Rug Cleaning Moth Damage
Today we look at a problem that is not as often encountered in Arizona rug cleaning moth damage. Now there are parts of Arizona where this is a major concern, but for the better part of the Valley of the Sun, it is a limited issue. It is so limited that often our clients are mistaken as to the cause of this unsightly deterioration. Many a client has blamed this damage on a cat or a dog. We have been in the business long enough to know the difference between animal caused damage and rug cleaning moth damage. Today, we will look at some pictures from a rug that we recently had in our facility effected with moth damage. We will show you how to look for signs of such an issue on your own rugs. Finally we will explain some precautions taken in the rug cleaning moth damage process to avoid cross contamination concerns to unaffected rugs.
Rug Cleaning Moth Damage – Signs to Look For
When trying to discern between animal damage and moth damage, it is important to look closely at the fiber. Pets that have taken a liking to the flavor of a rug will often leave signs of pulling and tearing. Often the damage is going to occur on the edges or corners of the rug.
When looking at moth damage, you may notice a patch missing in the field of the rug. When you look closer and feel the fibers at the edge of the affected area, you will notice that it seems to barely be attached and pull free easily. Some fibers may simply deteriorate and crumble to dust. Notice in the image how the very edge of the rug is unaffected? No dog or cat has done this, this is caused by moths.
Rug Cleaning Moth Damage – Precautions Taken
When a rug is brought into our facility showing signs of moth damage, it is not allowed to mix or touch any other rug in our facility. In this specific case, the rug was part of a larger rug cleaning order. We made a separate trip, bagged the rug, and brought it to our facility.
Once in our facility, the rug goes through the same process as all our other rugs. The only difference is instead of being done in a batch of rugs, it goes through the whole line of procedures alone. After each step is completed, all equipment is cleaned and sanitized to avoid the chance of cross contamination. In most rug cleaning moth damage situations, the rug is bathed in a treatment to kill and remove any potential larva. This helps to fully remove the moth from the rug.
After the treatment and the cleaning is completed, if repair and restoration is desired, this is when we would do so. In this clients situation, the damage was under a sofa, so restoration was not a concern.
