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Wool or synthetic

earthearth Posts: 934
edited November 2018 in The cake stop
I'm not talking about Jersey's here. Carpets. Been looking for new carpets recently so I asked the sales person why wool or synthetic. He came out with the biggest load of bull I ever heard. Apparently - round here people have been having a lot of trouble with moths eating peoples wool carpets. That's right moths eating peoples carpet out from beneath their feet, practically as fast as you can walk across them. Well they must be some pretty big moths. I reckon there's worse things to worry about if moths are that voracious. Careful riding at night or you may get taken out by one of those monster carpet munchers going for your front light.

Posts

  • BelgianBeerGeekBelgianBeerGeek Posts: 5,226
    Not moths but the larvae. Had this issue and it’s a nightmare. If you have a house prone to damp they will chomp away. It’s not like a swarm of locusts though, they take their time. They might also have some of your lovely jumpers and cardies as well. Be vigilant and you will be OK, so if the wool is better, go for it.
    Ecrasez l’infame
  • rjsterryrjsterry Posts: 25,086
    BelgianBeerGeek wrote:
    Not moths but the larvae. Had this issue and it’s a nightmare. If you have a house prone to damp they will chomp away. It’s not like a swarm of locusts though, they take their time. They might also have some of your lovely jumpers and cardies as well. Be vigilant and you will be OK, so if the wool is better, go for it.

    And solve the damp problem as well: they don't like it too dry.
    1985 Mercian King of Mercia - work in progress (Hah! Who am I kidding?)
    Pinnacle Monzonite

    Part of the anti-growth coalition
  • BelgianBeerGeekBelgianBeerGeek Posts: 5,226
    ^this. If you don’t have a damp problem you should be OK. Due to censored windows, poor construction etc damp was an issue for us for some time.
    Ecrasez l’infame
  • FocusZingFocusZing Posts: 4,373
    We have a sunny room which is the least damp in the house with an expensive pure wool carpet. The larvae have left small patches under sofas and we always find a few when moved each week. The rest of the house is a 80% pure wool synthetic mix, absolutely nothing, no patches, no larvae. My advice, avoid it unless you want to keep windows and doors closed 24/7.
  • robert88robert88 Posts: 2,696
    Would a good dose of pyrethrin fix them? We'd a cat once that brought fleas into the house. They laid eggs in the carpets and crevices so we got some pyrethrin spay and did the whole house. Nasty smell for a little while till it ventilated but never had a flea problem since, nor do our wool carpets have moths! (The cat was treated with spot on not pyrethrin)
  • rick_chaseyrick_chasey Posts: 67,623 Lives Here
    You can get wool carpets that are treated to be anti moth. No idea of it works.
    _
  • earthearth Posts: 934
    Well that is very interesting. I would never have believed it.
  • robert88robert88 Posts: 2,696
    earth wrote:
    Well that is very interesting. I would never have believed it.

    Do you believe everything you read on the internet? :roll:
  • diamonddogdiamonddog Posts: 3,426
    The salesman is talking censored , wool carpets are the best way to go. A mix of 80% wool & 20% man made fibres is the best mix or a 50/50 mix will work well.
    If possible go to a smaller retailer as the big ‘sheds’ tend to be a bit hit and miss with the knowledge they have.
  • earthearth Posts: 934
    diamonddog wrote:
    The salesman is talking censored , wool carpets are the best way to go. A mix of 80% wool & 20% man made fibres is the best mix or a 50/50 mix will work well.
    If possible go to a smaller retailer as the big ‘sheds’ tend to be a bit hit and miss with the knowledge they have.

    It was a family run business of 50 years that came out with it.
  • diamonddogdiamonddog Posts: 3,426
    edited November 2018
    :shock: :shock: Must be a Saturday Lad who you spoke to, there are good and bad retailers in all trades.
  • MatthewfalleMatthewfalle Posts: 17,380
    we have polished floorboards and stone slabs if that helps your buying problems.
    Postby team47b » Sun Jun 28, 2015 11:53 am

    De Sisti wrote:
    This is one of the silliest threads I've come across. :lol:

    Recognition at last Matthew, well done!, a justified honour :D
    smithy21 wrote:

    He's right you know.
  • keef66keef66 Posts: 13,123
    As a lad growing up in a damp council house I occasionally encountered carpet beetle larvae, so they do exist. (I'm guessing those particular carpets pre-dated the arrival of synthetic pile / materials) As above, not exactly like a locust swarm though.

    Since we've been buying carpet we've always gone for for 80/20. 1930s semi with suspended wooden floors. Used to smell a bit damp when moving furniture but we've never had anything eating the carpets. Now I've fitted insulation between the ground floor joists and carted away the 3 tons of rubble a previous owner dumped beneath the floor it's better ventilated, warmer and drier.
  • big_harvbig_harv Posts: 512
    Off topic but +1 for laminate floors due to asthmatic child and assorted dogs.
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