Carpet is a great addition to any home as it gives a warm, cosy feel and is soft underfoot. The last thing you want is to invest in a gorgeous carpet and have it damaged by carpet moths.
How do you know if you have carpet moths?
The most common sign of a larvae infestation is threadbare patches on rugs or carpets. These are most likely to be on the softer areas of the carpet rather than the webbing. They are usually found in darker areas, unused rooms and under furniture that has been in place for many years. If you find significant damage, or flattened larval cases (these will be similar in size to a single grain of rice), there is a infestation that needs to be dealt with as soon as possible. Each moth can lay up to 300 eggs so the extent of the infestation may well be far greater than the eye can see. Once inside a warm environment, they will be active (and therefore reproducing and causing damage) throughout the year as opposed to being dormant outside during the colder months.
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What do carpet moths look like?
As eggs at the start of life, they are so small they are difficult to see. Once they are active larvae, they wrap themselves in a silken case and this is the stage during which they will be causing damage by eating their way through your carpet. If you are unlucky enough to have an infestation, you may be able to see them at this point.
Once they have eaten a sufficient amount, they seal their silken case and pupate to become an adult moth. The adult moth is on average 5mm long with a grey colouring and darker spots on their wings. They hop rather than fly in general and will die once they have reproduced.
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How do carpet moths get into your house?
Carpet moths can come into the house exactly like flies; through open doors and windows. They may also be picked up by pets or on footwear and brought indoors, or could already be living in any second hand rugs or furniture that is added to the house. Once they are in, they can reproduce quickly.
How do I get rid of carpet moths?
You need to see how bad the infestation is first, by using carpet moth traps. These catch adult active males by attracting them with the female phermomone. The pests will land on the traps and become stuck on the adhesive pads (which will straight away reduce the amount that are reproducing). Then you can monitor how many pests there are and where they are. Any more than five moths in one room indicates a series problem.
You can purchase a carpet moth kit to deal with the issue, these consist of a range of sprays and powders and are targeted to the extent of the infestation. You may need to repeat this again after 30 days according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Both natural and chemical options are available. The alternative is to employ a professional to make sure the infestation has been fully dealt with, as any eggs that are missed can easily lead to the same problem occurring again very quickly.
What can be done to combat carpet moths?
Carpet moths like warm, dark places so like homes with central heating and double glazing. They are attracted by everyday household moisture, dust and dirt which is a primary source of food for them. These pests have the ability to eat through your carpet at incredible speed and can cause extensive, and indeed expensive, damage. As always, prevention is better than a cure so the best way to keep carpet moths at bay is regular cleaning and letting in light and air where possible.
Regular vacuuming
Looking after your carpet is essential to maintain it well and prolong its life, but it also helps make the environment less desirable for pests. If you have any rooms that you do not use much, make sure you still vacuum it regularly, air out it when possible and open the curtains as carpet moths like dark areas best. Make sure you vacuum even the hard to get to places, like underneath the sofa and around the skirting thoroughly and often. Move furniture like bookcases and vacuum underneath regularly. Any especially warm areas, ie around radiators, will need particular attention.
All those places that you find more dust are essentially the places that will need more thorough cleaning. Empty your vacuum cleaner outside into a sealed bag to ensure any moths and/or larvae are not able to re enter the house. Protector sprays are available for carpets but regular, thorough vacuuming should be enough to prevent infestations.
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Mothproof carpets
You can always opt for wood or vinyl flooring, but don’t let the fear of moths put you off carpet! Most manufacturers these days use moth resistant treatments, Herts Carpets can advise on the best type to suit your needs that will still give you the look you want.
Carpets made of man-made fibres are by default moth proof but any dirt, dust or moisture on the fibres will attract the moths regardless, so they will still need to be kept clean or moths will eat any dirt attached to the fibres. Moths love to eat animal fibres such as wool, but this luxurious carpet is still a great choice as you can pick a moth resistant type.
We are here to advise and help with all your flooring and carpet needs. Contact us here to book a free estimate with our friendly and professional Herts Carpets team today!
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