Help with Carpet Beetles in a Car for Co-Worker

[colt45er]

A guy I work with (not a member here because he doesn’t like guns, ya I know) has been having some trouble with what appears to be Carpet Beetle Larvae. About a month ago he noticed these things all over the back seat of his ’05 Trailblazer and so I gave him my shopvac to try.

It got rid of them but they came back two weeks later. When then they came back he took his car to Ziebart and they treated everything and cleaned it all up. Two weeks later they are back!!

He called Ziebart back and they said they would give him a $100 credit (what he paid the first time) if he brought it in and had them strip all carpeting and seats out of it to clean it up again. He said the cost was going to be close to $400 this time ($300 after the credit).

Are their any options that he may have other than paying this?

My resources were tapped after the shopvac so I thought maybe INGO would have some ideas!

Thanks!

 

[caddywhompus]

Bug bomb? I'd try it first before taking it back to the ZEE.

 

[22rssix]

Have him spray the carpet with Ortho home defense max bug spray. After it dries it is safe for pets but should kill the beetles. It also has a low ordor and after it dries it should have no smell.

I use this stuff all over my house and it kills everything minus the dog.

 

[CountryBoy19]

Have him spray the carpet with Ortho home defense max bug spray. After it dries it is safe for pets but should kill the beetles. It also has a low ordor and after it dries it should have no smell.

I use this stuff all over my house and it kills everything minus the dog.

Just be careful about spraying any chemicals "off-label" (off-label means for any use that isn't specified on the label). It may say that it is safe for indoor/outdoor use, but the label likely doesn't account for the temperatures that a car can reach in the summer. If the residual chemical on the upholstery breaks down and releases bad gasses in high heat, and somebody gets in the car and gets sick from it, the person that applied the chemical not according to the label is 100% at fault and can be liable for all sort of damages etc.

Just be careful if you do that... I would read the label carefully (even if it is 10 pages long).

ETA, I am licensed to apply restricted use pesticides... they don't joke around with this stuff.

 

[22rssix]

^ never thought about that.

 

[colt45er]

He has two kids so I am not sure about some checmicals...

I thought the bug bomb would be cool non-the less. Whole car filled with fog!!

 

[adh72]

Try Borax, just sprinkle it around the carpet.

 

[22rssix]

Carpet Beetle Management Guidelines--UC IPM

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

First question should be:

Find where the infestation is coming from. (pet carriers or pet beds?)

Then dust the car fabric with BORIC ACID. Note, though, that Boric Acid can and does act as a bleaching agent.

 

[colt45er]

Just an update for those of you that saw that and wondered how we took care of them.

We took a Saturday to rip apart their car. We took all the seats/carpet, everything out of the car.

We removed fabric from seats where possible. We dusted everything with Boric Acid. we set off a bug bomb in the car. We vacumed everything, we Dusted again with Boric acid. Used a carpet cleaner on all fabrics.

Put it all back together and good as new.

He said yesterday while over for a cookout that the problem has not been back.

 

[Que]

Just an update for those of you that saw that and wondered how we took care of them.

We took a Saturday to rip apart their car. We took all the seats/carpet, everything out of the car.

We removed fabric from seats where possible. We dusted everything with Boric Acid. we set off a bug bomb in the car. We vacumed everything, we Dusted again with Boric acid. Used a carpet cleaner on all fabrics.

Th
Put it all back together and good as new.

He said yesterday while over for a cookout that the problem has not been back.

That is really good news especially since he does not have to worry about his kids getting bit. BTW, you are a cool friend to help him with all the work.

 

[colt45er]

That is really good news especially since he does not have to worry about his kids getting bit. BTW, you are a cool friend to help him with all the work.

Thanks Que.

He bough the beer so it wasn't too bad

I am a firm believer that you get out of life what you put in. I helped him and I am sure one day I will need his help or someone's help. Also I am sure that in the future he will help someone that needs a hand.

 

[U.S. Patriot]

Thanks Que.

He bough the beer so it wasn't too bad

I am a firm believer that you get out of life what you put in. I helped him and I am sure one day I will need his help or someone's help. Also I am sure that in the future he will help someone that needs a hand.

Karma my friend!