Mothproofing

Moths have become a huge problem in the UK over the last few years, and we are seeing ever-increasing numbers of infested rugs coming through the door. Repair costs for affected rugs can be very high, so better to protect them and avoid the problem in the first place.

Individual items are treated in our workshop, severely infested rugs are treated with a powerful insecticide prior to deep cleaning. During the cleaning process itself, a second specialist additive is used to give your rug lasting protection. This belt and braces approach has been very successful and guarantees moth free rugs.

We now offer complete house treatments. This very popular service involves a top to bottom fumigation of your house using a specialist Pesticide only available to licenced technicians. All curtains, carpets and other soft furnishings are included. Coupled with deep cleaning of your rugs, this holistic approach is virtually guaranteed to rid even the most infested homes of the troublesome creatures. After fumigation, we can monitor remaining activity using pheromone traps. Most houses are clear after one treatment, however we recommend an annual treatment to ensure no further outbreak.

Tips to avoid moth outbreaks

Clean thoroughly!

Keeping your home and clothing clean and tidy is key to maintaining a moth-free life. Clothes and carpet moths are attracted to smells, perspiration, spills and food stains, (they feed on moisture and food traces, no matter how little, along with proteins in natural fibres) and so it is absolutely essential for controlling moths to keep your textiles clean.
Ensure you launder delicate clothing and regularly vacuum carpets according to care instructions. It is also important to make use of your clothing — the more you unfold, wear and wash items, the less they sit around on a dark shelf getting dusty, awaiting unwelcome guests! If clothes are not likely to be used for a long period, for example, knitwear through the summer months, then shake them and expose to sunlight from time to time. For carpets, ensure you vacuum thoroughly and regularly under sofas and along edges by skirting boards — moths love undisturbed and darker areas for protection.

Prevent!

If you are worried about control of moths, have natural wool rugs or a great collection of wool and cashmere clothing you should be thinking about moth deterrents. Placing scented products around your home and in your drawers, wardrobes and cupboards will help deter moths. Drawer liners, scented sachets etc. will all help.
The use of pheromone moth traps which attract male moths will help break the breeding cycle. Moths do not like light, so open curtains regularly, even in rooms that are seldom used.

Monitor!

Make sure you keep an eye on your home and in particular, clothing and carpets, watching out for signs of moth damage.
The best way to monitor these tiny moths are pheromone traps. They contain female pheromones which male moths are attracted to. They then visit the trap and get stuck onto the sticky strips. This breaks the breeding cycle and prevents the female adult moths laying eggs as well as presenting a highly visible evidence of the presence of moths.
This way you can see if you have any issues and the extent of the problem — the male moths only tend to fly at night in search of female moths. If you find moths in your trap you may require further action to eliminate any eggs or larvae that may be present.

Fast action!

If you see signs of moth damage or find moths in a moth box or trap, there are a number of fast-acting moth killing products available that will take effect on eggs, larvae and adult moths, stopping your problem immediately.
Keeping an eye on moths is key to preventing any damage to textiles before it happens, as the moth larvae are the culprits for eating clothing and carpets you will need to eliminate any moths before they breed and lay eggs.

Moth proofing individual pieces cost £5 per square meter on top of washing charges. Full house treatment typically costs £300 per house plus £20 per litre of pesticide used.
Traps and smoke bombs are extra if necessary. Please contact me if further information on this service is required.