Brisbane Carpet Cleaning Blog

The area of Pest Control covers many types of creatures.

Moth damage close up

You’re vacuuming your rug and you have noticed some of the fibres are starting to pull away as you vacuum. You get down on your hands and knees and you see bald patches or a web like pattern on your rug like the ones in the photos. What can this be?

I’m sorry to say your rug has become dinner for our pesky friends the carpet moth and carpet beetle.

Pest Control for Moths

They do their damage in the larval stage where they are (horror of horrors) little maggot like creatures. Moth larvae can cause damage to a rug in a matter of weeks. They eat just the woollen fibre and leave a web like pattern. Moths rarely infest rugs that are in regular use. They prefer to be left alone and usually seek out rugs that are being stored or find spots that are under the furniture. They also prefer dark places. So a rug that is walked on and vacuumed regularly is hardly at risk.

Rugs or sections of rugs covered by furniture must be disturbed from time to time to prevent moths from settling in. This means moving furniture off the rugs every several months or so and vacuuming. When doing pest control inspection on a rug for moths, remember that most moth damage is to the back of a rug where moths are least likely to be disturbed. So examine the back of the rug and look for moths, moth larvae or the webbing they leave behind. (as shown in the photos)

Pest Control for Carpet Beetles

They lay eggs in dust and lint in dark, hard to access places. Both the adults and larvae eat wool rugs (and sometimes silk rugs), but most damage is done by the larvae. While moths eat through wool rugs leaving a web like pattern, carpet beetles eat right through the rug, cotton foundation and all.

If you find your rug has been infested by moths or beetles we have pest control technicians based in the Sunshine Coast region, Brisbane area and the Gold Coast. You are more than welcome to bring your rug straight to our factory at Murarrie where our qualified technicians can assess the problem and find a solution to solve this problem. Contact All Aces Services today for solutions to your carpet moth and beetle problems.

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There are many types of pests that can cause problems around the home.  In particular, there are two main kinds that are of most concern: Clothes Moths and Carpet Beetles.  These pests prefer to eat keratin – they will munch through wool, hair and feathers, however, they will also attack fibres such as cotton and linen.

Despite their names…. Clothes Moths can eat carpet and Carpet Beetles can eat clothes… so its best to watch out for all of them!

Clothes Moths can attack clothes that have been stored for a period of time or blankets that have been stored for the summer.  You may find small irregular holes in your knitted goods where the insect has eaten through the yarn.  The insect will leave droppings around the damaged area.

Carpet Beetles will bury deep into the carpet’s foundation and in some cases, the infestation may go unnoticed for some time.  Check for loose pile or eaten areas of the carpet and any insect debris such as cocoons or cast skins.  You will notice damage to the fibre when vacuuming as the carpet pile will come away in small tufts.

Some good housekeeping practices around the home will help in controlling carpet moths.  It is recommended to look under heavy furniture regularly and vacuum underneath these items.  You should also vacuum along all skirtings.  Any large infestations will require a licenced pest controller to attend in order to spray infested areas.  Examine walls, behind furniture and picture frames to see if any cases are present also.

When storing clothes or blankets for several months is is recommended that the clothes are washed or dry cleaned and stored in tightly sealed plastic bags. If eggs are present in some items, washing the clothes in hot water can kill off the eggs.

By maintaining good household practices including regular checks around the home you should be able to stay on top of the little critters!

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