we have carpet beetles! also have a cat & a new baby in the house.I dont want to use chemicals.any suggestions

Question

i know there are some chemicals that are reccommended,but with a baby & a cat in the house & also the effect on the environment, im reluctant,(altho if its the only way to get rid of them so be it!)to use harsh chemicals.the house is very old with a basement,& wooden floors,so there are lots of gaps that would be impossible to fill.therefore i need a safe, effective way to get rid of these little beetles.they seem to be everywhere even though I hoover & clean every day.

Answer 1

The beetles you are finding at the moment are on your window sills aren't they? The adult beetle eats pollen from the carrot family only. It's the larval stage called a woolly bear that does the damage. A good vacuum around to remove all hair from under beds etc will discourage their activity. Also check in the roof for birds nests as they will be a food source.

If a single item of clothing is infected just pop it in the freezer for 24 hours, this will kill the larvae without any chemicals.

For more information try to Google Anthrenus verbasci.

Answer 2

if they are coming from your clothes, the lowest setting on your drier that has heat and is safe for the material is more than enough to clean the garments of them, from there go to air tight containers to store the clothing..tupperware type containers. Zipper bags and the totes that the handles lock in place to hold the lid down are not air tight. Maybe empty the closet and have the corners hit with a pyrethroid class insecticide with residual. If they are in a rug, curtains or tapestry having them professionally cleaned will be needed. If you feel they are there due to the shed hair from the pet/people of the house, thoroughly clean baseboard and under furniture again if you choose you can hit the baseboard areas with the pyrethroid class insecticide. It's the larvae that damage the material. As they grow they crawl away to the dark areas to molt, return to do more damage so treating key areas with an insecticide can help their control, for the most part children/pets shouldn't be an issue with todays products.

Answer 3

1) Remove baby and cat from house. Take them to your mates.

2) Purchase some non-biochemical napalm

3) Rig the house with aforementioned napalm

4) Ignite said napalm



After carrying out the above steps, the infestation should be destroyed.



Please note: Pyrotechnics are dangerous. Please keep a fire bucket handy.



Disclaimer: I hereby tak no responsibility whatsoever for any loss of any kind resulting from the carrying out of the above steps, whether it be loss of property, intellectual or otherwise, financial loss, loss of life, or loss of friends/family.



Please note, your residence may require refurbishing after this.



I hope this help'd.

Answer 4

Don't try anything by yourself. Call the local pest exterminators, they will do get rid of these beetles for you in the right way so that your baby will be safe. The cat can take care of itself. :) Good Luck.

Answer 5

Rabbits

Answer 6

Not sure what to tell you but here's some info on these disgusting creatures, yuck!



http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2103.html

Carpet Beetle, HYG-2103-97

Answer 7

and with a baby u should get rid of the cat too. or at least don't let it inside.