Primary Pest Control - The Termite Specialists
Call 1300 837 196
“Textile pests” or “stored fabric pests” is a catch-all term for insects who feed upon and damage stored clothing, carpeting, tapestries, or other fiber products. In practice, this includes various species of moths and beetles, the most common of which are the Clothes Moths and Carpet Beetles. In the case of both moths and beetles, it is the larvae that do the actual damage.
Insects that feed on textile products only attack fabrics made of natural materials such as wool, leather, mohair, down, feathers, silk, cotton, and so forth. They don’t eat synthetic products such as nylon, polyester, or “pleather” But they’ll sometimes do damage to fabrics that are made of synthetic fibers blended with natural fibers, or to parts of garments that are made of natural products (for example, the down filling of a nylon jacket).
There are several common-sense steps you can take to help protect your clothing, carpets, furniture, tapestries, and other items made of natural fabrics from insect damage, including:
- All clothing should be washed or dry-cleaned before being stored. Body oils, sweat, food, and other organic matter on clothing may make it more attractive to stored-fabric pests.
- Expensive items like furs and leather clothing should be professionally stored during the off-season, if possible. Otherwise, moth-repellent sachets, moth balls, or moth flakes should be used to repel fabric-destroying insects. Always use these products in strict accordance with their label instructions for the sake of both safety and effectiveness.
- Carpets, tapestries, and upholstered furniture should be frequently cleaned and shampooed in a manner appropriate to the item, especially after any spills.
- Non-toxic pheromone traps can be used to monitor for beetle or moth infestations, as well as to trap adult insects before they have a chance to breed.
Serious infestations of clothing moths or carpet beetles require professional treatment by a skilled exterminator. Professional control of clothing moths and beetles always begins with an inspection to determine the exact specie of insect and the extent of the infestation. Depending on that determination, any or all of the following pest control measures may be needed:
- Dry-cleaning, washing, shampooing, heat- or cold-treating, or insecticide treatment of the infested items. In most cases, insecticide treatment of textile items is limited to items like carpeting, upholstered furniture, and other items that can’t easily and effectively be treated using other methods.
- Insecticide treatment of closets and other storage areas
- The installation of pheromone traps to interrupt the breeding cycle by trapping adults, as well as to help monitor the area for ongoing infestation or reinfestation
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0438 892 088
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