Carpet Beetle Control

Locate infestation sites. Carpet beetle damage is usually fairly localized and, therefore, easy to spot. Look for holes chewed into fabrics and areas with high concentrations of fecal pellets and the shed skins of larvae. When these localized spots are, well, located, you'll be in a good position to start getting rid of carpet beetles. Start by checking dark, quiet areas: under and behind beds, furniture and bookcases, beneath baseboards, in air ducts, under slip covers, underneath rugs, in carpet pads, in cupboards and food pantries, in storage areas and closets, and anywhere pet hair builds up. Finding one localized area of damage does not mean you should stop looking; there will probably be others.

Grab the vacuum cleaner. Vacuuming is one of the most effective ways to knock back carpet beetle infestations. It sucks up carpet beetles, eggs, and larvae, as well as the food bits that the larvae need for survival (pet and human hair, food crumbs, dead insect and mite bits, etc.). Start by vacuuming the localized spots mentioned above and then move to the rest of the carpet. Vacuum under baseboards, along walls, under furniture, the furniture itself, and both sides of rugs. Vacuum hard floors too, especially wood; eggs and larvae are sure to be in the cracks. Vacuum as thoroughly and as often as possible (think once a day). Seal the vacuum bag in plastic and throw it away when you're done.

Dry clean or dispose of infested items. For many people, the decision of whether to dry clean or dispose of infested items is not always easy. Well, let me make it easy for you—throw it away. Wrap that blanket, rug, sweater, scarf, or whatever it is in a plastic bag and get it the hell out of the house. On the other hand, if the item in question simply has too much sentimental or monetary value, then get it to the dry cleaners right away. Don't wait. Dry cleaning will kill carpet beetles regardless of what stage of life they're in (adult, larvae, egg). When you get the item back, store it immediately, and store it properly—see below.

Use proper storage methods. Never store an item that hasn't been properly cleaned. By properly, I mean dry cleaned or washed with hot, soapy water. Once items are cleaned and dried, load them into a plastic bag that can be heat-sealed or into one of those fancy-schmancy Space Saver bags—you know, the ones that can suck all the air out with a vacuum cleaner. Do this with all rarely used blankets, pillows, rugs, and off-season clothing. Next move to the kitchen and, like you would for weevils, put all grains, flours, cereals, crackers, etc., into plastic, glass, or metal containers with tight-fitting lids. Carpet beetles eat these things and have no problem chewing through paper and cardboard food containers.

Exclude carpet beetles from your home. When controlling carpet beetles, it's important to keep new ones from entering your home and setting back your progress. Exclusion measures also help to avoid future infestations. Don't bring freshly cut flowers into the house since carpet beetles eat nectar and are frequently on them. Check windows and doors to make sure there are no holes in screens and they fit tightly into their frames. Caulk any openings around them and install weather stripping; install door sweeps, too. Check all vents (dryer, air) and make sure they are fitted with bug screens. Finally, walk around the house, find any other holes (such as those around wires and electrical components) and cracks, and caulk them.

Dust your carpets. Insecticidal dusts can be spread either by hand or with a mechanical duster such as the Powdermill Dust Applicator, or the Dustin Mizer. I prefer the "by hand" method—better control. As for dust, pick something like boric acid (Borax, CB Boric Acid Dust) or a pyrethrin dust like Drione (available in a seven-pound pail). Apply by sprinkling a thin layer (as though you were salting your food) all over your carpets, rugs, and furniture. Don't forget closets and areas below furniture. Once the dust is applied, use a carpet rake to work in the dust. If you own cats, do not use pyrethrin dusts; most cats are allergic to them, and dead kitties are considerably less fun.

Kill carpet beetles with sprays and fogs. Like the dusts mentioned above, sprays should be used over every square inch of carpet (including in closets and under furniture) and on rugs. Many, such as X-Clude Pyrethrum Spray, Cy-Kick CS, and Gentrol IGR Spray are available in aerosol cans for ease of use. Some of those just mentioned (Cy-Kick CS, and Gentrol IGR Spray) are also available for use in pump sprayers. Look also for High-Yield Permethrin Spray for use in a pump sprayer. If fogging is more your speed, you'll need to . . . well, get a fogger. After that, look for pesticides such as JetStream Fogging Insecticide or Shockwave Fogging Concentrate. Remember, cats are often highly allergic to pyrethrins and pyrethroids.