Once you get bed bugs, they multiply and spread at a very rapid pace!
If you do not catch the infestation in its infancy, you will face the arduous task of taking out hundreds of bed bugs! Would it help to tell you that bed bugs don’t just like living on a bed? I thought not!
Where else do they live? Can bed bugs live in a carpet? If so, how do you get bed bugs out of a carpet? We know that eucalyptus oil kills bed bugs, but does it work in a carpet?
Let’s take a look.
What you will learn in this post:
- Can bed bugs live in a carpet?
- How do you get bed bugs out of the carpet?
Can Bed Bugs Live In a Carpet?
Yes – bed bugs can live in a carpet! It is not just your bed that these bugs will infiltrate.
Bed bugs will love your carpet. It gives them a place to hide and allows a bed bug to latch onto your foot as you walk through it or stand on the carpet.
They are happy if they can latch onto a human or a pet.
You never know, the bed bugs may even be happy enough to lay a few eggs in your carpet too!
Do Bed Bugs Hide In A Carpet?
Yes, bed bugs will hide in a carpet.
Think about how small a bed bug is and consider how big your carpet fibers are to a bed bug. It is easy to see why they will hide in it.
Not only do bed bugs hide in your carpet, but they may also lay eggs in it! I know it is pretty grim to think about, but it is something that you need to consider when cleaning your carpet. It is another reason why you need to clean your carpet regularly!
Why Do Bed Bugs Live In Carpet?
Bed bugs scatter out to feed and then hide in a safe place for several days. They have a special scent to mark safe areas so other bedbugs can recognize them.
Bedbugs hide to digest food after consuming vast volumes of food. They can hide and live on a carpet, especially if it is an isolated room and the bed bugs feel it’s safe. Carpet fibers also provide a good, comfortable, and secure home for bugs.
How To Get Bed Bugs Out Of Your Carpet – 5 Ways
Can bed bugs live in a carpet? Yes, and now that you know that, the question is:
How do you get bed bugs out of your carpet?
Let’s take a look at 5 confirmed ways.
1. Bed Bug Carpet Cleaner
The best way to get rid of bed bugs in your carpet is by using a specially formulated bed bug carpet shampoo.
Most of the bed bug shampoos on the market include the pesticide pyrethroid. Use the shampoo and sprays to cover the area of your carpet infested with bed bugs. Always follow the instructions, and keep them away from other animals and children.
2. Steam Cleaner
You can use a steam cleaner to get bed bugs out of your carpet by killing them instantly with heat!
The steam is more than hot enough to kill bed bugs on impact. Not only will it get rid of the bed bugs in your carpet, but it will also give it a very good clean!
Once you have used a steam cleaner to kill the bed bugs, use a hoover to clean them away. Always empty the hoover after using it to clear away the bed bugs!
3. Iron
Ironing is another way of killing bed bugs with extreme heat.
Your iron will get to the temperature needed to kill bed bugs but please only use your iron on a setting that will not burn your carpet too!
Once you have used an iron to kill the bed bugs, use a hoover to clean them away. Always empty the hoover after using it to clear away the bed bugs!
4. Tidy Up
One of the best things you can do to stop you from getting bed bugs on your carpet is to regularly and thoroughly clean the areas prone to bed bug infestation!
Not only will it keep the area clean from bed bugs, but it will also clean away any that do find their way onto your carpet.
If you can, you should add a bed bug carpet cleaner as you clean.
5. Hoover
As soon as you notice bed bugs in your carpet, one of your first reactions might be to vacuum that area. It is not bad to do, as long as you empty the hoover straight after using it!
All you need to do is hoover up as many bed bugs as possible. What you probably won’t be able to do is hoover up every single bed bug and all the eggs they might have laid in your carpet. I suggest you also use bed bug shampoo as part of the cleaning.
Can bed bugs live in a carpet? Yes, but if you hoover them up, they will not be on your carpet for long!
Before vacuuming the carpet, you should remove any other items that bed bugs can cling to. Rugs and stuffed animals should be removed and washed with hot water with bed bug shampoo. After you have vacuumed the carpet, you should also clean the area with bed bug shampoo.
Also, you must check to ensure no bugs have been left behind, hiding in the furniture.
When vacuuming the carpet, you should ensure that you use a vacuum with a HEPA filter. A HEPA filter prevents allergens from bed bug waste or molted skin from escaping and contaminating the air.
After cleaning, empty the contents into a sealable bag and rinse the chamber with boiling water to kill any remaining bugs.
How Long Can Bed Bugs Live In Your Carpet?
You may or may not believe this! Bed bugs can live up to a year without a host! What does that mean for your carpet?
…it means that a bed bug can live in your carpet for up to a year without latching on to you or your pet for a feed.
In reality, bed bugs will likely die after a month or two. It is only when they live in a cold climate that their metabolism slows down, and they can go a whole year without feeding on a host!
Can Bed Bugs Travel Through Your Carpet?
Yes, they can. Bed bugs will travel through your carpet to find you or a pet to feed on.
The good news is that bed bugs move very, very slowly. They cannot jump, or fly, which restricts them to foot travel only. Traversing your carpet is easy for a bed bug, but not quick! The good news (for the bed bug, at least) is that they do not need to feed regularly, which gives them a lot of time to travel through your carpet searching for a host.
Can Bed Bugs Live Under a Carpet?
Can bed bugs live in a carpet or under a carpet? Yes, bed bugs can live under the carpet.
Depending on the house, bedbugs exploit entries such as a carpet that isn’t flush to the wall or is torn. They use the opening to make entry and establish a home. Always remember that house bugs can use any large space to fit a credit card.
The bugs also lay eggs in these areas to multiply and keep their population going.
Conclusion
Can bed bugs live in a carpet? Yes, they can! You can use any of the 5 ways identified in this post to get rid of the bed bugs that have set up a home in your awesome carpet!
The most frightening thing in this post was that bed bugs could live up to 1 year without feeding on a host! That means any bed bugs in your carpet can stay there for a year, waiting for you to walk past so they can latch on to feed on you.
It is best to get these bugs cleaned up quickly. Also, don’t forget to clean your bed, and the carpet regularly to put a stop to bed bug infestations.
Good luck!
