How to Get Rid of Carpet Beetles in a Mattress (Step-by-Step Guide)

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Are carpet beetles bugging you? How do you prevent carpet beetle infestations? How do you recognize and destroy them? Read on to find the answer for how to get rid of carpet beetles in a mattress.

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Steps for How to Get Rid of Carpet Beetles in Mattress

In most situations, you’ll be able to get rid of carpet beetles in the mattress by following these steps:

1. vacuum the mattress and bedding
2. disinfect the bed frame
3. look for more beetles and larvae
4. spray insecticide or boric acid

If all else fails, you can contact professional exterminators.

1. Vacuum the mattress and bedding

Use your vacuum upholstery attachment to clean the entire mattress and mattress topper, if you have one.

Use the crevice attachment to remove dust, dead skin cells, and potential eggs and larvae in seams and crevices. Try to remove as much dust, eggs, and carpet beetle larvae as possible.

A steam cleaner develops a temperature of 130 degrees Fahrenheit, which is more than enough to kill carpet beetles and their larvae, so if you have one, use it on any surface that allows it.

2. Disinfect the bed frame

Carpet beetles and larvae may find shelter in the cavities and joints of the bed frame or box spring. Wood, metal, and upholstered bed frames require disinfection methods different than those for soft surfaces.

1. Metal bed frame. Mixing detergent with warm water creates a great solution for cleaning metal surfaces. Use a toothbrush for hard-to-reach places. Wipe the metal surface with a dry towel to prevent rusting.
2. Wooden bed frame. The vacuum cleaner will remove all visible dust. To make cleaning a breeze, utilize wood-friendly cleaning supplies such as antibacterial spray. After applying the cleaning agent, wipe out everything with a clean, dry cloth.
3. Upholstered bed frame. Vacuum up any dirt or dust accumulated on the fabric. Pour a small amount of warm water into a bowl and add some detergent (enough to form bubbles). Rub over the entire surface with a barely-soaked cloth, and wait until the fabric dries, you might use a fan to speed up the procedure. Vacuum up any remaining residue after the fabric has dried.

2. Look for more beetles and larvae

If you managed to suppress carpet beetles from your bed with deep vacuuming and hot water or steam, it is time to look for the source of the infestation.

When carpet beetles roam around a household, they find shelter in carpets, unventilated wardrobes, fur, feathers, and dusty curtains. Make sure you check the carpets in the room (including the underside), furniture (especially upholstered), curtains, and clothes.

In homes where infestations are severe, you can use sticky traps. Traps placed all over the house should indicate where the beetles are coming from. Check traps once or twice a week.

3. Spray insecticide or boric acid

If you can’t clean infested areas, insecticide sprays can, in addition to removing ants from your bed. Be sure the product label includes instructions for treating carpet beetles and follow the instructions on the label.

Spray the areas where the insects are. Carpet beetles hide in cracks or crevices, so spray slight amounts of insecticide into any floor or wall holes.

Boric acid is a powerful pesticide, but it may be too strong for mattresses and other soft surfaces. Applying boric acid on the bed frame, bedroom wall, or floor around the bed can effectively suppress bed bugs and their larvae.

A mixture of 2 teaspoons of Borax, 4 tablespoons of white distilled vinegar, and 3 cups of hot water should work well.

Follow these steps:

1. Fill the spray bottle and shake it vigorously.
2. Spray a small test area of the surface with the solution and see if the finish remains intact. If it gets damaged, abort the mission.
3. Spray the surface with the solution.
4. Use a clean cloth and wipe the surface thoroughly. Once the frame has been cleaned, dampen another cloth and wipe it dry.
5. If your frame is made of wood, use furniture polish to finish the surface.

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Signs of Carpet Beetles in a Mattress

You first need to identify carpet beetles. Many confuse them with moths and their larvae, which is not unusual because the damage they leave on the fabric and the larvae they hatch are very similar.

There are three stages in the life cycle of a carpet beetle. First there’s a tiny whitish egg, then a fuzzy larva, and finally, the black-to-cream-colored beetle.

There are three types of adult carpet beetles in the USA. All 3 species have similar life cycles and at first glance, the differences between them are minimal.

• Varied carpet beetles are about 1/10 of an inch long and black with an uneven pattern of brown and dark yellow scales on their wings.
• Furniture carpet beetles are slightly larger and rounder than varied carpet beetles. They have black spots that intersperse the dark yellow to orange scales on their wings.
• Black carpet beetles are different from the carpet beetles described above. They are black or dark brown and their length ranges from 1/8 to 3/16 of an inch.

Your bed is probably infested if you see:

• Grown-up oval-shaped beetle that is black or brownish, sometimes orange in color.
• Worm-shaped brownish larvae with small hairs.
• Little holes on your sheets, pillowcases, or mattress.
• Small fecal yellowish spots and brown skin shells on the bed or sheets.

Larvae

Carpet beetle larvae pose the greatest threat. Feeding on natural fabrics, larvae leave traces in the form of holes in the sheets or mattress surface and yellowish fecal remains on the mattress or bed frame.

The larvae, aka woolly bears, are larger than the adult beetle. Full-sized black carpet beetle larvae can be as long as 5/16 of an inch and range from light brown to almost black.

Carpet beetle larvae feed on natural fabrics such as wool, fur, silk, feathers, dead insects, animal hair, dead skin cells, etc.

They resemble a worm and along with moth larvae and pinworms, they fall into the category of common mattress worms.

Eggs

Carpet beetles lay eggs that are white or cream and are less than 1mm long. The eggs of the carpet beetle are almost invisible to the naked eye.

Adult female carpet beetles lay more than 40 eggs at once which take between 10 days and a month to hatch. Inside the home, carpet beetles lay eggs in hidden places, like under the bed and bedroom wall crevices.

When carpet beetle reproduces outside, the eggs are usually laid in bird nests or tree hollows, or any dark but dry places near the human environment.

Damaged clothing or other fabrics

Carpet beetle larvae eat fabrics, furnishings, and everything that contains wool, silk, hair, fur, or feathers. They actually feed on keratin, a protein found in animal products.

Synthetic materials are safe from their attack, which is not the case with blends of synthetic and natural fibers.

Small holes in bed sheets

Given that carpet beetle larvae feed on protein from natural materials, small holes in sheets or pillowcases may indicate that carpet bug larvae enjoy snacking in your bed.

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How to Prevent Carpet Beetle Infestations in Your Mattress

Carpet beetles often climb up the bed when an infestation is widespread. It is especially easy for an infestation to spread if the mattress and bedding are dirty and if the top layers of the mattress are made of wool or feathers.

Keep the bed itself and the area around the bed clean. It’s as easy as that. If you live in a clean home, you probably have no reason to worry. Those who have messy homes or are hoarders are making way for any type of infestation.

Keep your mattress clean

The way you should keep your mattress clean depends on the materials it is made of. Memory foam should never be soaked in water. For any materials and fabrics that shouldn’t get in the water, you will need a less impactful approach.

For example, you can soak a cloth or towel in cold soapy water and thoroughly rub your memory foam mattress with a controlled amount of moisture. For more information, check out our guide for cleaning mattresses.

These three steps will help you maintain the cleanliness of your mattress.

1. Use a mattress protector – this will protect your mattress from spills and food crumbs. Mattress protectors aren’t always cheap, but it’s a small price to pay for the extra protection. If you have kids or pets, you’ll quickly get why protectors are worth it.
2. Change your sheets weekly – if you can’t follow this regime, change them at least once every two weeks. Before you put fresh sheets back on, allow your stripped mattress to breathe for a while. Airing your bed will help reduce any moisture and odors that may be trapped inside.
3. Baking soda wicks away moisture and freshens up your mattress – baking soda will neutralize unpleasant odors and absorb all the moisture from your mattress. Sprinkle a thin layer on the entire surface of the mattress, let it rest for a few hours, and then vacuum up all the residue. Baking soda is an all-purpose cleaner. It also helps with removing yellow stains on a mattress, for example.

Clean your carpet

When carpet beetles are on a carpet-covered floor, they’re right at home. Especially if the carpet contains natural fibers and hasn’t been vacuumed for a long time. To get them out of your carpet, follow these steps:

1. Vacuum your carpets with a bagged vacuum cleaner thoroughly.
2. Use a carpet cleaner to clean your carpet.
3. Sprinkle with boric acid (Borax) to kill the remaining beetles.
4. Vacuum your carpet to collect any residue.
5. If you don’t succeed, call professional carpet cleaners or exterminators.

Destroy any nests

Bird nests are a natural habitat and breeding ground for carpet beetles. If you have nests in the attic or on the roof of the house, they could be the source of infestation.

Carefully inspect the nest to make sure it is empty of eggs. Use the antibacterial spray on the nest. Once dry, remove the nest and dispose of it in a tightly sealed trash bag.

Seal clothing in plastic containers

The best way to store bedding and clothes in storage is to place all your clothes in airtight plastic containers with clip-on lids. These will protect your clothes from pest attacks, mold, and dust mites.

Make sure you give your plastic containers a good clean and dry them thoroughly before you put any items inside. Alternatively, you can use thick ziplock bags.

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Difference Between Carpet Beetles and Bed Bugs

Adult carpet beetles are round and have tiny antennae and are similar to common ladybugs, but much smaller. Bed bugs are brownish, flat, wingless insects and unlike carpet beetles, they drink human blood similarly to mosquitos.

As for carpet beetles, beds aren’t their first choice of habitat. While bed bugs prefer bed sheets and mattresses, carpet beetles favor carpets, upholstered furniture, and cloths.

Carpet beetle larvae have an oblong shape and are reddish-brown to black. Bed bugs are smaller and don’t have a larval stage because they lay out directly from eggs.

FAQs

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Conclusion

Immaculate bedroom hygiene is the best guarantee that carpet bugs will stay out of your room and your bed. Washing the sheets in hot water and vacuuming the bed weekly should keep bugs and their larvae away. Since the source of any carpet beetle infestation is typically far from the bed, it is best to disinfect the whole house and search the attic for bird nests or remains of other animals that can attract carpet beetles. If the infestation goes out of control, call a pest control professional.

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Next step: Read our guide to buy now, pay later mattresses. If you have a carpet beetle infestation in your mattress, then it’s definitely time to get a new one. All of the brands on this list offer plans so you don’t have to pay up front.

Psst… the sleep review industry is full of liars, sharks, and thieves. It’s a modern-day version of getting ripped off at your local mattress store. So, why should you trust us?