Moth holes - carpet

[SubParbanMum]

Hi all

Just moved in to our house and the carpets are all filthy and needs to go. More worryingly, there’s are big moth holes in a lot of the carpet in the hallways, stairs and one bedroom. We’ve seen two moths so far.
We want to replace the bedroom carpets with wool carpets but feel like this could be a disaster now.
Anyone had similar and got advice?

Thank you!

I've always preferred 80/20 wool carpets but we have carpet moth in our home so gradually replacing with synthetic carpet. I'm not thrilled either. Carpet moths are different to clothes moths as far as I know.

Yes if you replace with wool, the buggers will eat them. I've seen this happen at my parents house because they thought I was talking rubbish. New carpets are ruined, I guess the moths are pretty happy.

I’m not sure it’s moths - we have a few rugs and one of them had been rolled and out to one side - when I unrolled it there there little grub things like a grain of cooked rice! I got a spray that I used in the rug and that killed the little buggers.

Yuuuuukkkkkkk

Thanks but also oh no.
Maybe if we take out carpets everywhere for a period of time and treat the house we’d be safe. Anyone successfully got rid of them?

@Liquorishtoffee they do have larvae which look like little grubs...

Generally if you keep your carpets clean moths are not an issue. I’ve wool carpets and there is no problems, but they need to be hoovered and cleaned properly regularly.

If you’re not really going to be able to do that, then don’t go for wool.

If you are, then it needs to be thoroughly hoovered and cleaned before any new carpet is laid, so any remaining moths or eggs don’t infest the new carpet.

@Liquorishtoffee

I’m not sure it’s moths - we have a few rugs and one of them had been rolled and out to one side - when I unrolled it there there little grub things like a grain of cooked rice! I got a spray that I used in the rug and that killed the little buggers.

Yuuuuukkkkkkk

These are the moth larvae that you’ve seen. These are what eat the carpet - rather than the moths they turn into.

We’ve got them and basically ‘manage’ them. They like dark spaces, so usually eat unseen carpet under furniture, but if you want to move something, there are massive threadbare patches. We use sprays sometimes, but basically there’s not a lot you can do. We won’t replace our carpets with wool as there’s no way to can guarantee wiping them out completely. It’s annoying. Two of our neighbours have them too so we would need a coordinated attack to make a real difference, but even then a moth could come in, lay eggs and the whole cycle repeats itself.

They are big then aren’t they? I thought carpet moths were a different thing. Rather way they like bloody expensive silk rugs...

@Bluntness100

Generally if you keep your carpets clean moths are not an issue. I’ve wool carpets and there is no problems, but they need to be hoovered and cleaned properly regularly.

If you’re not really going to be able to do that, then don’t go for wool.

If you are, then it needs to be thoroughly hoovered and cleaned before any new carpet is laid, so any remaining moths or eggs don’t infest the new carpet.

That’s not true as carpet moths like clean carpet. Unless you are willing to pull out all furniture and hoover thoroughly underneath at least once a week, probably more often, (and check under the furniture for pupae) then a population of carpet moths can take hold and cause damage quite quickly. We have some fragile-ish antique furniture full of glass that we only move once in a blue moon and the carpet moth grubs have had a feast under them.

I was in a cloud of moths for a while. I tried everything to get rid off them.

First thing to do is get rid off the carpet they are eating. You need to rip it up and throw it away. They like dark places and natural fibre.

I cleaned the whole house. They were eating my blinds which were cotton, my wool rugs and my wool sofa. They also ate a cashmere cardi. So shake out any woollen clothes that may have been left undisturbed for a time. They were also around my towels.

I got some cedar balls and put them in with my clothes. I also got some moth traps from Amazon which worked. They are called Pheromone Glue Boards and you put them around the house. I put them in dark places. I washed all clothes and towels and then put moth repellent sheets in with them for a while.

I now have recarpeted with wool carpet but I got a moth proof one and haven't noticed any moths since it's been down. I also use Lavender which they don't like apparently.

It's the moth larvae that eat the carpets/wool, not the moths themselves, hence the little white grains a PP has found.

You won't know the extent of the moth population until you've been in the house for a while. The existing damage may have happened years ago - we've got a couple of moth-eaten holes in our hall carpet from many years ago but none since (the buggers have moved upstairs!).

You could get some moth pheromone traps which will attract male moths and will give you an idea of the extent of the problem (make sure you get the ones for carpet moth - they're a different type of moth to clothes moths). Or remove all the carpets, if you're going to anyway, and get the house treated.

I've bought moth traps and spray from this company, but haven't tried the DIY room versions:

www.pestcontroldirect.co.uk/how-to-control-carpet-moths/

We had them when we moved to this house. The carpet cleaning man told me about them, the damage (which was obvious), how to manage them - regular hoovering etc. He also said his cleaning with steam should kill them and we shouldn't have any more problems.

We did what he said, put down ceader balls, moth traps etc . We gave found a few more grubs since (the grains of rice) but I think it's good now.

You have inspired me to move the furniture though for a hoover soon.

@Bluntness100

Generally if you keep your carpets clean moths are not an issue. I’ve wool carpets and there is no problems, but they need to be hoovered and cleaned properly regularly.

If you’re not really going to be able to do that, then don’t go for wool.

If you are, then it needs to be thoroughly hoovered and cleaned before any new carpet is laid, so any remaining moths or eggs don’t infest the new carpet.

In my experience, it's the new carpets that have suffered, older wool carpets have been ignored by the moths! So housekeeping standards (or lack of) aren't necessarily the issue!

That’s not true as carpet moths like clean carpet

It is true, google how to prevent carpet moths if you’re unsure.

Looks like we’ll be ripping up carpet and not replacing anytime soon.

Just off to hide my jumpers.

Thank you so much for advice!