moth infestations on wool carpeting

[Steve in Omaha]

Have a customer with wall to wall wool carpet. Seems a daughter came home from a trip abroad this summer and brought some pesky moths with her. They seem to be thriving in the home, did see a spot about the size of a quarter that had been eaten down to the backing. Pest control company did not want to spray due to toxicity issues or they were afraid their solutions may be detrimental to the wool carpet. I am not licensed for pest control, however as a practical matter, if their were a deodorizing /restoration product that just happens to kill moths as a by product, all the better.

Anybody run into this before? Best cleaning procedures? Chems?

Thanks,
Steve

 

[roro]

Try this link which also covers moths http://www.pestproducts.com/carpetbeetles.htm

In our experience beetle is the more common problem for caroet and typically will be at the carpet edge.
We spray problem areas with an organophosphate and insect growth regulator mix.

roro

 

[packfancjh]

spray Mocroban X-580 on it. Should control the little buggers and keep them from coming back. As far as repairing it you're on your own.

 

[Nate The Great]

Steri-fab also very effective. I would also look into Masterblend's "Repel". It's a moth deterrent for wool rugs. I'd call them to see if it would be effective on wall to wall carpet.

My .02 cents

 

[J Scott W]

I agree that the MasterBlend product Repel (Zinc siliofluoride if I remember correctly) would be the treatment of choice.

Having the carpet clean removes many of the larvea stage moths or beetles. So cleaning iis a plus. Natural lighting and air circulation also discourage the pests that feed on wool. Most damage occurrs on soiled rugs stored in a dark humid environment.

If this has happened to cleanc arpets in open air and sunlight, I would consider other possible causes of the damage. Maybe talk with Aaron Groseclose.

Scott Warrington

 

[The Great Oz]

Have a customer with wall to wall wool carpet. Seems a daughter came home from a trip abroad this summer and brought some pesky moths with her. They seem to be thriving in the home, did see a spot about the size of a quarter that had been eaten down to the backing. Pest control company did not want to spray due to toxicity issues or they were afraid their solutions may be detrimental to the wool carpet. I am not licensed for pest control, however as a practical matter, if their were a deodorizing /restoration product that just happens to kill moths as a by product, all the better.

Anybody run into this before? Best cleaning procedures? Chems?

Get a new pest control company that actually trains their staff. If they've ever fumigated to kill WOOL DAMAGING INSECTS, they should have products that don't harm WOOL CARPET. Wait, just for my sake, call this company and have them send their techs back out so you can slap them for me. I'll buy you a week's worth of milkshakes.

Wool damaging insects will be killed by your HWE without the need for any toxins, but only where your HWE reaches. Since these guys like the dark, they'll be under the baseboards, at the base of the nap, under the carpet, behind the headboard, in the closets, tons of places you aren't going to reach with cleaning and they'll be right back in the carpet after you leave.

Get a new pest control company to fumigate, then clean the carpet and saturate it with one of the wool treatments (also not a toxin) that are made for this purpose.

PS: We've used Repel for years. It works.

 

[rhyde]

Steri-fab works great but be careful it contains a pesticide and in many states it’s regulated as such and you are required to be licensed to use it in home….I won’t use it in a client home.

As brain said a good pest control company flowed by a through extraction cleaning and monitoring with moth traps

 

[Larry Cobb]

Steve;

I also agree with the Microban X-580 to eliminate the moths.

Just apply it according to directions & it will do the job.

It is a natural insecticide with less human toxicity.

Our state also uses it for bedbugs.

Larry