How to Get Rid of Worms on Carpet Under Furniture

carpet beetle larva
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A reader wrote to us recently about some worms she is finding in “dark places” around her house. More specifically, she is finding the worms “in lounge, under sofa, behind sofa,” so evidently the worms have taken to hiding around or under furniture. The worms, which are about an inch long, are a cream color with brown tips, although some appear to be mostly brown, which makes them difficult to see because they are the same color as her carpet, and they are always on her carpet. The reader wants two questions answered: what are the cream and brown one-inch worms she is finding, and how can she get rid of them?

Normally, we have to start articles like this by laying out the possible creatures our reader found, and then explaining the strengths and weaknesses of each suggestion. Only after we arrive at a likely culprit or two are we able to move onto the business of getting rid of the pest in question. However, in this case, we are very confident our reader found carpet beetle larvae, by far the most common creature we write about. Although obviously larvae, people routinely refer to them as “worms,” which is why we have articles about worms under furniture, worms in the pantry, worms in the carpet, and worms on the counter. All of these articles are about carpet beetle larvae, and they are only a sample of the many articles we have written about them. There is no shortage of information about carpet beetle larvae on this site, so we won’t dwell on the specifics here. We will only note that everything our reader said about the creatures she found – their color, location, etc. – suggests she found carpet beetle larvae. We can’t be absolutely certain of this, especially since we weren’t sent any pictures, but this is overwhelmingly our best suggestion, so we’ll move onto the matter of getting rid of the carpet beetle larvae.

Although carpet beetle larvae are not particularly dangerous, their small hairs can cause skin irritation, and they can also damage fabrics in your house (unless they are synthetic fabrics, which carpet beetle larvae won’t eat), so they are worth getting rid of. (Like most bugs, people just don’t like them in their house either.) Getting rid of carpet beetle larvae is largely a matter of cleaning. Vacuuming often and thoroughly is particularly important given the larvae’s predilection for carpet, and these vacuuming sessions have to be rather involved. Couches and other furniture pieces have to be vacuumed under, as this is precisely where carpet beetle larvae like to congregate. In vacuuming, you’ll most obviously be getting rid of the carpet beetle larvae and any of the skins they might have shed, but you’ll also be cleaning up things like lint and hair that attract them.

It is also good to make sure that any fabrics in your house are used and washed with at least partial regularity. A stack of blankets or clothing, even if washed, can draw carpet beetle larvae if they are never moved. Although the larvae focus on carpets and other fabrics, it is not unheard of for them to get into foods in your pantry (like grains or spices), so stored foods most be sealed properly. (This is a good idea in general, as unsealed foods can attract a number of pests.) Finally, adult carpet beetles will often lay eggs in bird and insect nests, so these should be removed from your house if you have a larvae problem.

Assuming our reader did in fact find carpet beetle larvae, the above advice will help her address the problem. Fortunately, she doesn’t seem to be dealing with a serious infestation, so if she puts in some solid work now, she’ll likely be able to handle the situation on her own without too much effort.

 

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Summary
How to Get Rid of Worms on Carpet Under Furniture
Article Name
How to Get Rid of Worms on Carpet Under Furniture
Description
A reader wrote to us recently about some worms she is finding in "dark places" around her house, like under furniture in the carpeted areas of her house.
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7 thoughts on “How to Get Rid of Worms on Carpet Under Furniture

  1. Since May of 2017 I woke up with hives and bites on the small of my back ever since that day I have been in a nightmare. I bought after researching the chemicals in the stuff at the home depot or lowes and got it. I found out I had many types of bugs they go together since they are really a type of bacterial fungas called parasites. Bird mites coming thru a/c window unit, bedbugs, carpet worms not beetles. I can tell u a trick to see what they are: get in a dollar store containers (3) put papertowels around the bottom and scotch tape them take an empty water bottle put holes in the top a very little water, sugar and buy its cheap the fast acting yeast before bed put it on the floor when u add the yeast (only fast acting I put 3 bags in) what comes out of it is carbone dioxide what we breath out and thats what they are looking for to find us. the containers must be smooth since they can’t climb out of them put a small light over each on xmas light are what i used. In the morning I had no bites and it was full of 1st bedbugs, then worms another night the only thing i couldn’t get rid of and are still in my hair are mites of some kind. Not even the CDC knows what kind of the 48,000 we live with. Its a start for you and cheap to find out what u have. I am scared for life but at my age I really don’t care as much. I live with the DIAMOTACIOUS earth around the bed and in it all around the sheets. My washer/dryer are of no use since it is full of all these bugs. You must boil water, use amonia, and borax i stopped pinesole and can;t get them off my clothes. If you find a lot of lint the eggs hid in the lint feel it and u should feel a tiny hard thing black or white depends on the mite. I am ready for a luny bin have been to every doctor there is and nobody can help. I had very long hair and i will tell u this I had to cut it just to comb it. Use Tea Tree essential oil and peppermint, y peppermint some smart ass senator decided about 9 years ago to save the wildlife the hell with us and stopped the original D-Con ever since then there are 1.5 million people with what I have now I believe researching every day that rats are the culprit. They can’t be trapped and forget glue boards the last few generations taught the young not to go near metal or wood and they know about glue boards. The green cubes they now don’t go near either so we are now the prey the wild birds living in my attic (geese) are doing fine since the rats the vultures etc eat are not poisonous anymore but these jerks did not consider what it would do to us. Even exterminators can’t fix the problem and its $500 a pop they come and do no good they can’t get what is needed. I say find out who wrote the legislation and slam em with all your friends we never had bedbugs or any of this crap before the elimination of the full strength D-Con that killed the rats. THIS IS THE PROBLEM TRUST ME, I have one and have 2 beds. my br on the 1st fl had the bedbugs and birdmites and now im in the apt. downstairs there are now carpet worms and god no’s what else. Im telling you they must pay attention to us we can die from this crap and nobody gives a damn about what happens to us and its all NEW BECAUSE THE DCON WAS TAKEN OFF MARKET NOT ALL THAT LONG AGO THE DOCS ARE JUST SEEING WHAT IS HAPPENING BUT SINCE ITS NOT TO THEM THE ARE NOT ON TOP OF IT AS THEY SHOULD BE, PERHAPS BUBONIC PLAGUE WILL WAKE THE ENTIRE COUNTRY UP CAUSE THATS THE NEXT STEP IN THE RATS MATING AND RUNNING WILD THE RAT IN THE BASEMENT IS A JET BLACK TROPICAL RAT DOES ANYONE WANT TO TELL ME HOW IT IS IN PENNSYLVANIA? ITS HERE FOR SURE AND GOOD LUCK, BY THE WAY I AM A CHRISTIAN A VERY DEVOUT EVANGELICAL WHO PREACHES SO I DO NOT LIE OR CHEAT IN ANY WAYS WHAT I HAVE TOLD U, I HAVE LIVED AND CONTINUE TO I WILL KEEP U ALL POSTED AS TO ANY INFO I FIND OUT. GOOD LUCK AND UR GOD BLESS U!

  2. I have carpet beetles and worms in my bedroom. If I get rid of the carpet will it get rid of the beetles?

  3. Hello I have seen these ugly little bugs on my couch and I think there the larva bugs but I’m going to get rid of the couch and when I killed the ones that are alive it was like skin flaky and some was dead already what should I do get get rid of the couch and vacuum real good I live in a apartment

  4. Hi,
    My friend and I just move into a student housing apartment in order to be closer to the university we are going to attend this fall. Upon arrival we noticed small, slim black/brown worms in our rooms, bathroom and on the walls (crawling the wall). I’ve been reading the articles and I believe we have carpet beetle larva but I just want to make sure that they are not long and slim. After we cleaned and got rid of the visible ones the next morning we found more around in the bathroom, the carpet in front of the bathroom and the carpet in front of the door. Do these worms also go in the bathroom? If not what type of worms could they be? And how could we get ride of them? The place was filthy when we moved in but we are clean people do you think they will go away?

    Thanks!

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