Blog

As with most things, the best way to get rid of moths is prevention rather than a cure. Rugs and carpets left in dark or damp places are most at risk, moths seek out dark undisturbed areas to lay their eggs, meaning rugs in storage or areas under furniture are prime nesting spots.

Rugs with moth infestations should be thoroughly checked: vacuum front and back and spray with wool safe specialist moth spray. As with any chemical, even those which are natural, always pre-test on a small inconspicuous area.

It is advised to vacuum your rug regularly and ensure to vacuum the reverse and area under your rug from time to time.
There are quite a few things that can cause damage to your rug at home. These might be things like normal daily foot traffic, dirt, direct sunlight, and other things.

One thing that is the leading cause of much rug damage, especially stored rugs, are moths. You need to do some things to make sure that your rugs aren’t completely ruined by moth damage.

You will first notice webbing on the rug in certain areas. Generally, this means that your rug has a serious moth problem. Look for small particles that look more like sand than dirt.

These are the droppings of larvae that are on your rug. You will also notice some basic damage to the rug’s pile. It will become loose and might lose some of its colors.

In the worst-case scenario, rugs can be destroyed by the moth larvae, if caught early the damage will not be noticeable however the likelihood is that the damage will be somewhere in between.

In order to prevent moth damage, you need to vacuum and clean your rug. This will get rid of any eggs that might be in your rug making sure that the moths never get to live in and around your rug.

You might consider getting it professionally cleaned to prevent this problem. Make sure that if you store your rug in a closet that you actually put your rug into sealed plastic that bugs and moths can’t get into.

Use closet moth traps in the places that you choose to store your rugs. These will attract moths to the traps as opposed to the rug that they will end up destroying.

Rugs hung on walls should be handled regularly, the human scent can help deter moths using the rug as a nesting site.

Mothballs are not recommended as they are unlikely to work and can be harmful to humans, pets, the environment, and the rug. The best option, and safest for the rug if carried our correctly, is to have the rug professionally frozen.

This option not only kills any moths, larvae, and eggs in the rug but avoids chemicals coming in to contact with often fragile fabrics.

Damage can be repaired but can be costly so it is always best to be vigilant and check for signs of moths from time to time.