Vinegar is not powerful enough to kill adult carpet beetles or carpet beetle eggs. However, vinegar can kill carpet beetle larvae and repel carpet beetles from areas of your home. The hard shell of an adult carpet beetle prevents vinegar from harming them, although they dislike the smell. Insecticide sprays and foggers are the best way to kill carpet beetles immediately. Natural solutions, such as diatomaceous earth, can be used to control a carpet beetle infestation, although the results won’t be instantaneous.
Why Isn’t Vinegar Enough to Kill Carpet Beetles?
Adult carpet beetles, like other beetles, have a hard carapace to protect them from predators and exposure to the elements. This hard shell also prevents them from being killed when they are sprayed with vinegar. More delicate insects—like bees and butterflies—are quickly killed by vinegar, but carpet beetles and other beetle species will typically survive a vinegar spray.
- The hard shell of an adult carpet beetle protects it from being killed by vinegar.
- Soft-bodied insects can be killed with vinegar, but carpet beetles will survive vinegar exposure in most cases.
- These carpet beetle traps are far better for killing these home invaders.
Carpet beetles are small and very adept at hiding. So, hunting for individual carpet beetles and spraying them isn’t the best way to wipe out an infestation. It’s essential to use carpet beetle traps to kill the adult beetles, instead of hunting for them in your home.
Does Vinegar Kill Carpet Beetle Eggs?
Carpet beetle eggs are not destroyed by spraying them with white vinegar or apple cider vinegar. The hard casing of carpet beetle eggs repels vinegar. So, if you find carpet beetle eggs, you’re better off smashing them or throwing them in an outdoor trash can to get rid of the insects. A carpet beetle egg sprayed with vinegar will still hatch in most cases.
- Carpet beetle eggs will not be harmed by vinegar.
- Vinegar is not potent enough to penetrate carpet beetle eggs and kill the larva inside.
- Crush or dispose of carpet beetle eggs instead of spraying them with vinegar.
Carpet beetle eggs are very hard to spot. They are typically less than ½-millimeter long, so they are often overlooked. The case can range in color from white, to yellow, to light brown. The exact size, shape, and color of the eggs in your home depends on the species of carpet beetle that has invaded your space.
Does Vinegar Kill Carpet Beetle Larvae?
Carpet beetle larvae can be killed by spraying them with vinegar. This is great news because the larval form of carpet beetles are the ones that eat your carpet, upholstered furniture, and other natural fibers. To spot a carpet beetle larva, look for a small wormlike creature 1–5 millimeters long, with hairs growing from its segmented body. Then, spray the larva with a 50/50 mixture of hot water and vinegar.
- A vinegar spray can kill carpet beetle larvae.
- Carpet beetle larvae are the ones that eat carpets, rugs, and upholstery, so it’s essential to kill them.
- Spray carpet beetle larvae with a 50/50 mix of vinegar and hot water to kill them instantly.
Because carpet beetle larvae are small, it is very hard to find them all to kill them with vinegar. Steam cleaning infested furniture and fabric is typically more effective for killing carpet beetles. Or, you can treat your whole home with an insect fogger. If you use a fogger, just make certain to follow all the safety precautions listed on the packaging.
Will Vinegar Keep Carpet Beetles Away?
The scent of vinegar will repel carpet beetles for a while. If you clean your kitchen counters with vinegar, or spray upholstered surfaces with a vinegar mix, it can drive carpet beetles away. However, this isn’t enough to end a carpet beetle infestation in your home. When the smell of vinegar fades, the carpet beetles will return to their food source.
- The scent of vinegar will repel carpet beetles.
- Carpet beetles and their larvae will avoid areas cleaned with vinegar for a few days.
- Cleaning with vinegar isn’t enough to wipe out a carpet beetle infestation, but it can be used to make sure an infestation does not reoccur.
If you’ve already succeeded in killing the carpet beetles in your home, cleaning with vinegar is a great way to repel carpet beetles in the future. However, vinegar isn’t the best-smelling option. Several essential oils—such as citronella, cedar, and lavender—will repel beetles. You can use an essential oil diffuser to keep carpet beetles at bay once you wipe out the infestation.
What Kills Carpet Beetles Instantly?
Insect foggers are one of the best ways to kill carpet beetles right away. Foggers contain pesticides that work to kill several species of pest insects. However, using one requires you to turn off the electricity to your home and you must leave your home for several hours while the fogger works. This is a powerful way to get rid of carpet beetles, but it’s understandable if you want to try other methods first.
- This insect fogger can kill the carpet beetles throughout your home.
- To safely use a fogger, you must take several precautions listed on the packaging.
- You can use beetle traps to easily catch and kill carpet beetles.
- If carpet beetles continue to overrun your home, contact a professional exterminator to help end the infestation.
Using beetle traps is another way to kill carpet beetles fast. Adhesive traps that are scented will attract beetles and other household pests. The insects will crawl into the trap, become stuck, and die. Since traps attract insects, they’re more effective and less time-consuming than hunting for carpet beetles and spraying them with insecticide.
How Do You Kill Carpet Beetles Naturally?
One of the best ways to kill carpet beetles without chemicals is by steam cleaning. The high heat of a steam cleaner will kill carpet beetles, their eggs, and carpet beetle larvae on contact. You can rent a steam cleaner to clean carpets and rugs infested with beetles. Then, use a handheld steamer to kill carpet beetles in furniture, upholstery, and clothing.
- High-temperature steam kills carpet beetles in all stages of life.
- Use a vacuum-like steam cleaner to kill carpet beetles in carpets and rugs.
- A handheld steam cleaner can kill carpet beetles in furniture and other fabric.
- Spread this food-grade diatomaceous earth on carpets and other areas to kill carpet beetles the natural way.
Diatomaceous earth is another great way to kill carpet beetles without using any harmful chemicals. Food-grade diatomaceous earth is completely harmless to humans and pets, but it dehydrates and kills insects as they crawl through it. Dust diatomaceous earth on carpets, baseboards, and other areas where carpet beetles may travel. Within a few days, the carpet beetles will begin to die.
Can You Use Vinegar to Kill Carpet Beetles?
Vinegar is not the best choice for killing carpet beetles. Here’s why:
- Vinegar will not kill adult carpet beetles or carpet beetle eggs.
- Only larval carpet beetles will be killed with vinegar spray.
- It is very hard to find all the carpet beetle larvae in your home to spray them with vinegar.
- Cleaning surfaces with vinegar can repel carpet beetles for a short time.
- To kill carpet beetles at all stages of life, consider using steam cleaning, an insect fogger, and insect traps.
- If your carpet beetle infestation does not respond to other measures, consider contacting a professional exterminator.
- Spread diatomaceous earth on surfaces where you’ve seen carpet beetles, to naturally kill them as they walk through the powder.
Although a spray bottle filled with vinegar is not a very good weapon for killing carpet beetles, you can use more powerful means to end your carpet beetle infestation. Once the carpet beetles are dead, it’s a great idea to periodically clean your kitchen with vinegar. This will repel carpet beetles in the future and prevent a repeat infestation.
