Protecting your natural fiber rugs against moths and pests

 

Moth Protection

As an added cleaning service, Grillo Oriental Rug offers moth protection.  Note that our treatment is not a pesticide, but makes the rug “taste bad” to the moths that are attracted to wool.

We encounter two types of moths which damage Oriental and other wool rugs: The case-making Clothes Moth (Tinea pellionella)  and the webbing Clothes Moth (Tineola bisselliella).  The University of California has more on each type of moth as well as photos to help you identify them.

If you see small moths flitting about your home, especially in spring and summer, it’s time to investigate more.   Those moths that are attracted to light are not destructive to rug and textiles etc.  It is the ones who fly quickly away from the light or crawl around on the floor which do damage.  Detection of moth activity can be difficult as they tend to live under furniture or in dark places not frequented by the homeowner. Oftentimes it is only when a rug is taken up for cleaning that evidence is found.  Small white silken trails or “cases” or areas where the wool has been eaten down, and small dark brown or black pellets. Cases often turn the color of the wool or other fibers being consumed so can be hard to spot.  It’s the larvae of the moth that can destroy your rug investment.

Monitoring with pheromone traps is a very good and recommended way to see if you have activity in your home.  The scents in these traps attract the male moths and when they land on the sticky glue inside the trap they are caught.  Shop around for the pheromone traps as prices can vary widely.  The best time is spring and summer.  We highly recommend this practice.  After detection you can then plan to better inspect your rugs for infestation or damage.  Then send them to us for a thorough cleaning and moth protection treatment.  The cleaning will destroy any lingering moth eggs or larvae and then we can protect against future damage.

Standard “mothballs,” along with being smelly, are not as effective against pests that eat rugs, so it’s best to get your rug properly treated. We do not use a pesticide, but the larvae reject the taste of the wool when the treatment is applied.

You can contact us with questions about protecting your rugs against moths, stains and other perils.  If needed, we can even pick up your rug for cleaning.