Dealing with serious flood damage at home is not the end of the world. And most importantly, it does not have to cost you an arm and a leg to get your home back into living condition again. In fact, you may find (like I did) that recovering from a flood gives you an opportunity to improve the look and feel of your home overall, and even to implement design options that increase the value of your property. I spent about a year fixing up my place after a pipe exploded while I was on vacation, and literally ruined everything inside from the flooring and walls, to my photos and important paperwork. So, I figured I could help others "pick up the pieces" and create a bigger ad better lifestyle at home by turning a flood situation into an opportunity, instead of dealing with it like a crisis.
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Now that spring is almost here, homeowners all over the country are looking forward to opening their windows and letting in some fresh air. However, you may be letting in more than you bargained for in the form of one of the planet's most destructive fabric pests -- carpet beetles. Carpet beetles frequently access home interiors through open windows, and although adult carpet beetles don't feed on fabric, their larva do. Because the average female carpet beetle lays up to 100 eggs at a time, keeping carpet beetles out of your home is essential to preserving your household carpeting, furniture upholstery, curtains and drapes, fabric wall hangings, and wardrobe. Following are three strategies designed to help the average homeowner win the war on carpet beetles.
Keep Flowering Plants at a Distance From Windows and Doors
Adult carpet beetles feed on the nectar of flowering plants, so keeping flower gardens well away from household entry points will help prevent carpet beetles from accessing your home interior. It's also important to thoroughly shake and rinse all vegetative material before bringing it indoors -- that lovely bouquet from your garden could be harboring carpet beetles. Carpet beetles are most likely to be found on flowers that are heavy pollinators, such as spirea, crepe myrtle, and butterfly bush.
Keep it Clean
Because adult carpet beetles prefer to build their nests in soiled fabrics, keeping things as clean as possible will help prevent them from setting up housekeeping in your home interior. Besides fabric, the larva feed on hair, pet fur, lint, and dead insects, so be sure to remove this type of debris thoroughly on a regular basis, particularly during the spring and summer, and be especially vigilant about cleaning under couches, chairs, and other large furniture items because carpet beetles love dark, hidden places. If you do crafting, storing your fabric and yarn remnants in airtight bags or containers will help keep carpet beetle populations down. Carpet beetles also like dried foods such as rice, pasta, and beans, so be certain to keep these products tightly sealed at all times.
Call a Professional
Because carpet beetles are relentless home invaders, infestations can occur in spite of your best efforts. Signs of carpet beetle larva include noticeable damage to household fabrics, discarded exoskeletons of the larva, the presence of fecal pellets that are the size of a grain of salt, and visual identification of the pest -- they are small, brown, and are usually actively moving. If you suspect that your home is experiencing a carpet beetle infestation, calling a local pest control company may be necessary.
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