There are pests that can invade your home and eat your carpets, curtains and area rugs. Moths and carpet beetles or their larva, literally eat fabric causing holes, bald spots and thinning. These pests can cause some major damage to your home’s carpets and rugs. For those who have invested in Oriental or Persian rugs, these priceless treasures should receive extra care and be safeguarded from these pests. Heart of Texas Chem-Dry will share the signs of beetle and moth activity in your home and what you can do to protect your area rugs.
Keep Bugs Off Area Rugs
As any other homeowner would do, you will first want to take steps in controlling pests inside and outside your home. The best way to keep pests away from your precious rugs, is to prevent pests from getting into your home in the first place. However, even with all the efforts in controlling pests, moths or beetles can still enter your home and begin devouring your areas rugs. This is why you should always keep a close eye on your area rugs and if signs of these pests emerge, act quickly.
How Can I Tell I have Carpet Beetles and/or Moths?
Carpet beetles and moths can quickly eat a hole in a rug, especially area rugs that are made with wool. Most damage is done by moth and beetle’s larvae. It is during the larvae stage of these pests life that they seek out food to get enough resources to enter into their next stage of life. Both moth and carpet beetle larva feed on protein that is found in wool, silk, and animal hair. When moths or these beetles make their way into your home, they will lay their eggs on your carpet, area rugs and fabric surfaces. Unfortunately, the eggs of these pest are very small and impossible to find. If you see the adult moths or carpet beetles in your home, this is a bad sign. They may have already laid their eggs. Worse yet, you may begin to see bald spots or sites that are thinning. As the larvae matures, you will be able to see them with the naked eye. Moth larvae makes a webbing that looks like lint but feels sticky to the touch. If you see this webbing like material on your rugs, you have larvae feeding and thriving.
How Do I Keep Carpet Pests from Eating My Rugs?
To help reduce or prevent moths and beetles from laying their eggs or feeding on your area rugs, make sure to vacuum the rug often. Vacuuming the rug helps to suck out the eggs and the larvae as they hatch. You can effectively keep the area rug clean and free of these types of pest simply with regular vacuuming. However, to ensure that your area rug is free of these pests, you should also have the area rug deep cleaned. When cleaning the rug, the larvae and egg will be washed out. Depending on the type of area rug you have, how often you have your rugs cleaned may vary. In most cases it is safe to have your area rugs cleaned every six months and vacuum your rugs at least weekly.
Chem-Dry Carpet Cleaning & More in Waco, Dallas, Harker Heights, Cedar Park, Allen & the State of Texas
Carpet beetles and moths can ruin your home’s carpet, area rugs and upholstery. For regular deep cleaning of your carpet, rugs, upholstery and more, contact Heart of Texas Chem-Dry today.
