How To Get Ticks Out Of Carpet And How To Keep Them Out! 

From what we know about ticks, the idea of having them in our home is…

EXTRAORDINARILY-uncomfortably-undoubtedly stressful. 

That said, you don’t have to worry that much. It’s highly unlikely that ticks will find a home, in your home. 

You see, ticks don’t do well in our homes owing to the lack of humidity. 

Most will just desiccate (a fancy word for dry out).

But unfortunately, some won’t.

Brown ticks can survive quite well in your house, and on your carpet. But, they’re unlikely to make you a host. However, they’re quite likely to make your dog a host. They carry many diseases, but not Lyme disease, fortunately. 

But, if you happen to live in a cabin (or have been forced to reside in your shed), then ticks should be a concern. 

Ticks could also survive in moist clothing, but not for very long.

Some Simple Solutions To Kill Ticks

So, how to get ticks out of a carpet:

My first rule of order as the holder of the tick-killing solutions is this:

Thou shalt not squash ticks, nor shalt thou flush them. 

Ticks are powerful swimmers AND can survive in water for up to three days.

This means that they can find their way back up the toilet. 

And squashing these arachnids (yes, they’re related to spiders) is a surefire way to spread their likely disease-carrying blood. 

Alcohol Usually Does The Trick

No, we’re not drinking away our tick-bearing sorrows here.

If you have to dispose of one of these blood-sucking parasites (and they’re quite literally ones), drop them in some alcohol in a ziplock bag.

That’ll make 100% certain that they die.

And that they aren’t granted the opportunity to reproduce and create more ‘evil’ in the world.

(Perhaps I’m exaggerating a little, but they are basically bloodsucking spiders so…)

And Of Course, Steam Cleaning 

I mean, you saw this coming.

Steam cleaning is a surefire way to kill those ticks in your carpet simply because of the heat.

It’ll kill other things too, like fleas and bacteria. 

Step 1:  Make sure to set your steamer to its highest setting (if it has that option).

Step 2: Use clean water to not clog up your steamer.

Step 3: Give it some time to warm up.

Step 4: Thoroughly spray the steam in the affected and likely tick-infested areas of your carpet.

This in combination with vacuuming, either before and after, and the ticks will be no more.  Vacuuming will also help suck up any flea and tick eggs that may be lingering on your carpet.

Dry The Suckers Out

There’s a third option. For this you’ll need:

(Inappropriate drum roll please.)

Something called diatomaceous earth.

(What on “earth” is that?)

It’s a rock turned to white powder that you can spread out to dry out ticks. 

You can get a broom to spread it into your carpet. 

Of course, this isn’t necessary if you think that the job’s done with the steam cleaning and/or vacuuming. But, if you really want to make double-sure, that’ll do the trick. 

It’ll simply dry those ticks out when they come into contact with it. 

Preventing Ticks From Getting Into Your Home 

Now, you may just want to keep them from getting into your home, and your carpet, entirely.

That makes sense.

You may first want to look at dealing with the main carriers themselves—our pets.

How To Prevent Your Pets From Spreading Ticks

Give them tick and flea medication regularly (as advised by your vet).

Also, give them baths with specialized dog shampoo. Giving them flea collars will also help prevent the spread of ticks into our homes,

You could even spray them with some homemade lemon and water mixture. Ticks are repelled by lemon juice.

(Just go easy on the lemon, for your pet’s sake).

But they’re not the only spreaders in the business. You and your friends and family may do a good enough job of that without them.

How To Prevent Humans From Spreading Ticks 

A lot of ticks are quite unbiased, whilst others will just “settle” for humans in the absence of a better host. 

These vampires will feast on your blood. And they can cause anything from severe Lyme disease to simple itching. 

Make sure that when going to overgrown areas you wear long socks and pants. You should also tuck your pants into your socks. 

Further, if you’re not chemical-averse, you may want to use a bug spray or cream for your skin.

Particularly if you’re going to go hiking for long periods, or something of that nature.

Safety First

Prevention is always better than cure so if you can, try to follow these measures as best you can.

And if you do find them in your carpet, suspect that they may be elsewhere.

And take to steam cleaning, vacuuming, and other measures to get rid of them.

Best of luck! 

Frequently Asked Questions

Can ticks live in carpets? 

Yes, but only certain kinds. It is a possibility, so always do your best to prevent them from getting in the house in the first place. If they somehow do get in, heat from a steam cleaner works wonders.

Do ticks lay eggs in carpets? 

Unfortunately, it’s a possibility. However, generally, homes are not suitable for tick living and they’ll likely dry out before they can even do so. 

How long will ticks live in a house? 

It depends on the type of environment they’re in, but likely not more than a day. Though they can survive a few days in moist clothing.