Identifying moth infestation before it’s too late isn’t that hard, because you may be able to easily notice the moths flying about in your room.
Moth infestation occurs in natural fiber rugs, such as wool, cotton, and silk rugs. And while the moths themselves are generally harmless for your carpet, their larvae are the real culprits behind irreparable rug damage.
Whether you’ve just invested in an Oushak rug for sale, or have inherited an exquisite Bokhara rug from your parents, don’t let it get eaten by moths!
What Causes Moth Infestation in Rugs?
Warm weather, centrally heated environment, and humidity are some of the major risk factors when it comes to moth infestation. Apart from this, moths and their larvae love dark places, so if you have a lot of furniture placed over your rug covering a huge part of it, make sure to check underneath the furniture items.
Since moths in rugs affect less disturbed areas more, rather than staying on the high-traffic regions of the rug, you can easily hide the damaged rug parts.
However, if the situation of moth infestation in you rug is not taken care of as soon as possible, things might get out of hand, and then you’d be left with no other choice than replacing your good old Oushak rug with a new wool rug.
How to Get Rid of the Moths in Your Rug?
Thorough cleaning of your rug would be required if you really want to get rid of all the moths in your good old rug. For this, carpet and rug experts at Qaleen recommend a six-step procedure.
Here’s what you need to do:
- Identify the Moths in Your Rug
- Assess the Intensity of Infestation
- Clean the Spots Where the Moths Live
- Reduce the Breeding of Moths Within Your Home
- Get Rid of the Eggs and Larvae
- Adopt a Regular Cleaning Routine
The first step to getting rid of the moths living in your exquisite Oushak rug (or any other wool rug) is obviously this: identify that your poor old rug is filled with disgusting moths.
Handmade rugs are quite expensive (you’d know this if you’ve went to an online rug store to buy a rug on your own). Seeing them get damaged by moths can be hurtful and devastating.
If there are moths in your rug, you may see them attached to walls in dark spots near their food source (your natural fiber rug).
To really check if these moths are infesting your precious rug, check under the sofas, behind the TV, and in other such dark places. If the moths have been there for quite some time, you may also be able to find the spots on your rug that have already been eaten away.
In sever cases of rug infestation, you don’t need to put in much effort, the carpet may already be in a really poor state.
However, if you’re not sure how many moths are there in your rug, examine the areas on your Oushak rug that are more likely to be damaged, such as hidden corners or areas the go under the furniture.
Dark, undisturbed, and dusty areas of your rug are at a high risk of being eaten away by moth larvae. That’s because the moths won’t lay eggs in high-traffic or exposed parts of your rug.
When you’re cleaning your rug, do you clean the areas behind doors, under furniture, and other hidden spots as well?
If you don’t, the moth infestation will make you do it.
Wool rugs, such as Oushak rugs for sale are large area rugs that take up a lot of room. That’s why, a significant area of these rugs remains covered by furniture items (and that’s where the moths are hiding).
So, lift up your sofas and vacuum clean your rug thoroughly so that all the moths, their larvae, and eggs are removed.
You can even get your rug washed or deep cleaned by professional rug cleaners to make sure no moths are left.
Even after your rug has been cleaned thoroughly, the moth infestation can begin again in no time if you don’t work at solving the root problem.
What’s that?
Moths around your home are laying eggs in your rug!
How to stop these nasty insects from doing so?
Get moth traps! And do this as quick as you can.
Carpet moth larvae have a long lifespan. In case they are hiding somewhere in your furniture, the larvae may shift again to your rug after you’ve got it cleaned.
Also, the population of moths tend to increase dramatically. So, if there are any carpet moths still living around your house, the rug is in danger!
If you didn’t get your rug deep cleaned from a professional rug cleaner, and have simply vacuumed it to remove the moths at home, then there might still be some eggs and larvae left in the luxurious wool fibers of your Oushak rug.
To remove them, you will have to make use of carpet moth killing sprays. For the best results, use the spray in combination with an insect repellent powder.
You can also use natural methods of killing the larvae and eggs. But, if you do use natural products, make sure to be repetitive in the application process.
Cleaning your rug of moths just once doesn’t mean all’s good. You need to adopt a regular rug cleaning routine, because if dust and dirt continues building, the moths will return!
What do experts recommend?
Clean your rug using a vacuum cleaner at least 2-3 times per week. Also, clean the ‘hidden’ spots (under the furniture, behind door, etc.) at least once in two weeks.
We’d also recommend that you get your rug professionally cleaned once every year.
Otherwise, it won’t be late before you’re looking to buy a new Oushak rug online.
All in all, if you want your rug to live a long, healthy life, regular cleaning is the key!
