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How To Get Rid Of Bed Bugs In Your Carpet

With their fibers and hidden spaces, carpets are ideal hiding spots for bed bugs.

Here’s everything you need to know about how to get rid of bed bugs in carpets and protect your home from this tiny and tricky pest.

Woman vacuuming rug while speaking on the phone | Active Pest Control serving Calhoun, GA

Initial steps to get rid of bed bugs in carpets:

Getting rid of bed bugs in your carpet requires a systematic and thorough approach. Here are the step-by-step to help you tackle the infestation:

  1. Identify the Infestation
    It can be difficult to get rid of bed bugs in your carpet without professional treatment. However, there are several things you can do to remove the bugs from carpets and rugs. Look for telltale signs like small dark stains, shed skins, or tiny eggs. Focus on edges and seams where bed bugs are likely to hide. For a deeper understanding of these signs, visit our page on signs of bed bugs.
  2. Vacuum Thoroughly
    Use a vacuum with a bag to be able to seal the bugs properly. Focus on the corners, edges, and beneath furniture, going over areas two to three times. Remove the vacuum cleaner bag outside and ensure it is appropriately sealed. This ensures that no bed bugs escape during disposal.
    To be safe, repeat steps 1 and 2 as much as you wish.
  3. Apply Diatomaceous Earth
    Spread diatomaceous earth lightly on the carpet before vacuuming. This natural powder dehydrates bed bugs on contact and effectively controls infestations.
  4. Steam-Clean Your Carpet
    For extra protection, consider cleaning the rug or carpet with shampoo or a steam clean! Steam reaches temperatures high enough to kill bed bugs and their eggs on contact. This method penetrates deeply into the carpet fibers for thorough treatment.
  5. Shampoo Your Carpet
    A deep-cleaning shampoo treatment can help remove debris and bed bug remains. Use a carpet shampoo designed for pest control and follow up with a vacuum to remove loosened particles.
    Hand with latex glove holding a brush, on a natural fiber rug with white foam, abstract texture,
  6. Call a Professional Bed Bug Treatment Service
    DIY methods can help cut down on bed bug infestations. However, you often need professional bed bug control to get rid of these pests completely. Our experts use advanced
    tools and treatments to address hidden and persistent infestations.

Can Bed Bugs Live In Carpets?

Yes, bed bugs can live in carpets. These pests often spread to carpets when they seek shelter close to their human hosts. Carpets provide a dark, warm environment filled with fibers, offering an ideal hiding spot for bed bugs. Bed bugs like to live in mattresses and upholstered furniture. However, they can also make carpets a secondary home.

Carpets are particularly attractive to bed bugs because they allow the pests to cling to fibers easily while waiting for a meal source. Bed bugs don’t burrow deep into carpets. They stay near the surface. This makes it easier to remove them with the right cleaning methods.

Bed bugs can live in carpets for months without food, depending on the environment. Their resilience makes early detection and treatment crucial to preventing a full-blown infestation. Signs of bed bugs in carpets include tiny blood stains, fecal spots, and eggs that resemble small white grains.

If you suspect bed bugs in your carpet, it’s important to act quickly. By thoroughly vacuuming and treating the area, you can reduce their numbers. However, if you’re dealing with a full-blown infestation, it’s important to take caution and contact a bed bug exterminator.

Cleaning Bed Bug-Infested Rugs and Carpet

To clean a carpet with bed bugs, first vacuum it well. Then, steam clean it every week. Finally, use hot water extraction with a special carpet shampoo. Apply diatomaceous earth to dehydrate and kill bugs, then vacuum the carpet. Dispose of heavily infested rugs properly to prevent spreading.

These methods can help reduce bed bugs, but infestations usually need professional help. Professional pest control services are equipped to eliminate bed bugs from your home completely. We use special treatments like insecticides and heat to get rid of hidden pests. Trying to handle an infestation on your own takes a lot of time and may not work well. Getting expert help makes sure the issue is completely fixed.

If you’re struggling with a bed bug infestation, don’t hesitate to contact our professional exterminators to regain control of your home.

Bed Bugs or Carpet Beetles?

Bed bugs are frequently mistaken for carpet beetles and vice versa. So, how can you be sure you have bed bugs on your carpet…and not carpet beetles? It’s important to learn the differences between these two bugs, which is best done by looking at their appearance. In the larval stage, carpet beetles look like fuzzy miniature caterpillars, while bed bugs look like longer worms. Regardless, it’s important to thoroughly clean your carpet and rug to get rid of the bugs.

Bed Bug

A bed bug, Cimex lectularius, on a bed sheet.

Carpet beetle

Coleottero dei tappeti

Do You Need to Get Carpets Professionally Cleaned After Bed Bugs?

If you’ve had professional bed bug treatment, you can trust the infestation has been controlled. Regardless, it can bring you peace of mind to get your carpets or rugs professionally cleaned or steamed after an infestation.

FAQs

Do bed bugs survive in carpets?

Yes, bed bugs can survive in carpets. They typically stay close to the surface, hiding in fibers and cracks. While carpets may not be their primary habitat, they can still infest the area, especially if they are near their human hosts.

Shampooing by itself might not remove bed bugs. But when you team it up with vacuuming and steam-cleaning, it can help cut down the infestation. Hot water extraction and special carpet shampoos kill bed bugs and their eggs better.

Vacuuming can help reduce bed bugs in carpets by sucking up both the bugs and their eggs. However, vacuuming alone may not eliminate a full infestation. It’s essential to vacuum multiple times and properly dispose of the contents to prevent re-infestation.

Diatomaceous earth is a natural substance that can be sprinkled on carpets to help kill bed bugs. It works by dehydrating the bugs over time. Make sure to vacuum it up after a few hours to remove any residue and ensure it doesn’t damage your carpet.

Yes, bed bugs can survive in carpets. They typically stay close to the surface, hiding in fibers and cracks. While carpets may not be their primary habitat, they can still infest the area, especially if they are near their human hosts.

Shampooing by itself might not remove bed bugs. But when you team it up with vacuuming and steam-cleaning, it can help cut down the infestation. Hot water extraction and special carpet shampoos kill bed bugs and their eggs better.

Vacuuming can help reduce bed bugs in carpets by sucking up both the bugs and their eggs. However, vacuuming alone may not eliminate a full infestation. It’s essential to vacuum multiple times and properly dispose of the contents to prevent re-infestation.

Diatomaceous earth is a natural substance that can be sprinkled on carpets to help kill bed bugs. It works by dehydrating the bugs over time. Make sure to vacuum it up after a few hours to remove any residue and ensure it doesn’t damage your carpet.

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