Fabric Pest problem? Get Immediate Fabric Pest Help
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Carpet_Beetle
Dos and Don’ts of Fabric Pests
- Do take care of all fabrics – perspiration, soup, beer or gravy make clothes delicious in the eyes of these fabric pests – be sure to clean them prior to storage.
- Regularly vacuum and clean out cupboards as the dust that collects there is a breeding ground for these pests.
- Shake out all rugs and mats
- Clean the crevices of lounges and chairs
- Thoroughly clean stains or spills in carpet
- Wash winter clothes before storing them away - put them in black bags and leave them out in the sun for 3-4 hours. Then store them away in the same bags.
- Don’t let your guard down with synthetic materials - they have been known to attack uncontaminated synthetic items which are interwoven with natural fibres.
- Do not store stained or soiled fabric away in cupboards or on shelves.
- Do not store books, paper or linen fabrics in badly lit and poorly ventilated places.
Some information about Fabric Pests
What are fabric pests you ask? These pests have a unique diet – they feed on natural fibres often found in clothing, curtains and carpets. The damage caused by them – even if it’s just one hole – can be quite costly and irreparable, as they can ruin the fabric and make it unusable.
Again it’s important to be aware that fabric pests come in three different types and all require different treatment. The three main types include Clothes Moths, Carpet Beetles and Silverfish. They each prefer to feast on different things so it’s important to learn how to spot them.
Clothes Moths
These are commonly found in woollen materials – felt, fur and other animal materials. The clothes moth feeds continuously while in the larvae stage. In order for them to survive, they must have access to soiled fabrics. They can survive on cleaner fabrics later on in their lives. These little pests don’t waste any time at all in getting around. From the moment they hatch, these minuscule pests go off in search of clothes to feed on until the next stage of their growth. It will seek out a hiding place during this stage in a pupal cocoon. The hiding place can be a corner or crevice. The moths are adults and it doesn’t take long for them to mate after emerging from the pupal cocoon. They start depositing their eggs immediately. It is the female moth you have to be concerned about as the male does not feed and causes no direct damage to fabrics. Clothes moths are unique in that they prefer dark corners and seek refuge in cupboards or behind curtains. So how long do they live? On average they live for 7 to 30 days once they hit the adult moth stage.
Carpet Beetles
Like the clothes moths, the biggest damage caused by carpet beetles occurs when they are just larvae. The female adult distributes her eggs into the material or on the surface of it. They are not just distributed anywhere as they are fragile at this stage – they are usually under furniture or the edges of carpet, the base of skirting boards and deep in the folds of upholstery.
They will almost immediately set out on the hunt for food after the eggs have hatched. They won’t stay in the same spot, usually moving around quite a bit. The larvae are hard to find as they tend to be burrowed deep into the material to avoid light which repels them.
The damage usually occurs in undisturbed areas. The good news is that many manufacturers now treat the carpet with insecticides before they distribute them, making them resistant to a carpet beetle attack.
Silverfish
Silverfish are not that fussy when it comes to their diet. They like both animal and plant products and a particular delicacy for them are things with glue or starch. This means they might set their eyes on books, wallpaper, photographs, paper, wallpaper and other everyday items. They get their name from their fish-like appearance – you can spot them from their scaly appearance and dull, silver colour. They avoid light and move rapidly when disturbed. One of their weaknesses includes the inability to climb smooth surfaces – which means they’re often found in baths or basins.
