The Common Cleaning Task That Can Naturally Keep Carpet Beetles Out Of Your Home

If your home has carpets, other furnishings, or clothing made from dried animal fibers, such as wool, fur, or feathers, you have likely encountered carpet beetles. These small pests are often responsible for holes or visibly thinned areas on rugs, carpets, clothing, and furniture and can cause significant damage. A carpet beetle infestation spreads easily, too, because they reproduce quickly. Fortunately, you can prevent carpet beetles from taking up residence in your home with a simple cleaning chore that's likely already on your to-do list: vacuuming.

Carpet beetles are small, oval-shaped insects. Some are entirely black, while others have a splotchy pattern of brown, white, and yellow. Adults are typically 1 to 4 millimeters in length, but they are not actually responsible for the damage to your carpets, clothing, and other items. Instead, it's carpet beetle larvae that feed on carpets and other items made of wool, fur, leather, feathers, silk, and felt. The larvae are usually light brown, feature dense, prickly hair, and measure approximately ⅛ to ¼ inch long.

In addition to holes and thinned areas in carpets and clothing, signs of a carpet beetle infestation include tiny brown waste pellets and shell-shaped skins shed from the larvae. You may also find dead beetles on your window sills and find small, round eggs hidden in concealed areas, such as storage areas, air ducts, or beneath furniture.

Finding one or two carpet beetles in your home shouldn't be much cause for concern. Adults have wings, so they can often fly into your home through a window. If they start to lay eggs in your home, though, an infestation can develop quickly and leave you panicking about how to get carpet beetles out of your home and keep them from coming back.

The good news is that vacuuming regularly is a simple way to keep carpet beetles at bay. In fact, carpets and rugs that are cleaned regularly are typically not targeted by these pests. That's because vacuuming can remove both carpet beetle larvae and eggs, so they don't have a chance to grow and mature. As a result, the beetles don't have an opportunity to infest your home.

Vacuuming your rugs and carpeting also cuts off the carpet beetles' food source. That's because it removes the materials that the larvae feed on, such as pet hair and lint. If there isn't anything for them to eat, then they're likely to move on from your home to somewhere more appealing.

The best tip to make vacuuming more effective for keeping carpet beetles out of your home is to do it regularly. In most cases, this means cleaning areas that have been affected by carpet beetles in the past or feature animal fiber carpets that could be vulnerable at least once a week. If you suspect that carpet beetles are already present in your house, vacuum daily until you no longer see signs of their presence.

When vacuuming, target areas the carpet beetle larvae may hide, such as along baseboards and under furniture. It often helps to use your vacuum's attachments, like the crevice tool, to ensure that you thoroughly clean hard-to-reach spots. It also helps to use a vacuum with a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter to ensure that you remove as much dirt and dander from your carpets as possible. HEPA filters can trap up to 99.97% of particles as small as 0.3 microns in diameter, so carpet beetle larvae and eggs don't stand a chance.

If you've seen evidence of carpet beetle activity in your home, empty the vacuum's dust bin or remove and seal the bag as soon as you're done. Dispose of the debris you've picked up outside your home to ensure that any carpet beetle larvae or eggs inside don't make their way back into the house.