Moths

[Nowconcerned]

So we are infested, I think its quite severe as have seen lots of moths (just in the last week or so), investigated, some bare patches to carpet in spare rooms, caterpillars and eggs in 2 rooms. They are probably everywhere but mostly in just 2 rooms it seems (there are signs of past infection in one other room but not now).

We have vaccuumed, used moth spray on carpets, treated surfaces with dettol, cleaned out wardrobes and drawers, washed all we can at 60 degrees, moth traps, sachets for drawers etc but new live caterpillars are still being seen. All on the floor (nothing really in our clothes, though I am washing or airing anyway, just the wool carpets).

I'm considering moth bombs or failing that professionals as he next steps. Is there anything I have missed that I can do? They are driving me to despair!

The only thing that worked for us was removing the carpets. Sorry. We didn't have a professional treatment because the carpets were too knackered to justify the cost, but we did try every DIY treatment we could find.

As they are carpet moths, their favourite food is carpet/rugs, but they are definitely open to trying clothes for dessert, so make sure you keep anything precious sealed up in a plastic bag and stored in daylight, not a dark drawer/wardrobe.

Same here - getting rid of the carpets was the only thing that worked for us. What helped to keep it under control was daily vacuuming everywhere. Every 2-3 days, I'd move out beds and furniture and vacuum those too. Curtains etc washed every month. Only clothes worn in drawers and wardrobes - everything else plus towels etc put in zip up bags.

The daily vacuuming worked, but took ages because it had to be really thorough.

Thanks for the replies. Virtually all our clothes are synthetics (I have been checking labels and the items themselves carefully) and seem fine. One woollen coat has been nibbled a bit, which I am very sad about and taking to the dry cleaners.

The synthetic carpets in most rooms are also fine. Did you clean all synthetic clothes or just worry about woollens? There is just so much to do, I will try to wash everything but can only do so many loads in one day so I need to prioritise those mostly likely to be harbouring the problem. [I did a 12 hour work day yesterday and then I don't think they can eat synthetic fabrics? The cottons seem fine also but I am washing those today.

Wool is favourite, but we had holes in cotton towels too. They won't (afaik) eat synthetics, but most of our clothes are cotton or wool, and all towels and bedding cotton. Wool is the main problem because it doesn't get worn and washed throughout the summer, and even in the winter, the wash probably isn't enough to kill larvae - I think it has to be 60deg.

I wouldn't worry about anything synthetic. Prioritise wool. Then any cotton stuff that you don't wear/use - wash at 60deg and pack away. With clothes that you are wearing and washing often, you probably wash the eggs out before they hatch into larvae.

Our infestation completely changed the way we live now - I got rid of a load of heavy furniture, so it's much easier to vacuum thoroughly now. I also got rid of spare towels and bedding and reduced the clothes we have. That said - our moths much preferred carpets over clothes.

Thanks a lot - the little wool we have has either been thrown away, dry cleaned or is in the freezer and I am getting onto the cotton towels and bedding today. It is the 80% wool carpet they seem to like best and we are getting rid and replacing with laminate asap. All off cuts in the loft have been chucked (all seemed fine but am sure this is just a matter of time...) The expensive wool coat I had not worn for a while was also riddled. I am so pleased most of our clothes (and newer carpets are all synthetic though and seem fine). I'm never buying anything "real" ever again!

Unfortunately I don't think we can change all our heavy furniture so I was going to try a robot hoover that can get underneath most things (whilst accepting tht I will have to do more cleaning also). Where do you sleep and store your clothes without these?

We are also doing moth bombs tomorrow ... and ordering extra washing powder...

There was a post recently where someone had used a biological agent which had apparently work really well. Something like a parasitic wasp maybe? Think it was on the DIY forum.

Moths eat keratin which is found in wool and silk. They don't eat cotton but they might go for a cotton blend. (I see someone above has said some did eat cotton - that's very unusual) I used Acclaim spray. It kills pretty much everything and doesn't discriminate so it needs to be respected. But it's so hard to get every egg. Forget dettol you really need to spray everything so if something lands on the surface, it's dead. Spray round the edges of the room, under all your furniture and repeat regularly like 3 or 4 times a week so you catch all new hatchlings. And hoover, hoover, hoover, everywhere and under everything.
I do think getting rid of the carpet might actually save you a load of headaches.

I had a few moths and eaten carpet and then found loads of larvae and small moth. Wwe first hooverd and steam cleaned all the wool stuff and then...

I got a professioanl to spray twice. The first time the carpets were still in. I took every item of clothing in black bags to the kitchen which had a tiled floor and washed everyhting as hot as I could. I threw out everything I did not need or had never used for a while - clothes, bedding, towels etc.

I then lited and dumped the carpets and got a professioanl spray agian and replaced all of my crapets with synthetic ones. I hooved EVERY week behind everything for a year and still have moth traps on watch where they were at their worst.

3 years on we seem fine, but it was the worst few moths of my life in terms of stress with cleaning and washing etc. I kept all my clothes in those sealed bags (once washed) until I was sure threy had gone.

Good luck, it is doable!

Thanks again. I'm so busy at work at the moment (and have two kids) its the stress of trying to manage it all getting me down at the moment. I am doing the best I can...

Has anyone tried smoke bombs / fumigators? I've got some but have been afraid to use them (in case I set the house on fire I guess -- I will have to tape off smoke alarms....)

The smoke bombs smell for ages, so of you use them prepare to be out of thr house for a good while. we paid someone to fumigate with spray and jujst stayed with friends for sa night (choice not necessity). To be honest I couldnt move on until I replaced any of the carpets which containerd wool, and had washed everything (some at a laundertette on a boil wash).

The only way to reduce/get rid is by chucking out your wool carpets

I've had some success with hoovering thoroughly and using the spray from Lakeland - Moth Stop I think? Smells quite nice of lavender, doesn't appear to stain the fabrics/carpet that it's sprayed on.

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/property/4782523-moths-getting-rid-of-them

I've been battling them for years since having a pure wool carpet fitted (I swear it came infested). The only time they have laid eggs on cotton was when a hoodie was left on the floor in my son's built in wardrobe or under a wicker basket that was also on the carpet. They never seem to go for cotton clothes. I don't like the idea of chemicals so have just been hoovering them up with handheld hoover with essential oils inside as soon as I see any....... working on the principle that they won't have chance to breed. They have slowly got less each spring but I've noticed a few over last few days😡

In our old house (which sadly came with moths) we removed as many of the carpets as was practical and used moth bombs fairly regularly on the rest. It definitely helped but we had to keep on top of it, with repeat treatments and moth traps.

Absolute nightmare. We sold the house and even when we moved somewhere different we have moth traps, just in case ......

The little buggers seemed to eat through a lot more than wool. We had a large dark under stairs cupboard and my husband found the rubber soles on a pair of his walking shoes had been absolutely destroyed.

OP, they are safe to use in terms of fire risk, just place them on a surface which can't ignite as they do get hot, (we used an old kitchen tile) but they could well set off your smoke alarms 🙈

We ordered our smoke bombs online and the kit came with spray, and moth traps.

I used the bombs! Both my DS's bedroom carpets had been eaten a lot by moths. I ripped out old carpet, hoovered every inch of floorboards, especially around skirting. Then set bombs off. Leave drawers and wardrobe doors open as the chemicals then get into these. (It's safe to do that and recommended) afterwards I replaced carpets with moth resistant ones and it's been fine since. I set bombs off in morning and shut door and didn't cover smoke alarms that were outside the rooms and it was fine. Went in a while later and opened window to air room. Good luck.

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We used this brand. Good luck!

Freeze everything. Kills moths and eggs. Not sure how long to freeze for though

Having the same issue. We have a wool carpet so shall we just replace it? It was new and protected against moths and no problems for 11 years. I guess it may have lost its protection now. I have moths traps but don’t think they will be sufficient. I don’t think I can deal with the bombs or deep cleaning everything. I don’t think it is the clothes

Will have to do this. Do we need to do a treatment before a new one is installed? Getting synthetic definitely. I was going to do it last year but decided to do the treatment which didn’t work and wasted £500. I think the guy robbed us but I was desperate.