Bugs love rugs. And, while most people think of moths when they think of bugs attacking rugs, there actually are a few more species you might find chowing down on your Persian or Oriental rug.
Read below for a description of some of these insect pests and tips on how to deal with them.
Let’s talk about flying cloth moths first. These are the insects you’re most likely to see attack your rug. Cloth moths will eat fibers such as silk, wool, and even hair fibers (such as angora).
Many people think adult (flying) cloth moths are the culprits, but the rug eaters actually are the moths’ larvae. Female moths lay thousands of eggs at a time and your wool rug is a great place for them to deposit their offspring because as the eggs mature into larvae, the young ones basically are nesting atop a smorgasbord of good eats.
Moths tend to deposit their eggs in the undisturbed areas of our rug. Which is why you’ll often find them on the backside of the rug in a spot that isn’t walked upon much. Rugs damaged by moths aren’t difficult to repair, so long as the damage is discovered before the larvae have had a chance to eat a large area.
To prevent larvae from eating your rug, inspect it regularly. You also should vacuum it on both the top and bottom consistently.
The carpet beetle also enjoys eating your rug’s wool fibers.
Another rug pest is the carpet beetle. This creature won’t eat synthetic rugs, but it will chow down on your wool rug. The carpet beetle’s larvae are small (1/8-inch long). Adults are black or dark brown in color. The damage they can wreak on your rug usually isn’t as severe as the damage inflicted by flying cloth moths. To prevent carpet beetles from damaging your rug, follow the instructions for moth larvae, above.
You also may find silverfish in your rug (if you have a silk rug; silverfish don’t eat wool). Silverfish love moisture, so your best defense against these pests is to keep excessive moisture at bay by checking your plumbing for leaks and using a dehumidifier (winter) or air conditioner (summer) in your home (silverfish love humidity).
You also should make sure attics and closed rooms are ventilated, especially if you’re storing your rug there.
You also should make sure you vacuum up crumbs and keep food locked up in airtight containers; silverfish also eat human food.
If you find insect damage – or even larvae – on your rug, contact the rug cleaning experts at Persian Rug Cleaner of Dallas. Give us a call at 972-447-9600 to learn more about our cleaning and repair/restoration services.
Image by gbohne [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
