Dealing with any pest infestation in your home can prove a challenge. The complexity is greater if you have to get rid of bed bugs from your carpet. Without regular cleaning, your carpets can become hotbeds for bugs and bacteria, eventually requiring you to call an exterminator. However, before you call for pest control, you must know more about bed bug infestation and how to deal with it effectively.
Carpet Infestation: Can Bed Bugs Survive?
Bed bugs are tenacious little creatures. They can easily survive in any environment and make a home anywhere. The carpet fibers provide a hiding place for these pests, and they can live there for a long time. Not to forget, these creatures feast on you, so they want to stay near you. Living within a floor covering makes this task easier for them. They are more likely to infest your bedroom than in the attic or other low-traffic areas.
However, rugs and floor coverings are not the usual habitats for these critters. They are primarily found in cracks and crevices, such as bed frames, mattress seams, and baseboards. They will likely migrate to a different spot if they cannot find shelter in these spaces. You require a thorough inspection of your carpet to discover their hiding places. Moreover, you cannot simply vacuum to remove them. You must try heat treatment or a steam clean to kill bed bugs.
Signs of Bed Bug Presence in Carpets
As mentioned above, confirming that there are bugs in your carpet can be challenging. By nature, these pests are secretive and great at hiding. Lucky for you, some signs can confirm the presence of bed bugs in your carpet. Do note that they can be mistaken for carpet beetles so you have to be extra sure. Here are some signs you should look for:
Itchy Bites
Itchy bites are the most common sign of these pests. If you have itchy welts in clusters or a line on your skin, you can be fairly sure you have bed bugs.
Bug Shells
These critters shed their skin occasionally so you will see bug shells on and around your carpet.
Bug Droppings
You can also spot red fecal matter as these pests feed on your blood. These bug droppings can leave small red marks on your carpet or rug.
Musty Odor
Areas infested by bed bugs tend to emit a musty odor attributable to the scent glands of these tiny creatures.
In addition, if you have a severe infestation of bed bugs in the carpet, you might spot them moving around. Keep an eye out for these signs before you seek bed bug treatment.
Eliminating Bed Bugs from Carpets
Cleaning bed bug-infested carpets requires a multi-faceted approach. Here are some tips that you can follow:
Sprinkle Diatomaceous Earth
This natural powder has a drying effect on your carpet. As a result, the bed bugs start feeling dehydrated and eventually wither. Leave the powder for a few days before cleaning to remove it and the dead bugs.
Vacuum the Carpet
Identify the areas where you’ll likely find live bugs in your carpet. Use a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter to regularly clean that area. The filter traps the bed bug particles, which you can easily eliminate by disposing of the sealed bag.
Spray Insecticide
Insecticides are an effective tool to get rid of pests from your carpet. However, ensure you get an insecticide suitable for use on carpets. Bed bugs can hide deep within a carpet, but this method can help you kill them.
Steam Cleaning
Bed bugs may be resilient but cannot stand the heat. This is why applying steam to your carpet can kill bed bug eggs and eliminate the infestation. The high heat of the steam cleaner will also kill any other critters residing on your carpet.
You can try these DIY bed bug removal tips. However, bed bugs might be too many to remove with simple tips. Do not hesitate to contact a pest control professional or a carpet cleaning company to get rid of the bugs. This step can be important for your peace of mind.
Preventing Bed Bug Infestations in Carpets
You do not want to deal with a bed bug problem in your carpets and rugs, right? If you want to prevent the infestation, you have to be proactive and take some precautions. Here are some tips you can follow:
- Clean your carpets regularly. Even simple cleaning once or twice a week can prove sufficient. The key is to cover each inch of the carpet while running your vacuum cleaner. You’ll likely find them on the corners and edges compared to the center. Bed bugs look for areas with limited activity. You’re probably wondering why that is the case. Well, these critters know that surviving in low-traffic spots is easy.
- Inspect any used items you bring into your home. For example, if you purchase used furniture or pre-loved clothes, there is a risk that bugs will make their home there. You can inadvertently carry them inside your home and cause a full-blown infestation. Clean all items before you bring them into your home.
- Reduce clutter from room to room. Remove unused furniture and other items so that these pests don’t have any place to live and multiply. Even idle pieces of luggage can prove a breeding ground for bugs.
- Cover your box springs and mattresses with pest-proof coverings. Use a protective cover that will prevent bed bugs in the first place. You can easily find these covers on the market.
- If you travel regularly, take extra care when returning home. Clean your luggage thoroughly and check your dirty clothes for bugs. Be extra careful, or else you might bring these critters in with you, which can be incredibly hard to eliminate.
Following these tips can prevent these bugs. However, if you are still doubtful about pests in your home, you can schedule an appointment with a professional pest control service.
Expert Tips for Carpet Bed Bug Control
Experts recommend several tactics to try to prevent bedbugs from getting into your carpet. Here are a few:
- Invest in devices that can block fleas and bugs from entering your carpet. These interceptors are readily available. You can place them under the legs of your furniture and they will trap the critters, preventing them from going deeper.
- You can opt for heat treatments if you do not wish to use harmful chemicals to remove bed bugs from your carpet. Almost no type of pest can deal with excess heat, including bed bugs. You can increase the temperature in your room to prevent pests.
- Stay vigilant and keep inspecting your rooms regularly. You should be more cautious about your bedrooms, as these insects will likely reside there. It won’t be a bad idea to educate your family members about this so that you don’t have to keep an eye out alone.
- Don’t let any crevices or cracks remain open in your walls. Go around the house and seal any openings that you find. Otherwise, you can be almost 100% certain that you will face a pest invasion in no time.
Debunking Common Myths about Bed Bugs
Bed Bugs Only Live in Shaggy Carpets
Contrary to popular misconception, bed bugs aren’t attracted to a dirty environment. You will find them anywhere where they can feast on blood and plenty of carbon dioxide is around. In other words, they can be anywhere and prove incredibly hard to get rid of.
Bed Bugs Are Virtually Invisible
These pests are tiny and can be difficult to spot with the naked eye. However, this doesn’t mean that they are invisible. With a keen eye, you can easily spot adult bed bugs, as they are the size of apple seeds.
Bed Bugs Only Infest Beds
You’re likely to find bed bugs living in your carpet and any other space where they can survive. Don’t assume that bugs don’t live anywhere other than your beds.
No Traveling, No Bed Bugs
You can still get bed bugs in your home even if you don’t travel. These pests can enter your home from the smallest crack in a wall. The risk is greater if you travel frequently. However, if you bring in second-hand furniture or move into an infested building, you are just as likely to find these creatures living in your home.
Bed Bugs Can Fly
Bed bugs can only crawl, which makes it easier for them to spread quickly. Therefore, you must treat the areas where they live directly to eliminate them.
Conclusion
To answer the titular question, bed bugs can live in carpets. However, with a little care and caution, you can deal with these critters effectively and prevent them from infesting your home. Follow the tips we shared above, and you can successfully prevent them from spreading throughout your home. If you cannot eliminate them using DIY methods, do not hesitate to call in professionals to help.
