Carpet moths, also known as (Trichophaga tapetzella), are every homeowner’s worst nightmare. This pest infestation doesn’t only leave you with permanent damage but also increases your living expenses. And trust me, you don’t want your precious carpet to be entirely ruined just because you neglected it. You read it well. Lack of cleanliness is often the leading cause of carpet moth infestation. Therefore, educating yourself about this subject is essential to have a clear idea about what you should do to protect your house and, most importantly, your carpet.
If, unfortunately, you’re already suffering from this problem, then you can rely on the tips below. All the methods we’ve discussed in this article have been shown to be highly efficient in removing carpet moths.
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How do Carpet Moths Get in Your House?
Leaving Doors & Windows Opened
Carpet moths seek a warmer environment with animal-based products in order to settle. If you often leave your door or window opened, you are more likely to have an unwelcome adult moth giving you a visit inside your house. Even though this latter consumes just liquid, if it has the opportunity to mate, you’re already in trouble.
Natural Fibers
As previously stated, carpet moths are drawn to animal-based products due to their high keratin content. Silk, wool, leather, and other natural fibers are examples of these items. And it’s because of this that carpets made of natural fibers are considered an ideal space for these pests to infest.
Once the female moth finds a warm place with food abundance (which is keratin), it starts laying its eggs. Moths’ eggs usually take between 4-10 days to hatch. After that, it will be just a matter of time before you start seeing visible damage caused by larvae.
Carrying Them Inside
Another way that can give a chance for these pests to invade your carpet is by carrying them to your house. Since moths’ eggs are barely visible (under 1mm long), you can walk through some of them outside unintentionally.
Due to their small size, some eggs will manage to stick to the bottom of your shoes, which increases the chance that you depose them somewhere inside your house. But don’t worry, you’re not the only culprit behind carpet moths.
Pets can also be the cause of these little beasts invading your carpet since they might carry the eggs from the outside directly into your house or carpet.
How to Prevent Moths from Damaging your Carpet
Prevention is always better than cure. That’s why we have compiled a list of things you should do regularly to prevent your carpet from getting invaded by moths.
Clean Your Carpet Regularly
Dirtiness is one of the primary causes of carpet moths. These pests appear to be drawn to filthy rugs. That’s why vacuuming your carpet regularly and removing drink spills, food residue, hair, fur, and other debris is the key to getting rid of these tiny monsters.
Deep Clean Dark Areas
Getting rid of dirt isn’t the only thing that we should focus on. Experts have found that carpet moths also target low-light spaces with low traffic. These areas are often found in hidden corners, cracks, crevices, and guest rooms that only a few people have access to. They can also be found under furniture.
That’s why it’s recommended that you clean every gloomy corner. Before you start your regular cleaning process, you should also move any furniture that is positioned above your carpet.
We know how difficult it’s to clean all the rugs daily, especially if you got plenty of them. However, maintaining them fresh and clean is crucial to keep carpet moths away.
Inspect Your Carpet
It is advised that you examine your carpet from time to time. Just take a close look at its fibers to verify their state. You should also flip it over to check how it looks from the bottom. This way, even if you get invaded by carpet moths, you’ll have enough time to get rid of it before it starts causing severe damage.
How to Get Rid of Carpet Moths
Using Hot water
Rinsing your carpet with water is a great way to get rid of carpet moths regardless of their current stage. However, the water you need for this technique needs to be over 60 degrees Celsius. Extreme temperature is what actually kills eggs, larvae, and even adults moth allowing you to restore your carpet beauty once more.
Freezing the Carpet
If you got a carpet with delicate fibers, we recommend avoiding using hot water to clean it. Instead, we suggest you freeze your rug for 72 hours. This period should be more than enough to get rid of moths.
Pheromone Traps
This method is quite effective for capturing moths before they have a chance to settle on your carpet. Simply set a pheromone trap at the entry point you believe the moth will use to sneak inside and wait. That’s all you need to do. The good thing about these traps is that they have sticky strips, which makes it impossible for an adult moth to escape once it’s captured.
Professional Cleaning
If you think you cannot handle the cleaning task alone, we strongly advise you to use a professional cleaning service. These companies are experts in this field, and they will know how to deal with your carpet as soon as they see it.
Because of the expense, I understand that hiring experts to clean the carpet isn’t an option for everyone. However, if you can afford it, then we highly recommend doing it since you’ll be the winner at the end of the day.
Do Moths Eat Synthetic Carpets?
Even though synthetic carpets aren’t the food targeted by moths, they’re nevertheless thought to be a nice, cozy spot to settle in.
However, after the eggs hatch and see that the carpet is heavily soiled, they’re more likely to harm the carpet while nibbling the debris. Therefore, even if you own a synthetic rug, you are not immune to carpet moths’ damage.
Conclusion
We hope this article has brought you the information you were looking for regarding the reason behind carpet moths’ infestation. If you decide to clean your carpet manually, then we’ve recently published a great post with some fantastic tips that you can use.
Don’t forget to leave us a comment below, sharing with us your experience with carpet moths. And if you’ve managed to get rid of it, we will highly appreciate it if you share with us the method you used.
How do you get rid of carpet moths?
To get rid of carpet moths, you should vacuum your carpets and other textiles thoroughly, paying attention to the areas where moths may lay their eggs. Wash or dry clean any infested textiles, and store them in airtight containers. You can also use insecticides, such as mothballs or sprays, to kill the moths and their larvae. It’s important to follow the instructions on the product carefully and take any necessary safety precautions when using insecticides.
How do you know if you have carpet moths?
Signs of carpet moths include small moths flying around carpets and textiles, sand-like particles or visible damage to these materials, and shed skins or cocoons of the moth larvae.
How long do carpet moths live?
Carpet moths have a relatively short lifespan of 2-3 weeks as adults. However, their larvae can live for up to 2 years, during which time they can cause significant damage to carpets and textiles.
What months are carpet moths active?
Carpet moths are most active during the warmer months of the year, typically between May and October. However, in heated homes, they can be active year-round.
What time of year do carpet moths appear?
Carpet moths typically appear during the spring and summer months, between May and October, when temperatures are warmer. However, they can also appear year-round in heated homes.
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