Effects of Carpet Beetle Infestation in the Home
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Carpet beetles are among the most common pests that can be found in Australian homes. These pests are very miniscule at around 4 to 6 millimetres in size, so they can be hard to detect. Their removal from the home can be tricky as well. Removing them from one part of the house may not be effective as those dwelling in hidden parts of the house are just likely to repopulate the cleaned area.
Carpet Beetles Feed On Organic Materials
As the name hints, carpet beetles frequent carpets as well as rugs and upholstery, feeding on organic materials present in the fabrics such as wool, fur, silk and cotton. They may also be feeding in the kitchen or pantry area, feasting on food pieces that have fallen to the floor. They are attracted to starchy foods such as pasta, flour, cereal, pet food, seeds and grains. If the home also becomes untidy, these pests may be feeding on animal droppings, hair and fur. A very good sign of an infestation is finding crawling or flying carpets beetles in your home. This is a very good sign that you need to seriously take care of this pest problem.
Home Furnishing Damage and Health Risks
Carpet beetles are potentially destructive to home furnishings, so it is always good to be alert if there are any signs of destructive pest feeding going on. The most dangerous life cycle stage of the carpet beetle is the larvae stage. The larvae feed on organic materials found in home furnishings and may do so for a year or so, depending on the natural conditions.
Aside from destroying furnishings, carpet beetles may pose health risks to residents of the house. The larvae, while feeding on carpets, rugs, upholstery, food droppings and other organic substances, also shed hairs that could cause allergic reactions in some people. In some cases, these could cause dangerous diseases such as anthrax.
Thorough Carpet Cleaning to Solve Your Home’s Carpet Beetle Problem
Because of the dangers that carpet beetles pose to humans, their removal from homes is a must. To effectively get rid of the carpet beetle problem in the home, the removal process has to be thorough. Otherwise, the carpet beetles will just keep reproducing again and again. The first part of the pest removal process involves carpet cleaning. It would be good to hire a reputable carpet cleaner to remove any carpet beetle in the carpets, rugs and upholstery. The carpet cleaner service must be one that adopts a good process, making sure that no moisture is left from the cleaning process to avoid attracting even more pests. Keeping the house clean is essential in maintaining a home free from carpet beetle.
