How To Get Rid Of Maggots In Carpet

Maggots are the young ones of a fly – you probably already know that!

These creepy white creatures are a nightmare. They are filthy and potentially dangerous; good enough reasons to keep them away from your home and off your property.

Maggot infestation comes with a host of problems and paves the way for other infestations in and around your home. Therefore you need to eliminate them early as possible.

Flies lay their eggs in places where food sources are abundant. Larvae usually feed on rotting food items and thrive in moist areas. If there is rotting vegetable or fruit bits, animal feces, decaying meat, or fermenting liquids spilled on your carpet, flies are sure to lay their eggs on it.

Maggots typically feed for four to five days. It takes somewhere around 14 to 36 days for the larvae to become a fly. If the food material continues to be on the carpet in an edible state, the cycle will begin repeatedly.

To prevent the maggot infestation from spreading to the rest of your home, you need to get rid of the grubs immediately.

How To Get Rid Of Maggots In Your Carpet

Why Do I Get Maggots In My Carpet

Maggot infestation in carpets is not as common as an infestation in your yard or garage. But if you do come across such a situation, it means your carpet is like to have had a spillage on it and needs to be cleaned.

Maggots are usually seen in areas where there is food remains, trash, pet feces, or dead animals.

If you have pets at home, see whether they are pooping on your carpet. Little children are clumsy eaters, so there is a high probability of dropping food morsels on your rug. Flies are attracted to such materials, and they lay eggs on them. Once the eggs hatch, these slimy creatures will burrow their way deep into your carpet.

Fly larvae are very quiet and too tiny to spot, but the infestation needs to be dealt with quickly. Some of the dangers of maggot infestation include sickness (especially if you have little children at home) and fly infestations. If they make their way into your food, it could lead to bacterial poisoning.

How Do I Get Rid Of Maggots From My Carpet?

1. Find out the cause

This makes sense because if you don't figure out the source, the infestation is bound to return. Take your carpet out in the sun (if you can) and do a thorough inspection to find out what caused the flies to lay eggs on your carpet.

The attractants in most cases are spilled food morsels, rotting pet feces, or fermenting juice. Once you find the source, the next step is to remove it for good. Also, take precautions to prevent a similar situation in the future.

2. Kill the maggots

Once you have discovered the cause of your maggot infestation, you need to kill them. One of the most common methods is to spray boric acid on your rug. Boric acid kills the maggots without damaging your rug – although it is best to test a small amount of boric acid on your rug/carpet before spraying too much.

You can then use a broom or a brush to sweep deep into the carpet and clear out the remains. When you spray, ensure that the liquid reaches deep into every area of the carpet.

3. Vacuum your carpet thoroughly

Boric acid is strong and kills the maggots quickly. After this step, you need to vacuum your carpet to remove the dead maggots that might stay stuck inside the rug. Sometimes you might find some maggots alive. No need to panic; spray some more acid on them and vacuum once again.

When the carpet is clean, you need to remove the vacuum cleaner's dust bag and properly dispose of it.

You can pour bleach into the plastic bag, tie it tightly and throw them in faraway trash.

4. Steam your carpets to ensure it is entirely free of infestation

Most homemakers tend to stop with vacuuming. But no matter how powerful your vacuum cleaner is, we highly recommend that you steam clean your rug to make sure that there isn't a single maggot left behind.

This final step will ensure that your carpet is spotless and stain-free and there isn't any trace of infestation.

Once steaming is done there, you can be assured that your carpet is free from food crumbs, dirt, and all kinds of germs. That will help keep maggots away from your carpet.

Deterring Maggots From Your Carpet

Maggot infestation can be a sign of low hygiene standards. If you don't clean your carpets regularly or haven't implemented the necessary preventive measures, maggot infestation will return quicker than you can imagine.

Whether the infestation is in your carpet, garage, or yard, maintaining a clean environment is the best way to prevent all kinds of infestation.

Here are some practical steps that will help you prevent a maggot infestation in the future:

Don't leave food sitting out. Clean after your kids and pets, don't leave it for long. Clean the floors after you have had food. Never keep garbage bags inside your house. Tie the bags tightly and keep them out.
If you feed your pets inside the house, you need to clean the bowls properly after each meal. Also, keep the bowl covered when you don't use it. This is because flies will lay eggs in all kinds of food, even pet food.
Clean your carpets regularly. Vacuum them once in two days if you have pets at home. Dry them out in the sun once a week. Try not to eat your food sitting on the carpet.
Use screens on your windows if you notice too many flies inside your home.

Conclusion

We spend a great deal of our time in our home. A home is a place where we rest and nourish ourselves. Therefore it is crucial to keep our home and surroundings clean and tidy. Maggot infestation is a serious issue that needs to be nipped in the bud.

Take the necessary steps mentioned in this post to prevent an infestation. If you have spotted larvae in your carpet, the best way to get rid of them is by using a chemical spray. But since you are using it inside your home, we suggest that you use a mild spray.

You could also try natural remedies such as lime, salt, and boiling water to eradicate the infestation.

Good luck!