Carpet Bugs That Look Like Bed Bugs

We have had lots of people calls lately, who are like, we are seeing these little things crawling on our walls, pillow, carpets and on the furniture.

 

How to Identify Carpet Bugs

Carpet bugs are like a millipede or something like that, but it’s not, it is a carpet beetle. Carpet bugs are kind of long and slimy they are chrysalis or warm and they look kind of hairy.

They are like little bugs almost a little hairy and then when they are grown, they look almost very similar to a bedbug.

 

Read also: How to Get Rid of Carpet Beetles; Carpet Beetles Infestation

 

Are Carpet Bugs Poisonous, and Harmful?

Most people on their first contact would exaggerate, carpet bugs that look like bed bugs are they poisonous? Are they harmful and more? Or are they just a nuisance?

They are definitely a nuisance but a lot of people are actually allergic to them. However, they get rashes that look like bites.

What carpet bugs that look like bed bugs actually come from outside for, is the heat. They can fly into the home or they can n furniture and appliances seeking warmness.

 

Read also: Can bed bugs live in the carpet?

 

Are Carpet Bugs Something you can Spray to get rid of it?

Carpet bugs that look like bed bugs are really hard to see and they reproduce very quickly.

If you have one that gets into the carpet, they like those dark places and then you start seeing them in their baby forms, all crawling up the walls and the baseboards or related things. You can use a spray to get rid of them.

 

Read also: Water Bug vs Cockroach | Differences Exposed

 

What you Should do to Get Rid of Them?

Carpet bugs are persistent pests that can eat away your carpets, clothing, and other fabrics, getting rid of carpet bugs can be a challenge.

It’s definitely DIY stuff, when you see signs of an infestation including larvae, shedding of skins, and fecal pellets taking fast action with the right tools and practices will help you eliminate the carpet beetles in your home and prevent them from coming back.

 

Read also: Bugs That Look Like Bed Bugs | Identification

 

How to get rid of Carpet Bugs Natural Treatment

Getting rid of carpet bugs that look like bed bugs is possible if you follow the following steps.

 

Thoroughly Cleaning and Identify the Source:

Identify the source of the infestation, both adult carpet beetles and larvae can infest homes, but the larvae do the most damage by eating organic materials like wool leather, and silk.

To know where to focus on when cleaning, first look for the primary source of the infestation which will be the area with the most signs of damage and bugs.

Check dark secluded areas, like basements, under carpets, and rugs for signs such as brown bristly.

Shredded skins from the larvae brown fecal, pellets about the size of a grain of salt, adult beetles, which are oval shape.

It can come in a range of colors and are just larger than the head of a pin. They can fly and typically live outside but will lay eggs indoors in dark secluded areas, larvae which are slightly longer than adults often, with tufts of hair.

Although some varieties can be shiny and smooth. They can be brown-red, white, or striped.

 

Read also: How to Get Rid of Spotted Lanternflies | DIY Pest Control

 

Vacuum your Whole Home:

To vacuum your whole home to get rid of larvae and beetles, thorough vacuuming is the best and quickest way to remove carpet bugs and larvae from your carpet.

Focus on the source and the most infested areas, but vacuum your whole home to make sure you remove all bugs.

Throw away the bag right away after you finish vacuuming, keep vacuuming your home at least once a day for a week depending on how bad the infestation is.

You may need to vacuum multiple times a day for the first few days. Vacuum any upholstered furniture, fabric-covered areas that can’t be put in the washing machine.

Check the labels on your rugs to see how they should be cleaned and hire a steam cleaner if necessary.

 

Thrash infested cloth:

Throw away infested cloth, or clothing if some pieces of clothing or fabric have been badly eaten away, toss them into outdoor trash.

Keeping infested garments makes it more difficult to stop the infestation. Toss out the clothing even if you don’t see any carpet bugs, their larvae are left on the material.

 

Wash all your clothes:

Wash all your clothes, even if they don’t seem affected put all your clothing, towels, blankets, linens, and other fabrics in the washing machine and wash them on a hot cycle with detergent.

Carpet bugs larvae and eggs are very resilient and hot soapy water is the best way to kill them. Dry clean any clothing items that can’t be washed.

 

How to get rid of Carpet Bugs Using Chemical Treatments

In cases of serious infestation, chemical treatment will work effectively to get rid of carpet bugs that look like bed bugs.

 

Spray Insecticide:

Spraying insecticide on areas that you can not clean or wash. Look for an insecticide product that lists carpet beetles on its label, follow its directions carefully to apply it to any fabrics that you can’t clean.

In another way, avoid spraying it all over the house, an insecticide should be used as a spot treatment.

Only limit your sprays to the places that collect lent like under around the edges of carpets or rugs, closets, walls, shelving, where fabrics are stored, cracks, and crevices.

Remember to wear gloves and protective clothing when applying insecticide, leave the area while the insecticide disperses in the air, and wash your hands afterward too.

 

Apply Dust Boric Acid on Areas:

Dust boric acid on areas that are harder to reach. If you’re having trouble getting into some infested areas such as attics or wall voids, sprinkle them evenly with boric acid.

You can also make boric acid into a spray by mixing, one tablespoon 4.2 grams of boric acid with two cups of 473 ml of hot water.

Stir it until the powder dissolves, then use a plastic spray bottle to mix it over hard-to-reach crevices. Boric acid has a bleaching effect. So using it on dark materials can be bad.

 

Use Hormone-based Glue Traps:

Use hormone-based glue traps for the most stubborn infestations. If your infestation is serious, place sticky traps throughout your home to attract and catch beetles and prevent further problems.

Put traps around entry points like windows, doors, crevices, and confined areas where the beetles are particularly bad in form.

Use hormone-based glue traps are civic to the kind of carpet beetle species you have. You can also use sticky traps without a hormone to catch beetles, particularly ones flying through the windows.

Check the traps one to two times a week. You can buy traps from pest control or pesticide supply stores or online.

 

Preventing the Infestation of Carpet Bugs that look like Bed Bugs

Look for and Remove Any Outdoor Sources or Nests:

Make sure no carpet bugs can return, check your screens on doors for holes, and keep them closed as much as you can. Look outside and throw away old spider webs and nests from birds, rodents, herpes, which carpet beetles can hide in.

You should also examine any flowers or plants that you bring inside for signs of carpet beetles.

If you see any leaf of the plant outside, particularly for a stubborn, and recurring infestation, you can spray liquid insecticide around the lower portion of your home near entry points.

This insecticide can affect other non-harmful bugs though, only apply it outside as a last resort.

 

To Clean Carpet Beetle, Prone Areas:

Vacuuming, Carpeting, and washing your clothes and other Fabrics frequently at least once every two weeks is the best way to prevent a carpet beetle infestation.

Treat spills and stains immediately as well food and sweat stains on fabrics can attract carpet beetles, make sure to keep hair lint and dust bunnies to a minimum as carpet beetles like to feed on these.

 

Ceylon Used Fabric and Clothes:

Ceylon used fabric and clothes in plastic containers, store off-season clothes, fabrics, and starches in sealed plastic bags, or containers.

Take them out in the sun and brush them at least once a year to check for an infestation.

Also, for extra protection, lay your stored fabrics with resin strips filled with insecticide. You can also use mothballs flakes for crystals if you do. Find an infestation, wash, or dry clean the items before storing them again.

 

Choose Synthetic Materials:

Choose synthetic materials over organic ones. Carpet bugs will only eat organic products. So choosing synthetic materials will lessen your chances of getting an infestation.

This is especially helpful for carpets rugs and furniture. Synthetic materials typically used for rugs and carpeting include nylon, polyester, trickster, and oliphant for furniture, synthetic options include acrylic, acetate, and nylon.

 

Conclusion

Carpet bugs that look like bed bugs have a similar appearance when they are matured. You can actually treat carpet bugs infestation by following these DIY hacks on pest control.

Carpet bugs can be a nuisance to you if not properly taken care of. Do well to share and keep visiting Pestclue for the latest DIY pest control methods.

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