If you are concerned about getting carpet beetles in your home, you are not alone. And if you are not concerned, you probably should be. These pesky little creatures can be some of the worst pests around. The good news though is that there are ways to keep them out of your home.

Wait, What Are They?

Just 3 mm long, carpet beetles aren't exactly the kind of pest you expect to see doing serious damage to your home. They're typically brown or a darker color, and they love dark areas that are secluded. The adults love sunlight, pollen, and nectar, in that order. They're not the ones that can damage your home, though. It's the larval stage that may prove damaging.

At that point in their lives, they want a dark spot where they can eat dead animals and animal products like wool, silk, leather, pet hair, and even feathers. If food is hard to come by, they'll be happy to consume spices and grains. They can damage huge areas of fabric and upholstery in a hurry, leaving a very visible reminder that they were in your home.

Keeping Them Out

Fortunately, it's not quite as tough as you'd imagine to keep carpet beetles at bay. You'll want to start by eliminating the clutter in your house. You don't want to see the carpet beetles, and frankly, they don't want to see you either. The more clutter you have in your home, the more likely they are to have a good hiding spot, so get rid of that clutter before you do anything else.

Once you have worked to eliminate the obvious hiding spots (and it may be a continual effort on your part), it's time to do a little cleaning. The vacuumis going to be one of your best weapons against carpet beetles. You'll want to thoroughly vacuum the house at least a few times a week to help make certain they don't become part of your home. You may also want to vacuum any upholstery you have as well.

Your final step is to consider insect-proofing your home. Keep your food and your clothes in sealed containers to help make certain carpet beetles can't invade anything. If you're storing clothes, you may want to consider an option like vacuum seal bags just to keep pests like carpet beetles out of the way while your clothes are in storage.

If You Do Have an Infestation . . .

If carpet beetles somehow manage to make it to your home, your single best bet is to contact a Bloomington pest control professional for help. This is one pest that is tough to completely eliminate on your own, and going with professional help here is a must to save your possessions.