Aarrrgh! Wool Moths...what to do?

[Tamar]

We just discovered last night that wool moths have taken up residence in our beautiful oriental rug. They chewed a hole right down to the backing in one spot (at least it's a spot that is way under the DR table, so not blaringly noticable).

We vacuumed up all traces that we could see. What now? Do we need an exterminator, or to send the rug out to be cleaned and treated, or both? Would hate to do just one, or to do the wrong one if only one step is needed. Does anyone have experience with this??

Thanks, Tamar

 

[BuzzBoyMom]

How did you find out about the moths? I have several oriental rugs and would hate to discover a hole.

 

[Tamar]

It is a huge mystery how they got into our house. Probably about a month ago, I noticed an occasional "white flying bug"....no where near the dining room. It's spring, we may have a few wide spots in our screens...we see an occasional bug. Didn't think much of it.

Then I was vacuuming yesterday, and got under the dining room table. Disturbed a few of them, and when I looked to where they were flying from....there were a couple of almost golf-ball size holes in the rug. I could've missed that for many more months, it was so dark under there.

Very disappointing!! I'm glad I caught it before it got any worse.

 

[IwasatWDWforamonth]

I lost a few sweaters to these little flying MONSTERS.I think mine came in my parrots food because thats when we started seeing them.
for my drawers I started with a chemical type thing,that was making me sick,
my aunt said she used scented soaps and lavender, so thats what I have scented soaps, lavender scented sachets and bounce dryer sheets. and in the last 5 years no holes, knock on wood,
Its the larvae that actually eats the wool, they even eat leather, so its really hard to see them,
I imagine in a rug it it be really hard,
Im not sure what you would use in a rug, maybe some sort of spray,
also movement will disrupt them so moving and vacuuming a lot should help.

Im not sure that its the same moth but there are traps for the sort we have, its weird we may see one or 2 flying around, but hundreds flock to the trap.