Carpet beetles can cause irreparable damage to your carpet, as well as to your clothing. It’s extremely difficult to spot them before they begin to cause damage, so the best thing you can do is prevent an infestation from starting. In the following article we tell you what causes carpet beetles, so you can avoid them in the future.
What causes carpet beetles
1. Stained Fabrics
Despite their reputation for eating carpets, animal-based foods are actually a carpet beetle larva’s favorite thing to eat. In fact, they can’t eat the synthetic fibers of your carpet unless it’s got some kind of organic material in it as well.
Food and grease stains, therefore, are a magnet for carpet beetles. It’s exactly the kind of thing that carpet beetles are looking for when they’re on the hunt for a good spot to lay their eggs. Even dropping crumbs into the carpet can lead to a carpet beetle infestation, since those crumbs become a great food source for carpet beetle larvae.
You may not have food stains on your clothes, but your body does produce oils that soak into your clothing. You won’t even notice the stains from these oils, but they’re there, and if you don’t wash your clothes (and your bedsheets) often enough, carpet beetles will be drawn to these oil stains, as well as sweat stains.
2. Poor Cleaning
If stained fabrics attract carpet beetles, then of course poor cleaning can lead to a carpet beetle infestation. But this deserves it’s own mention, because it’s not just about food or grease stains on carpet or upholstery.
That’s because organic residue and fabrics aren’t the only things that carpet beetle larvae will eat. Dust and lint are also a good food source for them.
Dust consists largely of dead skin cells, and lint is often composed of a combination of dander and hairs from you and your pets. In other words, it’s all organic material that they can and will eat.
Dusting, sweeping, and vacuuming are vital to preventing a carpet beetle infestation. If you aren’t keeping up with these, there’s a good chance you’ll end up with a carpet beetle infestation.
3. Poor Storage of Animal-based Products
Remember, animal-based products are a carpet beetle’s favorite food. That means things like leather, silk, fur, and wool are sure to attract them. If you don’t store these materials properly, you could be in for a rude awakening.
These materials should always be stored in air-tight containers when not in use. It’s also a good idea to have them dry-cleaned soon after purchasing and then regularly after wearing or using them. This gets rid of the scents that will attract carpet beetles.
4. Lack of Light
Carpet beetles like dim, dark places. It helps them hide from predators and makes them feel secure. So, when you keep your whole house poorly lit, you’re laying out the welcome mat for carpet beetles.
A well-lit home is much less likely to be subject to a carpet beetle infestation, so keep those lights on!
5. Improper Food Storage
Many people don’t realize that carpet beetles might be just as attracted to your pantry as to your closet. Many species of carpet beetle will also eat grains and grain-based products. That means that foods like flour, pasta, and bread can all attract carpet beetles if they’re not properly stored.
Like animal-based clothing and fabrics, these things should be stored in airtight containers that make it impossible for carpet beetles (and other pests) to get in and feed on them. You really don’t want to find a bunch of beetle larvae in your bag of flour.
6. Animal Carcasses
You’d be surprised at how common it is for small animals like mice, rats, and squirrels to get into your chimney and attic and die.
You’d think you’d always smell this when it happens, but there’s a good chance you won’t. If it does happen, carpet beetles will come. The fur and skin on these animals are perfect food sources for carpet beetle larvae.
To prevent this, install mesh screens on the top of your chimney and all other access points around your home that a small animal might be able to get through. This can minimize the risk of a carpet beetle infestation.
7. Stained Fabrics
Despite their reputation for eating carpets, animal-based foods are actually a carpet beetle larva’s favorite thing to eat. In fact, they can’t eat the synthetic fibers of your carpet unless it’s got some kind of organic material in it as well.
Food and grease stains, therefore, are a magnet for carpet beetles. It’s exactly the kind of thing that carpet beetles are looking for when they’re on the hunt for a good spot to lay their eggs. Even dropping crumbs into the carpet can lead to a carpet beetle infestation, since those crumbs become a great food source for carpet beetle larvae.
You may not have food stains on your clothes, but your body does produce oils that soak into your clothing. You won’t even notice the stains from these oils, but they’re there, and if you don’t wash your clothes (and your bedsheets) often enough, carpet beetles will be drawn to these oil stains, as well as sweat stains.
8. Poor Cleaning
If stained fabrics attract carpet beetles, then of course poor cleaning can lead to a carpet beetle infestation. But this deserves it’s own mention, because it’s not just about food or grease stains on carpet or upholstery.
That’s because organic residue and fabrics aren’t the only things that carpet beetle larvae will eat. Dust and lint are also a good food source for them.
Dust consists largely of dead skin cells, and lint is often composed of a combination of dander and hairs from you and your pets. In other words, it’s all organic material that they can and will eat.
Dusting, sweeping, and vacuuming are vital to preventing a carpet beetle infestation. If you aren’t keeping up with these, there’s a good chance you’ll end up with a carpet beetle infestation.
9. Poor Storage of Animal-based Products
Remember, animal-based products are a carpet beetle’s favorite food. That means things like leather, silk, fur, and wool are sure to attract them. If you don’t store these materials properly, you could be in for a rude awakening.
These materials should always be stored in air-tight containers when not in use. It’s also a good idea to have them dry-cleaned soon after purchasing and then regularly after wearing or using them. This gets rid of the scents that will attract carpet beetles.
10. Lack of Light
Carpet beetles like dim, dark places. It helps them hide from predators and makes them feel secure. So, when you keep your whole house poorly lit, you’re laying out the welcome mat for carpet beetles.
A well-lit home is much less likely to be subject to a carpet beetle infestation, so keep those lights on!
11. Improper Food Storage
Many people don’t realize that carpet beetles might be just as attracted to your pantry as to your closet. Many species of carpet beetle will also eat grains and grain-based products. That means that foods like flour, pasta, and bread can all attract carpet beetles if they’re not properly stored.
Like animal-based clothing and fabrics, these things should be stored in airtight containers that make it impossible for carpet beetles (and other pests) to get in and feed on them. You really don’t want to find a bunch of beetle larvae in your bag of flour.
12. Animal Carcasses
You’d be surprised at how common it is for small animals like mice, rats, and squirrels to get into your chimney and attic and die. You’d think you’d always smell this when it happens, but there’s a good chance you won’t.
If it does happen, carpet beetles will come. The fur and skin on these animals are perfect food sources for carpet beetle larvae.
To prevent this, install mesh screens on the top of your chimney and all other access points around your home that a small animal might be able to get through. This can minimize the risk of a carpet beetle infestation.
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