How do I get rid of maggots in my carpet without tearing it out? Do you have to clean the whole carpet?

Question

Thank you Michelle, hhoban, and rlucas, for your excellent answers. I must have left my trash a day too long and got these maggots. I see it concentrated in a couple spots. I think I may ask for new carpet in my apartment. The edge is lifted when they did some work, and never tucked it back in. But I think the maggots were my fault because it's on the other side. But I heard steam cleaning is great. So far I haven't done that, but they've been hatching, and I've been killing the flies. Doesn't that sound just disgusting?! Ugh. Thanks for all your answers. Can't decide which ones best. Wish I could choose all.

Answer 1

Sprinkle a mixture of baking soda and salt all over the carpet and grind it in as well as you can. Leave overnight and vacuum in the morning. Then I would shampoo it completely. After you are done shampooing use the shampooer to go over again with 1 part vinegar to 4 parts water.

That should take care of the maggots but it might be a good idea just to rip it up and replace. You can sometimes find some good deals on kijiji or craigslist.  

Answer 2

I would try killing the maggots, vacuum really well, then steam clean. You probably have something UNDER the carpet that's attracting maggots. Look into that. Yes, clean the whole carpet. There could be unhatched eggs all over the place.

P.S. If you have maggots in your carpet, chances are it's pretty filthy. I'd spring for new carpet.  

Answer 3

Have a Professional carpet cleaner who uses HOT WATER EXTRACTION.  It needs to be at a certain temp in order to kill eggs and larva.  Find out what the source of the food for the maggots are.  Yes clean the whole carpet as well as any room attached to the area affected.  When the cleaning is done ask the carpet cleaner to Apply a anti microbial solution to the area affected.  This will kill germs in the area.    FYI  adding anti microbial solution to the carpet will take away the stain resistance of the carpet. If it is older carpet you can purchase Carpet Protector to reapply the stain resistance.

If the maggots have been there for a long time then they may have eaten into the carpet.  In that case if you have a scrap piece of carpet have the Carpet cleaner graft that piece on the old affected area.

Make sure if that is the case the cleaner you hire can do both cleaning and repair. And that they are good at both.

Robert