One of my worst fears as a rug curator &, ultimately a rug seller, was realized this past November when I read this DM from a client:

This one is a beast! And I mean that in a good way; it’s 10’x13’6 & weighs a solid 90 plus pounds. Gorgeous design, amazing color palette; it likely took 4 weavers a good 9 months to a year to complete this beauty. Anna bought the rug from me in the spring (of 2022) & asked me to hang onto it while they were continuing to fix up the room it was intended for. I gladly stored it for them until delivering it (in addition to a beautiful Tabriz for their kitchen-breakfast nook) in October. It’s perfect for their home; it immediately cozied up their space & they were excited to start putting it to good use with movie nights, entertaining, & all the usual living you do in a living room. 

So fast forward to the day of the DM, which was about three weeks after I delivered & helped install their rugs. Of course, I immediately got to work letting her know what I recommend to do in this icky situation; more on that in a moment. I was also keenly aware that perhaps I had brought her the rugs with moths as their uninvited guests. I did check my storage space & rugs and, thankfully, did not find any evidence of the pesky problem. Good for me, but not good for my lovely clients. 

Okay, so I think I might have a problem with moths. Now what?

• Un-invite the pests by discouraging them to stick around! Clean your home by using a vacuum cleaner; dust & vacuum untouched corners, under & around furniture, the fabric on your furniture itself, & any pillows. Don’t forget any wool or cashmere throw blankets or silk drapery you may have; these are natural fibers & easy for eggs to attach themselves to. 

• Not everyone’s favorite, but you can use an insecticide specific to moths to help get rid of them & to help prevent any future issues. There are essential oil-based pesticides & moth traps that you can use, such as this one, as an alternative option. 

• Freezing a small rug can help to get rid of the larvae already in place.

• For a true infestation, look for the nearest professional hand knotted rug cleaner in your city. Most metropolitan areas have professionals who can help!

• Choose a pest control trap & spray of your choice. Remember Granny’s hanging moth balls? With so many natural options, we don’t have to worry about the bad smell & damage to our health that the old preventative causes!

• A natural deterrent, cedar rings like these can help to keep adult moths away, hence not leave any of their nasty rug-eating larvae. 

• Essential oils such as lavender, peppermint, & tea tree oils have also been shown to be an effective preventative.

• Anna also used Dr. Killigan’s Six Feet Under Non Toxic Insect Killer Spray & really like it.

• Additionally, Anna used storage bags like these to store any clothing not in season and not in use. 

• An easy preventative, that you probably already utilize, is to vacuum regularly, meaning weekly or bi-weekly. Be sure to vacuum around the edges of your rugs as well (the selvedges), even the sides that are under the bed or under the sofa, every three months or so. 

• Lastly, be sure to protect your investment; asking a professional handmade rug cleaner to check in on your rugs or taking them to a professional for an intense cleaning once every 2-3 years is something we do for our own rugs. 

📸 Azadi Mercantile images, Pinterest, & Amy Wilborn Photography @ Wilborn Photo & Video.

Disclaimer: These are some signs to look out for as well as ways of helping to prevent & treat a moth issue. Please contact your professional in your area for even more thorough information.