Rug Care - What To Do About Moth Damage And Problems
There are many different things that can damage a rug like water, sunlight, dirt, foot traffic, and others. But one thing that will completely destroy your rug if you aren’t careful is moth damage.
Moth damage can happen if your rug is stored away in the closet or if it’s out on the floor, so be careful about moth problems.
Signs of rug moth damage.
Damage in the pile - You may notice that some pile has come loose or that just a certain color of the pile seems to be dirty or even missing.
Webbing - This is normally a sign of a more serious infestation but you will notice a webs on and under the rug.
Sand like particles - These are actually the excretion from the larvae and a sign of an infestation
How to prevent moth damage.
Vacuum the top and bottom of the rug regularly.
Don’t rely on mothballs or cedar closets as the end of all for prevention. These actually do not work as well as you think.
Invest in some moth traps made for closet moths and put them around the house. This will be less than $7 or $8 and will attract male moths to it alerting you of a moth problem.
How to deal with moth rug problems.
Get the rug professionally cleaned to get the moth larvae completely out of the rug.
Sprinkle a powder called diatomaceous earth (the food grade version) on the rug and vacuum it up a day later. Do this on both sides.
Be careful about insecticides. First of all this rug stays in the home so considerations for pets and children should be noted. Also insecticides can stain and damage a rug just as much or more than the moths will.
Tags: moth