Moths in the Manor: Learn how to get rid of carpet moths and prevent infestations
There’s something deeply disheartening about discovering a patch of carpet that’s been nibbled to fluff. It’s not just the damage — it’s the sense that your peaceful, well-kept home or hotel room has become someone else’s feeding ground. And not someone charming. A moth.
Now, if you’ve taken to the internet and searched “carpet moth”, there it is Pareulype berberata- The Carpet Moth! It sounds convincing.
No one wants to have a moth infestation in the carpet.
But here’s the twist: moths don’t actually eat carpets.
In fact, it lives in woodlands and feeds on barberry bushes.
The real offender, quietly munching its way through your wool blend, is the common clothes moth, Tineola bisselliella. It’s a drab little insect, small, fluttery, and browny gold, easily ignored — until your living room or hotel room starts to develop bald spots.
Why do we mix up carpet moths and clothes moths?
The confusion is thanks to our British allergy to Latin and a national tendency to avoid scientists.
But specificity matters.
You won’t solve the right problem if you’re chasing the wrong species.
So why do clothes moths eat carpets? In the wild, they feed on keratin in feathers and fur found in bird nests. Your home offers similar conditions: dark, undisturbed areas with plenty of wool, hair, and warmth. Under furniture, behind curtains, under rugs — it’s five-star dining for a moth larva.
How to get rid of carpet moths in the UK
The trick to getting rid of moths in the carpet is to go back and re-read one word from that description- “undisturbed.”
Here is your task ladies and gentlemen. You need to become a disturber of moth habitats in your home, hotel or workplace.
Whether you are a landlord, a hotel manager or a facility manager, we promise that regular cleaning of all out of the way areas is the key to ridding yourself of carpet moths. Yes, I’m afraid that does mean making sure that your cleaning staff are regularly hoovering under the furniture. We’re sure they’re doing a great job – but you can never do too many deep cleans!
It’s important that you ask your maintenance team to give them a helping hand to move heavy items now and then to break up their favourite habitats. In a hotel environment, regularly changing the room layout (such as moving beds, desks, wardrobes etc) could be hugely beneficial.
Another tip for the treatment for clothes moths is to try and keep the humidity as low as possible in stuffy rooms – it’s worth investing in some good ventilation or a dehumidifier.
Here’s a useful tip – if you suspect something’s infested (perhaps some bed linen or towelling), put it into the freezer for 72 hours or stick it in a hot car on a summer’s day. We promise, it’s not a trick – it will genuinely work!
You don’t need to invest in heavy chemicals, when it comes to moth fumigation
It might surprise you that despite being pest removal experts we often advocate for a chemical-free approach. There’s no point in spending money on environmentally damaging chemicals when a little hard graft and effort is just as effective.
Don’t believe us?
Well, here’s the secret answer to the question, “how to get rid of carpet moths naturally?”.
It all comes down to hoovering in places where you normally wouldn’t hoover, even the curtains I’m afraid. A regular blitz with all of the hoover attachments is the best thing you can do to keep your home, hotel room or workplace safe and sound.
In the battle for your carpet, vigilance and specificity win the day.
Don’t let a badly named moth pull the wool over your eyes.
