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Original poster

Best carpets if you've had moths...

41 replies

TodgyCat · 14/08/2023 14:14

Are there any nice, non-wool carpets? Or any moth-proof wool carpets. Which carpets do you love? (with names of maker and range, please!)

I want to go synthetic but then I look at them and yearn for 80-20 wool... I've read all the carpet threads on Mumsnet -- most threads quite old so I'm re-starting the discussion, and perhaps this will help others too.

Now we've treated the whole house for moths, old carpets in 4 rooms need to be replaced (about 70sq m). But what with? Can you tell me which carpets you love? Thoughts so far:

  • I love 80-20 wool-nylon but so do moths - even the moth-proofed ones
  • Polyprop gets squashed in a couple of years and maybe looks naff
  • Nylon is harder wearing / less squashable, maybe looks naff
  • Corn-based carpets have some awful reviews and cost 70psm locally
  • Westex wool mix carpets are NOT moth-proof - they have told me their website was inaccurate on moth-proofing and they will be updating it! Off-putting (as are reviews -not the solution I thought it was)
  • Or there's wool plus pay someone to help clean it regularly + spray once a year. (I've been calculating how many hours of a cleaner I could buy for the extra cost of Westex or Mohawk)
  • the National Trust has concluded the parasitic wasps don't help much with moths, compared with pheromones alone :-(
I know the sensible choice is man-made but I struggle to like any of the options. Plus all carpet this year seems to be dreary grey/beige colours (I'm looking for pale green/sage).

Not much to ask - man-made carpet that looks like wool, lasts 10+ years without showing any wear (like wool) and doesn't appeal to moths ...

OP posts:
User23452 · 10/09/2023 16:59

Ha I was looking for exactly the same thing - have you decided? We’ll probably go for polypropylene, if we get rid of the moths and have to replace slightly earlier at least we should be moth free by that point…

Wigeon · 10/09/2023 17:02

This is exactly the conversation DH and I are having - we had moths in our old house (wool carpet), and moving into a new house there were moths EVERYWHERE, had to keep squishing the buggers, and obvious nibbled patches on the carpets. Plus they've just ruined 2 jumpers of mine.

So synthetic it is. But DH thinks all the polyprop look naff too. Do they really wear down quickly too?

oakleaffy · 10/09/2023 17:04

@TodgyCat Moths are an horrendous problem in certain parts of country.
They will chomp even nylon carpet in my experience
Pure Wool carpets- Like curry to a pisshead.

Just don’t go there. Ever.

Can you not have laminate floors installed with rugs that can be beaten and really hoovered well.
Wool carpet that is UNDER stuff is so prone to infestation by moths.

Can’t stand them.

Good luck in your search!

oakleaffy · 10/09/2023 17:06

Synthetic carpets aren’t immune.
plus look horrible.

Oldthyme · 10/09/2023 17:06

Visit local carpet company.
Ask the experts for advice.
Could you go hard flooring with lovely rugs?

Mihamiha · 10/09/2023 17:10

Two people on this thread have said that moths will eat even synthetic carpet. Is this really true? 😲
We have moths in a wool carpet that was sold to us as being moth proof. We were planning on replacing with synthetic and assuming all our moth problems would be over 🤞

User23452 · 10/09/2023 17:10

No but the synthetics resist stains better and you can deep clean easily? No chance of hardwood upstairs here, noise transfer too bad.

User23452 · 10/09/2023 17:11

I was reading moths can breed in your skirting boards and closets so getting everything out and putting anti moth stuff there is a must.

curtains and jumpers chewed through here.

User23452 · 10/09/2023 17:12

Is synthetic carpet like some sort of oh well it’s McDonald’s tonight for moths?

oakleaffy · 10/09/2023 17:56

Mihamiha · 10/09/2023 17:10

Two people on this thread have said that moths will eat even synthetic carpet. Is this really true? 😲
We have moths in a wool carpet that was sold to us as being moth proof. We were planning on replacing with synthetic and assuming all our moth problems would be over 🤞

Well I have had moth damage on completely synthetic carpet ( The sort of very thin carpet that is like a cord effect)

A friend inherited Oldskool nylon swirly carpet and said moths ate out certain colours in it!

They are relentless.

All wool loft insulation is a nightmare!

Maybe get a carpet with a moth guarantee ( if such a thing exists)

Oldskool Mothballs helped- but are no longer available.

Don’t use pheromone traps either
I found they were attracting moths in from outside .

Original poster
TodgyCat · 10/09/2023 23:38

regarding moth- proof guarantees I'm sceptical, after initial enthusiasm! I've had some correspondence with Westex - a specialist carpet firm recommended them as moth proof but they are not. They claim to be 'treated against moth' which doesn't mean its effective treatment. And if you investigate the small print, they expect you to remove all your furniture regularly to clean properly. I know that with some heavy items that simply isn't going to happen and I don't think it's a reasonable condition it suggests the treatment isn't as effective as they imply. They also agreed that their website was misleading and needed to be changed (I haven't checked to see if they did that) This discussion put me off (they're v pricey as well).

OP posts:
User23452 · 11/09/2023 07:20

I wonder if the better question is how did anyone get rid of them?

LightSpeeds · 11/09/2023 08:05

Mihamiha · 10/09/2023 17:10

Two people on this thread have said that moths will eat even synthetic carpet. Is this really true? 😲
We have moths in a wool carpet that was sold to us as being moth proof. We were planning on replacing with synthetic and assuming all our moth problems would be over 🤞

Yes, it's true I'm afraid.

Last time I was in the carpet shop, I noticed there were some 'moth proof' carpets. I assume they were treated with some sort of insecticide? because those moths and grubs can chew through anything.

User23452 · 11/09/2023 08:19

The wool carpet I’m trying to replace advertises itself as moth proof too…

inappropriateraspberry · 11/09/2023 08:23

A good quality polypropylene carpet will wear as well as a quality wool one. A cheap polypropylene is as bad as a cheap wool carpet! It's one of those things that you really do get what you pay for. Also good underlay is key as well.
You can use bleach on a polyprop if needed.

TeaAndStrumpets · 11/09/2023 08:29

Oh I got my hopes up when I spotted this thread! What a shame there seems to be no safe wool carpet. We have fitted a synthetic carpet now, after moths ate the wool one. It isn't dreadful - a very inoffensive neutral colour, no static or shine. It looks just like the carpet we replaced, but doesn't feel soft to the touch. It is very easy to clean, so red wine coffee etc scrubs straight off.

We are moving next year and have decided to go for hard floors throughout the downstairs with the odd rug maybe. The worst infestations here have been under a Georgian linen press and a piano. It's impossible to move heavy furniture frequently enough. Another problem is under beds....so no divans for us!

It is really disheartening.

User23452 · 11/09/2023 09:05

I’m not even sure how we’re going to get the furniture out to change the carpet let alone regularly moving it.

oakleaffy · 27/02/2024 18:42

TeaAndStrumpets · 11/09/2023 08:29

Oh I got my hopes up when I spotted this thread! What a shame there seems to be no safe wool carpet. We have fitted a synthetic carpet now, after moths ate the wool one. It isn't dreadful - a very inoffensive neutral colour, no static or shine. It looks just like the carpet we replaced, but doesn't feel soft to the touch. It is very easy to clean, so red wine coffee etc scrubs straight off.

We are moving next year and have decided to go for hard floors throughout the downstairs with the odd rug maybe. The worst infestations here have been under a Georgian linen press and a piano. It's impossible to move heavy furniture frequently enough. Another problem is under beds....so no divans for us!

It is really disheartening.

We have a truly enormous Victorian rocking horse on bowed rockers that needs two people to slide him along to hoover under

When son helped move the horse, moths had completely eaten the rug under where the central platform of the horse was.

We binned the rug.
so gross!

Any large and heavy furniture is bad news with wool rugs/ carpets

Gabitule · 18/08/2024 08:38

I’m resurrecting this thread in the hope someone found a wool carpet that is successfully treated against moths.

I went to several carpet shops yesterday and saw various ranges. Lewis Abbott is 100% wool and is advertised as moth proof, but there’s nothing on their website about the process of moth proofing. The carpets had a little note attached about the importance of hoovering daily, so I’m guessing that’s what’s going to keep the moths away :(. Who hoovers daily?? They’re expensive too, up to £70 per square meter.

I like close loop carpets but, unfortunately, only the wool ones are nice in this style. The expensive synthetic carpet I looked at yesterday still had a bit of shine and looked cheaper when placed alongside the wool carpets.
Perhaps someone will come on here and tell us that they’ve had wool carpets for years and the moths didn’t find them :).

Chantilly and Rural Charm ranges look so lush

https://www.floorsbylewisabbott.co.uk/type/carpets

Designer Carpets

https://www.floorsbylewisabbott.co.uk/type/carpets

BillieJ · 18/08/2024 09:54

We had an infestation in wool carpets a couple of years ago and replaced them (bedrooms, landing and stairs) with man made. I can't say I like them, but they have not been eaten. The first year with them, I still saw barstady little fuckers moths, but there was no damage. Since then, I've seen them now and again.

When I was trying to get rid of them, I vacuumed every day, and moved all furniture every week. I massively decluttered and while there was plenty of cotton about, all wool clothing was stored in zip up bags. It did stop further damage, but it was too much work, so carpets had to go. I am still careful about any wool being accessible to them, and I've got a new mindset in only having clothes that will be worn and washed in a month in wardrobes and similar was towels in cupboards. Everything else in zip up bags or gone.

I wouldn't risk any wool in carpets again - our carpet fitter said most carpets he takes up now have moth damage.

BillieJ · 18/08/2024 09:56

User23452 · 11/09/2023 09:05

I’m not even sure how we’re going to get the furniture out to change the carpet let alone regularly moving it.

Most of the heavy pine furniture we had has been replaced - I do have some pieces too heavy to move, but no divan beds, and sofas on legs etc.

grannycab · 18/08/2024 10:03

When we had moths we treated all carpets immediately. We then washed every item of
clothing or threw it out. All washed clothes went into ziplock bags for about a year! I had a massive declutter and threw out all bedding we did not need and washed the rest at a hot wash in the launderette. I froze any wool clothes and then dry cleaned
them. We steam cleaned every carpet and not wool curtains once the treatment had been down for the appropriate time. We replaced bedroom and hall carpets with synthetic carpets and just hoovered and steamed the living room every 2 weeks. That was 5 teases ago and we deep clean twice a year and we seem to be okay! It was a massive and stressful time but it seems to have worked!

BobbyBiscuits · 18/08/2024 10:29

We've a very thick synthetic carpet in one room. It doesn't look naff, is really soft and hasn't really worn in the ten years we've had it in there. But it's only a small bedroom so not much traffic.
I'd never ever get a wool carpet again. We had moths so severely for years. They're just about at bay now but there are places where they've stripped it bare!

User23452 · 18/08/2024 11:55

We did go for westex in hall but synthetic i bedrooms which were worst. So far, so good….we didn’t have moths in the hall though.

Ariela · 18/08/2024 12:18

We've an Axminster wool carpet that came wtih treatment and I have to say it's about the only moth-free carpeted room these days.