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Rug maintenance might not be much fun, but it’s essential to keep your rugs looking their best. In fact, there’s one excellent reason that you should regularly clean and maintain your rug, and that’s pests. Whether it’s moths or carpet beetles, the damage these little nuisances can inflict on your rugs is often permanent.
But fear not: follow our top tips below and you’ll be able to beat the bugs for good.
Which pests target rugs?
Let’s begin by exploring the specific bugs and nasties that can be found chowing down on UK residents’ rugs. There are two main culprits: moths and carpets beetles. You’ll already be familiar with moths, and they come in all shapes and sizes, but the real danger to your rugs is actually the larvae (young) of the UK’s moths. The adults lay their eggs in the carpet pile, and the larvae eat away at the fibres – particularly natural fibres like wool. In the case of carpet beetles, the issue is similar. The grubs of these beetles feed on the fibres so readily available in rugs.
Tell-tale signs of a bug in your rug
There are a few ways to tell if your rug has served as dinner to one of these bugs. Generally speaking, in the case of clothes moth larvae, you’ll find small patches of worn fibre that looks almost like it’s been shredded. This damage often goes all the way down to the base canvas of the rug. You’ll usually find this larvae damage in areas where light is minimal, such as under the corners of furniture or chairs. Carpet beetle larvae tend to eat fibres on the edges of rugs, so wearing in these areas is solid evidence of their presence.
How to minimise the risks
It’s important to note that these types of infestations are very rare. If you think about any cases of moths eating clothes, it’ll generally be limited to dark cupboards and clothes that have been stored for a long time. The same holds true in the case of rugs. If you have rugs that are sitting in storage, or if they’re kept in dark places for long periods of time unattended, the chances of bugs appearing increases. The way to avoid this is to regularly vacuum your rugs, and perhaps rotate them every month or two to keep the light distribution even.
Now that you know how to tackle the risk of moths and carpet beetles, why not consider a brand new rug from Rugs Direct? You can explore our online rug shop right now, or call the team with any questions on 0845 838 8638.
