Clothes Moths (and other pests that eat textiles)

Lurking in the dark recesses of your wardrobe. Hiding beneath the edges of the carpet and under your sideboard or grand piano (if you have one). Living free and easy in your loft space, munching through your carefully stored clothing, rugs and old curtains! Ah yes!! They love it. Welcome to the world of the textile pest.These pests select only the most organic merchandise for lunch. Cashmere. Lambswool. Tweed. Sheepskin. Fur. But they like other stuff too, like animal skin, used to make ornaments or musical instruments, and feathers. Of course, by the time you discover them, they have probably had a good old munch already. The usual culprits include carpet beetles, fur beetles and various clothes moths. Just in case you didn’t know, moths and beetles have young called caterpillars and grubs, and they like chewing. Adult clothes moths don’t eat at all, so their caterpillars need a considerable feed, enough to sustain them into adulthood! These insects like dark, undisturbed places to live. Places where they can get at stored clothing, carpets, rugs, etc. especially in lofts, dark wardrobes, drawers and even in the debris under the floor boards!What can we do?Getting rid of textile pest infestations may not be straightforward. It is a good idea to check clothing, etc for signs of munching. Washing the textiles will help to remove the insects. Moth balls don’t seem to work that well at stopping them, neither does lavender. Treatment to wardrobes, flooring, cupboards and lofts is the usual approach. Some infestations may require specialized treatment, which can be quite costly, so the sooner you give us a ring the better.We are quite familiar with the ‘woolly bear’ and the case-bearing clothes moth, so call us for advise and help, and a price of course!