There’s A Moth in My Rug?

You heard that right!  Carpet moths can wreak absolute havoc on your gorgeous fine rugs.  Moths have a particular affinity for the materials used to create Oriental rugs. (Wool, in particular!)  The damage can be irreversible, so it is vital to take preventative measures.  Through the use of safe and effective moth repellents, our team can help keep the moths away, preventing (further) damage.

Fun Fact: Did you know the most of the damage is done when the moth is in the larvae stage?  The larvae feed on the proteins found in wool, silk and animal hair and then as adults lay the eggs in the rug.  Then the cycle repeats.

They love to be in dark, quiet rooms and any area that you cannot easily reach to vacuum, such as under beds, chairs, sofas and the back of rugs that are not turned over or are hung on the wall.

Preventing insect manifestation by routine household cleaning is absolutely necessary.  Moths like to eat soiled and stained rugs.

At The Specialists, we take careful precautions when caring for a rug with moth infestation:

• We wrap the rug right away to prevent cross-contamination
• We open the rug up at an isolated area and apply a special product on both sides of the rug and wrap it back up
• Immense Full Immersion Cleaning Procedures to flush the rug out
• Apply a special product that:
• Prevents Infestation, wool degradation
• Denatures wool (less appetizing by changing the taste) This will not harm the fibers of your rug!
• Protects until next cleaning

Fun Fact: Did you know that it is estimated that 1 in 5 houses across the USA are affected by moths?  If left untreated, they can do a lot of permanent damage quickly.  They will damage not only your Oriental rugs, but your wall to wall carpet as well as your furniture.  Thankfully, with the more modern use of synthetic materials for the later items, it has dramatically lessened the moth damage, however, it doesn’t mean it is gone. They will still eat soiled synthetic fibers as well.

What to look for!

A sticky-spiderweb like substance on the back of the rug. This is a sure sign of larvae.

Little cocoons.  They will match the carpet color and approximately a half an inch long.

Holes or loose carpet fibers laying onto of the rug.

Bare spots on the rug.  You will see this on the front, the back or both.  They love to eat where the backing meets the where the yarns are attached.

We recommend that you have your fine rugs professionally cleaned every 3-4 years. Of course if you have a spill or suspect a moth infestation, you should call us immediately.

From Davis, to El Dorado Hills, Folsom, Lincoln and all points in between, we are here to keep you informed and keep your Oriental rugs looking their best.  Be sure to check out our before and after gallery to see our work.