Carpet beetles are typically most active during the warmer months and breed in the spring. In April, you can see carpet beetle larvae in your home as they move around on their own looking for food.

Even those without in their homes risk harbouring these bugs, as carpet beetles beeline for natural fibres, fabrics, wool, leather, and silk in various items like clothing, furniture, and even stored food. The varied carpet beetle and the furniture carpet beetle are the most commonly encountered in the UK and can cause significant damage to the home if left untreated. Fortunately, identifying these destructive is simple when you know what to look for, and there's just one crucial ingredient needed to permanently eliminate them if they're found in your house.

Safeguard Pest Control states that adult beetles can lay up to 100 eggs at a time, which means an infestation can develop in a relatively short period.

These bugs look similar to moths but have shorter antennae than their body length. They also have longer legs, which helps them walk on vertical surfaces like walls and curtains.

The larvae of carpet beetles nibble at the fabric's surface, exposing carpets, rugs and furniture to bare threads in some areas. Sometimes, the beetles drill holes right through, causing visible and irreversible damage.

Safeguard Pest Control said: "As carpet beetle larvae grow, they moult or shed their skins, leaving a litter of light brown, empty skin cases in their wake, which will typically accumulate around the areas where they are feeding."

Larger adult beetles can often be seen on a mission for mating, inching their way towards windows or ending up lifeless on the window sills.

To tackle a carpet beetle invasion, start with a thorough cleaning cycle in the affected zones. Regular cleaning can help manage the problem, but a potent DIY remedy involving baking soda has been touted as an effective and economical insecticide.

Baking soda dehydrates these irksome insects upon contact and discourages new infestations with its swift killing action.

Carpet cleaning experts at said: "Baking soda has a pH of 9.5, which is very alkaline. It works by raising the pH level of the carpet, which kills carpet beetles but doesn't hurt humans or pets."

Different strategies may apply depending on the area within your home, but incorporating baking soda into your pest control routine could offer prompt reprieve from these relentless pests.

The Wrennalls team suggested: "Apply baking soda directly on top of the carpet fungus using a dustpan or broom."

Ensure you get the powder between the fibres and edges of your carpeting and underneath furniture and other objects that could be infested.

Leave the baking soda overnight so it has time to dry out completely before vacuuming all the powder from your flooring surface area.

Carpet beetles have a particular fondness for soft furnishings like mattresses. However, the piling method can prevent them from migrating from your carpet to your bed.

Pour pure baking soda around the base or legs of your bed, concentrating it in thick piles at the corners.

As the beetles and their larvae attempt to climb up the leg, they will be killed when they come into contact with the baking soda.

Another way to use baking soda to fight carpet beetles is to make a paste. Combine a few spoonfuls of baking soda with a couple of drops of water to form a thick paste similar to honey, and apply it wherever you suspect beetles are hiding or entering your home.