What's Eating Our Rug?

[El Jefe]

We've got a gorgeous, big Pakistani wool rug in our living room and something seems to be eating it. We just moved the sofa to hoover and there's some patches where the surface has been eaten / worn through the pattern to the back of the rug, other patches where it's gone clean through.

Anybody know what this is likely to be? Would moths eat it (although we haven't noticed any) or is it more likely to be some kind of mite or something?

Really want to stop it because it's a lovely rug that's also on long-term loan from her dad

 

[snackhead]

when good rugs go bad..............could be moths

http://www.azerbaijanrugs.com/rug_damage_j.htm

 

[Dillinger4]

*resists the jokes*

 

[ScallyWag II]

A friend of mine was looking after another friend's antique oriental rug while she went travelling and she was mortified when she unrolled it to find it had been completely eaten through in various places by moths.

If you're using it though you would probably see moths?

 

[El Jefe]

OK, judging by the link it's definitely moths (or larvae, actually) although we've not noticed any.

So how do we keep them off it?

 

[miss minnie]

light kills the larvae and they feed on dust... hang it outside and beat the dust off it

 

[El Jefe]

OK. More hoovering I think, too

 

[moomoo]

Could you try steam cleaning it?

 

[Greebo]

It'll either be moths or carpet beetles - either way, your best bet to kill them (instead of just discouraging them from settling in) is to get that rug drycleaned. If you can't afford that immediately, get it outside where it at least won't infest your other stuff, because at that stage, you'll need to get the place fumigated. Meanwhile, everything else needs frequent hoovering, moving around and airing, to ward off infestation.

You could freeze the rug, but it needs to be frozen for a couple of weeks to do any good at all, and I doubt you've got enough freezer space to spare.

 

[moose]

Freezing is thevonly way to ensure they are killed, and if it's a big rug, I suspect you won't be able to do that. You can deter them with lavender oil and little cedar blocks that you can buy in John Lewis or similar places.

 

[miss minnie]

oh btw, iirc the carpet larvae have a 14 month gestation period... keep an eye out for more of em... they love dark places... under beds, sofas, next to skirting boards etc.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

My sister just bought moth balls last week as one of her rugs is being eaten.

 

[Wolveryeti]

Could you try steam cleaning it?

I think this idea is a good'un. Fuck having a house that stinks of mothballs, and unfortunately the cedarwood block/herbal approach just doesn't work in my experience.

 

[mrs quoad]

Surely this should've been posted in the Rugs Forum?

 

[Herbsman.]

My sister just bought moth balls last week as one of her rugs is being eaten.

*sniggers*

 

[dodgepot]

OK. More hoovering I think, too

yeah. i'm glad you said that, cos i didn't like to say

can i fix your cistern, please?

 

[Looby]

yeah. i'm glad you said that, cos i didn't like to say

can i fix your cistern, please?

Please do.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

*sniggers*

or whatever happens to rugs

 

[Herbsman.]

They get munched around here...

 

[dilute micro]

My sister just bought moth balls last week as one of her rugs is being eaten.

That'll stop it for sure.

 

[citygirl]

or whatever happens to rugs

Think his mind's in the gutter, hun

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Think his mind's in the gutter, hun

*bangs head for being so stupid and slow off the mark*

 

[Final]

No frivolous nom nom nom picture?

 

[geminisnake]

They get munched around here...

You a bad man Herby