Carpet lice are pests that can eat away at carpets, clothing, and other types of fabric. Although getting rid of carpet lice is not easy, you can still do it yourself. If you see signs of an infestation, such as larvae, shed skin, or fecal pellets, take immediate action with the right tools and methods to get rid of carpet fleas in your home, and take precautions to keep these pests from coming back.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Performing a Thorough Clean
Step 1. Identify the source of the infestation
Both adult carpet fleas and their larvae can invade your home, but it's the larvae that do the most damage by eating organic materials, such as wool, silk, and leather. To find out where to focus your cleaning efforts, first find the main source of the infestation, the area where the signs of the most damage is most likely, and the presence of the tick. Check dark, secluded areas, such as basements or under rugs and carpets for any of the following signs:
- Flakes of rough brown skin peeling off from the larvae
- Brown stools, about the size of a grain of salt
- Adult fleas are oval in shape, vary in coloration and are slightly larger than the head of a pin. These fleas can fly and usually live outdoors, but lay their eggs indoors in dark and secluded areas.
- The larvae are slightly longer than the adult lice, and often have crests of hair, although some varieties have a glossy, smooth appearance. The larvae of these ticks can be brown, white, red, or striped.
Step 2. Vacuum the entire house to get rid of fleas and their larvae
Vacuuming the entire home is the quickest and best way to remove carpet fleas and their larvae from carpets. Focus on the source of the fleas and the areas most affected, although you will still need to vacuum the entire house to remove all the fleas. Discard the suction cup bag when you are done vacuuming.
- Continue to vacuum the house at least once a day for a week. Depending on the severity of the infestation, you may need to vacuum more than once a day for the first few days.
- Vacuum upholstered furniture or areas covered with fabric that won't go in the washing machine.
- Check the label that came with the carpet for how to clean it, and hire a steam cleaning service if necessary.
Step 3. Remove any infested furniture or fabric upholstery
If your upholstery or upholstery is in serious condition from being eaten by fleas, throw it in the trash can outside your home. If you keep it, the infestation of fleas will be more difficult to stop.
Remove the upholstery of the furniture even if you don't see any carpet fleas or larvae attached to it
Step 4. Wash all upholstery even if it looks like it doesn't have fleas
Place all furniture upholstery, towels, linens, blankets, and other fabrics in the washing machine, then add detergent, and run the machine on a hot setting. Carpet lice, their larvae, and their eggs are so strong that the best way to kill them is to use hot water mixed with detergent.
Do dry cleaning on fabrics that cannot be washed with water
Method 2 of 3: Using Special Treatment
Step 1. Spray insecticide on areas that cannot be cleaned or washed
Choose an insecticide that can kill carpet lice. Follow the instructions carefully when you use it on any fabric that cannot be cleaned by other means. Don't spray it all over the house. Insecticide should be sprayed on the targeted area only.
- Limit spraying to areas where there is a lot of lint, such as under or around the edges of rugs or carpets, closet walls, shelves for storing fabrics, and cracks and crevices. Do not spray it on clothes or bedding.
- Always wear protective clothing and gloves when spraying insecticides. Leave the area sprayed when the insecticide is in the air and wash your hands afterward.
Step 2. Sprinkle boric acid on hard to reach areas
If you find it difficult to reach areas where the lice are infested, such as ceilings or wall cavities, sprinkle boric acid on the area evenly. You can also make a boric acid spray by mixing 1 tablespoon (4 grams) of boric acid with 2 cups (450 ml) hot water. Stir until the powder dissolves, then spray into hard-to-reach crevices with a spray bottle.
Boric acid has bleaching properties. So, don't use it on dark colored materials
Step 3. Use a hormone-based glue trap to get rid of stubborn lice
If the infestation is severe, place glue traps all over the house to attract and catch fleas and prevent further problems. Place traps around points of entry, such as doors, windows, or crevices, as well as in enclosed areas where there are lots of fleas.
- Hormone or pheromone based traps are specifically designed for carpet lice. You can also use a glue trap without hormones to catch fleas, especially those that fly through windows.
- Check traps 1-2 times a week.
- These traps can be purchased at a farm shop, construction store, or online.
Method 3 of 3: Preventing Flea Invasion
Step 1. Find and remove any sources or nests of fleas that are outside your home
To prevent carpet fleas from re-invading your home, check the screens and doors for holes, then seal the holes tightly. Check the area outside your home and remove webs and cobwebs from birds, rodents, or bees, which carpet fleas can use to hide.
- Also check the plants or flowers you put in your home for carpet bugs or their larvae. If you see one, keep the plant outside.
- If the infestation is too severe and repeated, spray a liquid insecticide around the underside of areas outside the house and near points of entry. Insecticides can kill other pests that are not dangerous. So, only use it outdoors as a last resort.
Step 2. Clean the area of the carpet that is prone to fleas as often as possible
Vacuuming carpets and washing upholstery and other fabrics regularly (at least once every 2 weeks) is the best method to prevent carpet infestation. Clean up food spills and stains immediately. Food and sweat stains on the fabric can attract carpet fleas.
As much as possible, keep rabbit fur, hair and dust from falling in the house because carpet fleas love it and will eat it
Step 3. Put the unused clothes and covers in a plastic container
Store unused cloth, clothing, and flour in a sealed plastic bag or container. Dry in the sun at least once a year to check for fleas.
- For added protection, cover the fabric you store with a resin strip that contains an insecticide. You can also use camphor in the form of balls, grains, or crystals.
- If you find fleas, wash or dry the item before you put it back.
Step 4. Use synthetic ingredients, not organic
Carpet fleas only eat organic produce. So, you can reduce the chances of getting fleas if you use synthetic materials. This is especially true of carpets, rugs and furniture.
- Synthetic materials commonly used for rugs and carpets include nylon, triexta, polyester, and olefin.
- In furniture, synthetic materials that are often used include acrylic, nylon, acetate, and polyester.
Tips
- If you are unable to get rid of carpet lice yourself, contact a professional exterminator. They could use stronger and more effective chemicals to do a more thorough house cleaning.
- Carpet fleas can also be attracted to felt and piano hammers. This can cause damage that will affect the tone of the instrument. If this happens, ask a piano technician to help fix it.
- If you see some carpet fleas trapped in the house, this is not a big problem. Carpet lice often fly into the house and leave again quickly. You must act if you encounter larvae.
