattress. There are four different varieties of carpet beetles, and out of the four types, the black beetle is the most dangerous one.
These pests feed on different things including plants, fury materials, wood, and much more.
Carpet beetles usually live in mattresses at the larvae stage. During this stage, they usually feed fabrics, dead human skin, and hairs.
Once they reach adulthood, they usually leave the mattress and go to the garden where they feed on pollen.
How do carpet beetles enter the house?
You may be wondering how carpet beetles find their way into your mattress. One thing that you probably don’t know is that carpet beetles fly.
That explains why it is very difficult to prevent them from getting into your house.
They can fry to your home via an open door or window and go straight to your mattress to seek shelter.
While adult carpet beetles enjoy feeding on pollens, their larvae counterparts enjoy feeding on natural fabrics and animals products.
That is why they usually infest homes and hide in the mattresses where they cannot be easily detected.
Read More: How to Get Bed Bugs Out Of Mattress
Are carpet beetles dangerous?
Yes, carpet beetles are dangerous and that is why you need to get rid of them quickly before they wreak havoc in your house.
Carpet beetles can do a lot of damage when you hide in your mattress.
The fact that they feed on dead skin, fabrics such as leather, fur, and animal-based products means that they can harm you as well as damage your mattress, curtain, clothing, and more.
Additionally, sleeping with carpet beetles can cause allergies when you inhale or come into contact with their larval hair. However, it is important to note that both beetle larvae and adult carpet beetle don’t bite humans.
Signs of carpet beetles infestation
- Physical sighting of larva and adults carpet beetles buzzing on your house.
- Damaged clothing, carpet, or other fabric
- Small holes on your bed sheets
- Larva hairs and shed shells on your mattress and around the house.
- Physical sighting of eggs under the mattress, between blanket, on the spring box, and your pillowcases.
How to get rid of carpet beetles in mattress
1. Identify the source of the infestation
You can only get rid of carpet beetles if you know the source of infestation.
So, the first step to take to get rid of carpet beetle in your home is to identify their point of entry.
This way, you will prevent more from coming into your home, thus making it easy to manage those that have already invaded your home.
Make sure you correctly identify the source of the infestation and things that have attracted them into your house.
2. Vacuum your entire house
Once you correctly identify the source of the infestation,
the next thing is to vacuum the entire house to get if of all larvae and adult beetles that have invaded your home.
Vacuuming is one of the most effective ways of getting or of carpet beetle and larvae from your home.
Concentrate more on the source of infestation but also vacuum other areas in your house that carpet beetles are likely to hide.
Just to be sure that no carpet beetle is left around, vacuum your entire house at least once a day for a week.
3. Get rid of all infested cloths
If some clothes or other pieces of fabrics have been infested by carpet beetles,
don’t clean them, instead, throw them away. It is not a guarantee that you will get rid of all carpet beetles if you wash the infested cloths.
Throwing them away is the surest way to eliminate all hidden carpet beetles.
Get rid of all your clothes, including those that you don’t see signs of carpet beetles damage.
4. Spay insecticide on areas that you cannot clean
Of cause, you cannot clean all areas in your house.
So, in areas that you cannot clean, spray appropriate insecticide to get rid of carpet beetles that have hidden underneath.
Areas to focus on include under the bed, tight corners, cracks and crevices, and under the sofa set.
Remember that insecticides are harmful and should not be spread in all areas of your house.
They should only be used in targeted areas. Also, don’t forget to wear protective clothing and gloves before applying the insecticide.
5. Apply boric acid in hard to reach areas
In areas that are hard to reach such as wall voids and attics, apply boric acid.
Apply dust boric acid evenly to kill carpet beetles that have hidden inside.
Boric acid is very effective in killing carpet beetles and can be a good alternative to use, especially in hard-to-reach places where insecticides are not effective.
6. Use hormone-based glue traps
If carpet beetle infestation in your house is serious, we recommend that you use hormone-based glue traps.
Place hormone-based glue straps in various strategic spots in your house, including along windows doors, cracks, and crevices.
This technique will trap any carpet beetles that come in contact with it.
Final word
The last thing that any homeowner wants to see are signs of carpet beetles in their mattresses.
The action that you take once carpet beetles have infested your mattress will demine whether you will effectively eliminate them or not.
The tips given above are very effective and will help you get rid of carpet beetles, including those that have hidden in hard-to-reach places.
