Textile Pest Control Sydney

Textile pest control starts from $89. The fixed price depends on the number of wardrobes, drawers and storage areas involved, and whether rugs or other rooms are affected. You get the price before work starts, and warranty and follow-up terms are confirmed in writing with your quote.

Clothes moth larvae leave silk webbing or small portable cases, and the damage is usually on hanging or folded garments. Carpet beetle larvae are bristly, leave shed hairy skins behind, and are more often found in carpet edges, rugs and under furniture. We check for both on inspection.

Yes, when done properly. English Heritage recommends sealing items in plastic freezer bags and freezing them at minus 18 degrees Celsius for at least two weeks to kill all life stages. Let bags return to room temperature before opening them, so condensation doesn't form on the fabric.

A hot wash suitable for the fabric, followed by a hot dryer where the care label allows, is an effective way to deal with eggs and larvae on washable items. Delicate wool, silk and tailored pieces are better dry-cleaned or frozen. Always follow the garment's care label.

Larvae need keratin from animal fibres like wool, silk and fur, and they tend to favour items that are stored, dark and rarely disturbed. Clothes put away with sweat, body oils or food marks are commonly reported to be more attractive, so clean garments before storing them.

Cedar and lavender may help deter adults a little, but they don't kill larvae already in fabric and they lose strength over time. Mothballs contain chemicals that can be hazardous and should only be used as directed in sealed containers. Cleaning, freezing and sealed storage are more reliable.

Not always. Once an item has been frozen, washed or dry-cleaned, the larvae are dead and small holes can often be repaired or darned. Heavily damaged items with lots of webbing or frass that you don't want to repair are best bagged and discarded so they don't reinfest the wardrobe.

No. Pheromone traps attract male webbing clothes moths, so they're useful for monitoring activity and checking whether treatment has worked. They don't catch larvae, which cause the damage. Use them after treatment as an early warning, not as the treatment itself.

The treatment itself is usually done in one visit, but moths can take months to develop depending on temperature. English Heritage notes clothes moths typically have one generation a year, with more in warm conditions. Monitoring over the following months tells you whether any activity is continuing.

Yes. For large collections of vintage clothing, wool rugs, costume stock or heirloom textiles, we can inspect every storage area, set up monitoring and treat cupboards and rooms, working alongside your own freezing or cleaning plan. For valuable items, we recommend advice from a textile conservator.