Hi all,
I could really use some advice. One room in my house has clearly been taken over by carpet beetles. I’ve noticed the small larvae along the baseboards and found damage on a wool rug and some stored clothes.
I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed and not sure what the very first step should be. Do I start with deep cleaning, treatments, or removing items from the room altogether? I’d love to hear what worked for others and what mistakes to avoid early on.
First thing I’d do is a thorough vacuuming—carpet edges, closets, under furniture. That alone removes a surprising number of larvae and eggs.
Agree with deep cleaning, but also remove anything made of wool, silk, or fur from that room ASAP. Those materials are prime targets.
@HomeHelperHank Did you check closets and drawers too? That’s where mine were hiding, not just in the carpet.
Don’t rely only on sprays right away. If the food source is still there, they’ll just come back in a few weeks.
Wash affected clothes on hot and dry on high heat. Anything that can’t be washed should be sealed in bags or dry-cleaned.
@NightFlyer3 Good point — I actually haven’t checked the dresser yet. That might explain why they keep showing up.
I had success combining vacuuming with a light dusting of diatomaceous earth along baseboards. Took time, but it worked.
Make sure to empty the vacuum outside right after cleaning. Learned that the hard way when they crawled back out.
If the infestation is heavy, professional treatment might save you time. DIY works best when caught early.
@HomeFixDan Totally agree. Once I removed a wool blanket from storage, the beetle problem dropped fast.