How much does it cost to get rid of carpet beetles?

Reviewed by Irene Pomares remodeling expert. Written by Fixr.com.

Carpet beetles are harmful insects that live in and feed off different items in your home. Once they get inside, carpet beetles lay eggs from which new larvae are born. Since larvae and carpet beetles are hard to spot, their presence can quickly become an infestation before they are detected. If this happens, carpet beetles can cause serious damage to your clothes, curtains, bedding, furniture, and carpet. They can also lead to allergic reactions when you come into contact with their shed skin. It is vital to get rid of them as soon as you notice the first signs. In most cases, a professional exterminator will be needed to eradicate your problem.

The national average cost to treat a home for carpet beetles is between $225 and $275. Most homeowners pay around $250 for a one-time visit to get rid of carpet beetles with pesticides in a 1,500 sq.ft. home. For mild infestations located in one spot in the house, the cost of carpet beetle treatment with insecticide will be around $150. Your costs can go up to $4,000 if you have a severe infestation that requires whole-house heat treatment.

Carpet Beetle Pest Control Price

Carpet Beetle Treatment Cost by Home Size

The cost per sq.ft. to remove carpet beetles is between $0.15 and $0.25. Most pest control companies have a base amount they charge for a 1,000 sq.ft. home. Anything above that, the cost increases. This is usually around $25 to $50 per 1,000 sq.ft. over 1,500. Carpet beetles can do a lot of damage, so the homeowner will want to get immediate treatment. Anytime you have a larger home, you will pay more for any service that involves the size of the home. The higher cost is because the job takes longer and requires more product to cover the additional square footage.

Carpet Beetle Extermination Cost by Method

Depending on the method used, carpet beetle control costs between $150 and $4,000. While part of any treatment includes keeping your house clean and free of debris that carpet beetles feed on, to rid yourself of an infestation completely, you need to have a professional exterminator perform one of three types of carpet beetle treatments. The three common treatments for carpet beetles and the average cost for each include:

Insecticide

The average cost to eliminate carpet beetles using an insecticide is $150 to $250. Carpet beetle insecticides are chemical sprays designed to target insects and kill them, their larvae, and their eggs on contact. This type of treatment can also be beneficial if you have other insects in the home, providing a food source for the carpet beetles. When any form of chemical spray is used, you and your pets will need to leave the home for at least a few hours. The length of time depends on the chemicals used and how much of the home is infested. The exterminator will target areas where the bugs and eggs have been found and areas where damage has been detected.

Pesticide

A carpet beetle pesticide treatment usually costs around $200 to $400. Pesticides are chemical sprays that are designed to kill both pests and insects located in the home. Pesticides may be the best treatment option if you also have rodents or other pests in your home. They kill off both the carpet beetles and other troublesome pests that may attract the carpet beetles into your home. Choosing insecticides or pesticides depends on the professional’s preferences. Like insecticides, you must leave your home for a few hours after treatment.

Heat Treatment

Heat treatments are $1,500 to $4,000 to remove carpet beetles. Heat treatment for carpet beetles can be used as a standalone treatment if you wish to avoid chemical intervention or can be used in combination with spray treatments. Heat treatment works by placing a device in the home that raises the home’s temperature to 130 degrees. This temperature is hot enough to effectively kill adult carpet beetles, larvae, and eggs, no matter where they are hiding in your home. When using the heat treatment option, you and your pets need to be out of the home until the treatment is complete and the temperature goes back down to a normal level.

Carpet Beetle Pest Control Cost by Frequency of Treatment

Depending on the frequency of pest control, the cost to remove carpet beetles starts at $225 for a yearly visit and goes up to $1,200 for a quarterly visit with an annual contract. As with all pests, carpet beetles can return after the home is treated. You might see them again within a few months or longer. Due to this issue, most professionals advise continued preventative treatment to avoid a large infestation and damage to your home and belongings. Most companies offer annual plans with monthly, quarterly, and annual visits to avoid a bigger problem down the line. They also offer one-time visits that are not included in any pest control plan at a cost of $250 to $600. Below is a table with the treatment prices for a 1,500 sq.ft. home based on the treatment frequency.

Carpet Beetle Extermination Price by Level of Infestation

The level of infestation is a major factor in the extermination costs, with average costs ranging from $150 for a minor infestation up to $4,000 if your home is severely infested with carpet beetles. Keep in mind that most companies have a minimum cost, so treatment most often starts at $150. Small infestations are usually concentrated in one area, so it is usually treated with insecticide and may not require follow-up visits. If the beetles have started spreading from one spot, the infestation is advancing to a medium level. So, the expert will likely spray insecticide and use a stronger pesticide in the areas where the presence is heavier. When you start noticing the beetles in the carpet and other areas of the home and seeing visible damage, then you have a large infestation. This requires pesticides to kill the bugs and eliminate the larvae, but through more than one visit. Finally, severe carpet beetle infestation is often seen in homes left unoccupied for a long time, older homes, or homes where housekeeping has been left undone for longer periods. This usually requires heat treatment for the whole house to eliminate all larvae, carpet beetles, and nests.

Cost to Get Rid of Carpet Beetles by Company

Most companies offer a plan-based treatment with an initial visit cost of $150 to $550 and a recurring monthly visit. It is important to choose a company that you know and trust to feel confident in the job completion and quality. The most popular pest extermination companies in the U.S. are Terminix and Orkin, available in almost every state. Terminix mostly uses a pest control-approved insecticide, but the exact treatment method depends on the severity of the infestation, the size of the home, and your needs. Orkin focuses on using non-invasive extermination methods. The treatment is determined based on the level of infestation and your individual needs. Below is the beetle extermination cost for each company for a house of up to 2,000 sq.ft.

Carpet Beetle Emergency Treatment Cost

Hiring emergency carpet beetle treatment services adds $200 to $500 to the cost depending on when you call and when you need the treatment done. Pest control services sometimes have a separate emergency quote for treatments that should be done within 24 to 48 hours or during the weekend or holidays. Other companies offer treatment within 24 to 48 hours of calling as part of their plans and packages. If you notice a severe infestation, it is best to either leave the property until the extermination professionals arrive or hire an emergency exterminator immediately.

Carpet Beetle Infestation by Type

Four primary types of carpet beetles may reside inside your home: common, black, varied, and furniture carpet beetles. While the treatment remains the same, it is still important to know what type you have to understand their behavior and what attracts them into your home. Common carpet beetles are about ⅛” long and have a grayish-black body with orange and white scales on their back. They feed on animal products, natural fibers, and processed foods. Black carpet beetles have an oval-shaped body that can get as long as 5/16” and tapers toward the rear where they have hair. Black carpet beetles feed on stored grains, cereals, and flours. Furniture carpet beetles are more rounded and mottled with black spots mixed with white and orange scales and have a white belly. They prefer to feed on natural fibers found in different furniture types. Varied carpet beetles get as long as 1/10” and are most identifiable by the irregular yellow, white, and brown scales on their back. They can be found outdoors, but when indoors, they feed on woolen items, animal skins, and dried plant products.

All About Carpet Beetles

The carpet beetle’s life cycle involves four primary stages; egg, larvae, pupa, and adult. Females lay between 50 to 100 eggs close to their favorite food sources after finding a warm environment to hide them. They tend to come into homes when the weather is warmer and can often hitch a ride on plants or make their way in through open windows and doors. Carpet beetles are mostly a nuisance, especially if the infestation is minimal. They will not bite humans. They can be very destructive to household items with natural fibers.

What Do Carpet Beetles Eat?

Carpet beetles prey on natural fibers such as wool and leather. This leads them to cause damage to bedding and furniture throughout the home. They feed on dead insects and animal debris, such as pet dander formed from shed pet hair and skin cells. They enjoy dry goods such as meal, flour, or pet food, and dried flowers.

What Attracts Carpet Beetles?

Many things attract carpet beetles into your home. One is the climate. Carpet beetles prefer warmer temperatures, which often draws them indoors. They are also attracted to animal proteins, making them more tempted to enter the home if you live with pets. And as with many types of pests, they are attracted to dry food particles. While carpet beetles enjoy feeding on carpet, bedding, and clothing, what attracts it most to these items is the odor of sweat.

Where Do Carpet Beetles Live?

Carpet beetles often live outdoors and thrive on pollen and nectar. However, by hitching a ride on your flower cuttings or entering through small holes in your home, the pests end up indoors. Inside they produce eggs which then turn into larvae. At home, they can be found in carpet, clothing, upholstery, linen, or even in your pantry, near human or pet food.

Are Carpet Beetles Dangerous?

As with any pests in the home, one of the most likely concerns is how dangerous they are. Carpet beetles will not bite humans as they tend to be scavengers feeding on debris and dead animal products. They also will only feed on dry substances. While they do not bite, they can cause discomfort in humans through carpet beetle rash. This allergic reaction occurs when some people come in contact with the larvae bristles or the shed skin. The most common symptoms include red, watery or itchy eyes, itchy skin, a runny nose, a rash, hives, or stomach issues. Once you get rid of the carpet beetles, your symptoms should diminish and disappear if you are allergic.

Carpet Beetle Damage Repair

Some of the most common signs of carpet beetles are holes in clothes, blankets, pillows, or furniture pieces. Once the beetles have eaten up the material, only some items can be repaired. Wood items can be filled with wood putty or wood fillers and sanded down until smooth. Clothing, curtains, pillows, and other items made of fabrics can be sewn or repaired with patches of the same fabric. Bigger furniture pieces like couches and beds can be reupholstered completely. Keep in mind that you cannot always bring the damaged items back to their original shape. If you want to bring them back to what they looked like originally or the item is severely damaged, the best solution is to replace it.

Signs of Carpet Beetle Infestation

Many signs indicate that your home is infested with carpet beetles. When carpet beetles have taken up residence in your bed, they make their home in your carpets, curtains, clothes, sheets, bedding, mattress, and other items. One of the first signs you may notice is red or dark stains on your sheets. They shed their larval skins in the areas where they hide, so you will likely see them in your bed. Other carpet beetle infestation signs can be caused by their feeding habits. They like to cause damage to a variety of fabrics around your home, especially clothes made of wool and bedding. A final sign that you may be overrun with carpet beetles is their physical presence. They are larger than bed bugs, so they are often detectable by the naked eye.

Carpet Beetle Treatment Safe for Pets

Many pesticides are dangerous to pets and small children. It is best to request an insecticide that is eco-friendly and doesn’t leave a residue. Usually, these treatments are odorless to discourage a pet from licking or smelling the substance. Some recommended products contain the active ingredient Deltamethrin. This is a derivative of pyrethrin, commonly found in the chrysanthemum flower. It has been in use since 1978 and is a mild insecticide used in spray, dust, and granules and kills almost any insect. The insect ingests the product, and it attacks the digestive system. As with any insecticide, if ingested by pets or children, there are some side effects. But when used appropriately, they are not toxic. It is always wise to remove pets or children while treatment occurs to avoid accidental ingestion or inhalation. Your professional exterminator will be educated on the best type of insecticide to use to keep everyone safe.

How to Prevent Carpet Beetles

The best way to reduce your risk of a carpet beetle infestation is by creating an inhospitable environment. This means keeping areas clean of their main food source and protecting anything in your home that contains natural fibers. Make sure to remove lint from vents around the home and regularly vacuum to keep lint, dander, and hair off the floors. Make sure that all fabrics they would like to prey on are regularly cleaned, using hot water to destroy possible larvae and eggs. Make sure to launder all linens regularly, even ones that are not frequently used. It is also important to keep fibers and fabric clean that are not normally laundered, such as furniture and carpet, which should be regularly steam cleaned.

Another place where carpet beetles may live is in and around unused fireplaces. To prevent an infestation in this area, have your chimney cleaned by a professional once a year. If you store clothes, bedding, or other items with natural fibers, store them properly in cedar-lined closets or chests, or add mothballs to the container.

Since carpet beetles feed on dead animal debris, remove webs and other animal nests inside or around your home, such as bird and wasp nests. You will also want to prevent them from finding ways to get into your home by protecting windows that you open with screens and sealing any outdoor cracks. Carpet beetles are attracted to pollen, so be sure to check for them before bringing any outside plants indoors.

Carpet Beetle vs Bed Bug Extermination Cost

Carpet beetle extermination for one room costs between $150 and $400. Bed bug extermination is a much more extensive process and costs $300 to $475. Carpet beetles can often be mistaken for bed bugs due to their similar appearance and penchant for being found in bed and bedding. The main difference between the two in appearance is that carpet beetle larvae have hair, and adult carpet beetles have color on their scales. Exterminating carpet beetles is less expensive because their presence can often be found through visual confirmation or through the visible damage they leave behind.

Additional Considerations and Costs

• DIY. While it is important to follow cleaning protocols to help remove carpet beetles, it is not recommended to exterminate them yourself. DIY chemicals do not always eliminate all carpet beetles. They can continue to multiply and re-infest your home.
• Cedar oil and mothballs. While adding cedar oil and mothballs to stored bedding and clothing kills some carpet beetles, these items will not repel them and provides little help once an infestation occurs.
• Carpet beetle deterrent. Keeping your home clean, free of debris, and absent of insects and rodents helps deter carpet beetles from coming into and breeding in your home.
• Alternative treatments. Many alternative treatments can be used against carpet beetles, though they typically only work for small problems and will not likely get rid an infestation. Carpet beetle traps can help contain them so they can be removed. Carpet beetle diatomaceous earth and boric acid can kill them when you find them.
• Verify permits and licenses. Before hiring an exterminator to address your carpet beetle problem, make sure that your exterminator is licensed to use the treatments and chemicals needed to eradicate an infestation.
• Seasonal issues. Adult carpet beetles tend to be more prevalent in spring and summer when the temperatures are warmer. Make sure to watch open doors, cracks, and windows during this time of year since it is the most likely time for them to migrate in to find a place to nest.