No one wants to share their home with destructive pests — especially when they’re silently damaging your favourite carpets, upholstery, or even leather goods. If you’ve noticed mysterious holes in natural-fibre items around your home, you could be dealing with carpet beetles.

Before you panic, the good news is these pests can be dealt with effectively — as long as you know what you’re dealing with and take the proper steps. In this guide, we’ll show you how to spot a carpet beetle infestation and the most effective ways to get rid of them for good.

What Are Carpet Beetles — and What Do They Look Like?

Carpet beetles come in several varieties, the most common being the Black Carpet Beetle, the Varied Carpet Beetle, and the Furniture Carpet Beetle. Let’s take a closer look:

Black Carpet Beetle

This is the largest species, growing up to 6–7 mm long. Its oval-shaped bodies are black or dark brown and often covered in fine hairs. These beetles will feed on anything organic—pet hair, feathers, wool, silk, leather, and even dry pet food.

Varied Carpet Beetle

This small beetle stands out at just 2–4 mm long thanks to its colourful patterned shell, which displays a mix of white, brown, and yellow scales. As they mature, the colours darken. They’re known for targeting wool and leather items.

Furniture Carpet Beetle

Roughly the same size as the Varied Carpet Beetle, this species often appears with brown, white, and black speckled patterns. They also prefer wool, leather, and other natural fibres.

How to Know If You Have Carpet Beetles?

Carpet beetles might start life outdoors, but they’ll gladly make your home theirs — especially if they find an easy food source and a safe place to lay eggs. Look for these common signs of infestation:

  • Shed larval skins around carpets, skirting boards, or furniture.
  • Holes in carpets, curtains, clothing, or upholstery.
  • Tiny, dry droppings (black or brown).
  • Damage to books, paper, or cardboard packaging.

Typically, you’ll notice this damage in small, concentrated areas — they rarely infest multiple rooms at once unless the issue is left untreated.

How Do Carpet Beetles Enter Your Home?

These tiny beetles are masters at sneaking indoors. They can hitch a ride on newly purchased plants, second-hand furniture, clothing, or even through your pet’s fur. Other entry points include:

  • Open vents or windows
  • Gaps in walls or door frames
  • Chimneys
  • Electrical or plumbing entryways

Once inside, they’ll look for dark, undisturbed spots to settle and breed.

Where Are Carpet Beetles Most Likely to Hide?

To locate carpet beetles in your home, check areas where you notice fabric damage. Typical hiding places include:

  • Carpets, rugs, and curtains
  • Wardrobes and drawers
  • Upholstered furniture
  • Stored clothing and blankets
  • Potpourri or dried flowers
  • Pet bedding or dry pet food
How to eliminate carpet beetles

How to Get Rid of Carpet Beetles: Step-by-Step

Here’s how you can effectively eliminate carpet beetles from your home:

  1. Identify the Affected Areas. Start by carefully inspecting carpets, curtains, and furniture. Look for holes, shed skins and droppings.
  2. Deep Clean and Hoover. Hoover the entire home, especially high-risk areas. Pay special attention to the edges of carpets, under furniture, and corners where debris collects. Use attachments to reach into tight spaces.
  3. Apply Boric Acid. Sprinkle boric acid across carpets and infested areas, leaving it for a few hours before hoovering. This natural powder is highly effective at killing carpet beetles and their larvae — but be sure to keep pets and children away during treatment.
  4. Remove Heavily Infested Items. If beetles have infested clothing or other fabric items, it’s safest to discard them to prevent further spread.
  5. Wash and Disinfect. Wash all affected clothing, linens, and washable fabrics using hot water (60°C or higher) and detergent. For carpets or upholstery, consider steam cleaning or professional cleaning to eliminate any remaining eggs.
  6. Eliminate Food Sources. Be sure to store pet food, grains, and pantry items in airtight containers. If left unchecked, carpet beetles can easily feed on food scraps.
  7. Consider Synthetic Replacements. Switching to synthetic fibres in carpets, curtains, or upholstery can make your home less attractive to future infestations.

How to Prevent Future Carpet Beetle Infestations?

Once you’ve cleared an infestation, prevention is key:

  • Store clothing in plastic bins with tight-fitting lids.
  • Regularly clean wardrobes and storage areas — and let in sunlight when possible.
  • Install screens on windows and doors.
  • Keep your home clean and hoover regularly.
  • Store pet food in sealed containers.
  • Check houseplants for pests before bringing them inside.
  • Remove bird nests or animal nests near your home, as they attract beetles.

Discovering carpet beetle damage on your clothing or carpets is never a pleasant surprise. Fortunately, you can tackle these pests with a combination of cleaning, treatment, and prevention.

If the problem persists or feels overwhelming, don’t hesitate to contact our professional pest technicians for safe, effective carpet beetle treatment. We’ll help you reclaim your space — pest-free.