Nothing strikes more fear in the hearts of wool textile lovers than wool moths! In the silent corners of our homes, these uninvited guests stealthily nibble a path of destruction. Their voracious larvae feast on our favorite wool sweaters and oriental rugs. Before you become the next unwitting host to this costly banquet, let’s delve into the world of these stealthy invaders and uncover strategies to protect your treasured rug and textiles.
What Are Wool Moths
Two species of wool moths, the webbing clothes moth (Tineola bisselliella) and the casemaking clothes moth (Tinea pellionella), are attracted to and consume the protein and keratin in animal fibers and feathers. Wool rugs provide a rich and abundant source of protein for these hungry critters.
How Do Wool Moths Get In My Home?
These critters are sneaky and opportunistic. Here’s how they might have ended up in your home and in your sweaters and rugs:
- Brought In With Second-Hand Items: If you’ve recently brought home second-hand furniture, clothing, or even other rugs, there might have been eggs or larvae present, which then infested your wool rug.
- Open Windows and Doors: Adult moths can fly into your home through open windows and doors. They are particularly drawn to the dark, undisturbed areas where rugs might be stored or laid out.
- Entry through Vents: Moths can sometimes find their way into homes through vents or other small openings.
- Stored Improperly: If you had your rug stored for a while, especially if it wasn’t cleaned before storage, it could have been an easy target for moth larvae.
- From Adjacent Infested Areas: If a neighboring apartment, home, or storage area has an infestation, the moths can migrate to your space.
- From Newly Purchased Wool Products: Occasionally, new wool products, especially if they come from areas or facilities where quality control might not be stringent, can already have moth eggs on them.
Wool Moth Prevention and Control
There are ways to fight back and safeguard our woolen treasures and homes from these hungry, unwelcome house guests. Here are our top wool moth prevention strategies
Regular Cleaning: Vacuum rugs regularly, paying special attention to edges and under furniture. This can help remove adult moths and larvae and remember to empty the vacuum afterward to prevent re-infestation.
Store textiles Properly: If storing wool rugs, make sure they are clean, and store them in airtight containers or bags with moth repellents. Swarwes should be stored in fine mesh bags of vacuum-sealed storage bags.
Monitor: Use pheromone traps to monitor the presence of adult moths in your home. These traps can help reduce the population; more importantly, they indicate an infestation or the company of wool months in your home.
Professional Treatment: If you suspect an infestation in your wool rugs, cleaning your rug can help eliminate the moths, larvae, and eggs. Choose a professional wool rug cleaner with a moth treatment protocol.
Cedar, Lavender: While cedar and Lavender may have some natural repellency, their effectiveness is spotty at best. “In general, they don’t work well; we see moth-infested textiles in cedar chests and lavender all the time,” says Portland, Oregon rug cleaning experts Renaissance Rug Cleaning. “we see these as reliable for protecting wool textiles.”
Mothballs: Only work in tight, enclosed spaces. They are potent smelling repellent have an objectionable odor that is hard to remove and often requires cleaning. Additionally, they contain annoying and possibly harmful chemicals to pets and humans if misused.
Inspect Regularly: Inspect woolen items for signs of infestation, such as larvae, webbing, or visible damage. This is best done during vacuuming, and don’t forget wool wall hangings! Moths are notorious for eating wool wall hangings from the back between the wall and the textile-like a tapestry.
When to call in the Pro’s
If you suspect a severe infestation, you may want to consult a pest control professional to discuss treatments and preventive measures. When you see moth damage, it’s often too late, and the moths have moved on to lay eggs in other rugs and sweaters. Stoping such whole house infestations requires monitoring and repeated treatments to rid your home of these pests.
