Fabric Pests.
Clothes Moth/Carpet Beetle/SilverfishHoly robes – not just for the clergy. It can be a moment filled with both heartbreak and fury when that prized article of clothing is plucked from the wardrobe and it has holes in it where it shouldn’t be.
Woollen carpets and plush furnishings also fall foul of these ravenous pests. It’s an all too common story….. the cashmere cardie, the Woollen Coat, the linen dress that made you feel like a goddess whenever you wore it.“My suit!…God no! not my suit!”Clothes moth can devastate a wardrobe but it’s not just clothes that the little blighters like to feast on. Natural fibres are the food of choice for all fabric pests, typically this means that if you have Woollen’s, Cotton’s, Linen’s, Felt’s, Fur’s or Silk’s it’s all Macca’s for moths.“If only they’d eat that jumper that your mother-in-law knitted me last Christmas!”Woollen carpets and rugs also are frequently attacked especially in areas where the vacuum cleaner rarely reaches.
Under beds, bedside tables, desks, filing cabinets and under shoe racks within the walk-in robe. These are all areas where there’s little daylight and often beyond the reach of the vacuum cleaner. Another contributing factor to fabric pest activity is pet hair.
When pet hair is allowed to accumulate around skirtings it provides a very conducive environment for fabric pests…remember “natural fibre” is what these pests thrive on. Quite often the problem can originate within the roof cavity, it may be the type of insulation within the roof void, (the worst clothes moth infestation I ever experienced was in a house with nylon carpets). Some types of blow-in ceiling insulation are full of natural fibres, horsehair, offcuts of wool and fabric. This provides an ideal breeding ground for fabric pests, warm, dark and full of food to sustain the infestation.
It’s not uncommon to see fabric pests feeding on the fur or feathers of rodent or bird carcasses within a roof cavity or under a house…..well maybe for you ….certainly not for me.
Top Tip: Clothes moth often prefer to attack articles of clothing or carpet soiled by spills or perspiration it’s always a good idea to ensure prized items are cleaned before being returned to the wardrobe or spills to the carpet are cleaned thoroughly.
