• What are Fabric pests?

Fabric pests are a group of pests that typically feed on and cause damage to fabrics and other items made up of natural fibers and particles. The most common fabric pests to be encountered are carpet beetles, clothes moths and book lice.

•     Carpet beetles   are dark brown to black and measure 1/8th to 1/4th inch in length. These beetles are an oval-elongated shape. Carpet beetle larvae are carrot-shaped with a tuft of long bristles at the narrow end of its body. Indoors a female will typically lay around 40 eggs on or near wool carpets or rugs; the eggs then take somewhere between 10 to 20 days to hatch. The life cycle of male and female carpet beetles varies; the females can live 2 to 6 weeks, while the males generally only live 2 to 4 weeks. Adult carpet beetles usually appear in the spring and early summer and inside tend to be spotted near windows.

•     Clothes moths measure approximately 3/8th to ½ inch from wing tip to wing tip. Both forewings and hind wings on clothes moths are long and narrow. Their bodies and wings are buff to golden in color with a slight brownish tinge. There are 3 noticeable dark spots on each front wing, which may be rubbed off with age. The hind wings are fringed with long hairs on them.

•     Book lice are small insects that live and thrive in damp environments such as basements and crawlspaces and eat the mold and mildew often present in these areas. Book lice are 1/32 of an inch to 1/4th of an inch in length, soft bodied and resemble a termite worker, except that the antennae are long and thin. In homes, especially damp homes, book lice often will gather in moldy books.

 

• Why do I have fabric pests?

These pests feed on natural fibers and particles and will gain entry to your property in search of food, moisture and any others conditions they need in which to survive. They will often enter through small cracks and crevices and any openings around windows, doors, under siding or through gaps around electrical lines.
 

• Are they dangerous?

Fabric pests are not considered to be a threat to people or pets. They can however, cause damage to carpets, furniture, clothing and books. In very few rare occasions, the bristles on carpet beetle larvae have caused skin irritation on the skin of sensitive people.

• How do I get rid of fabric pests?

Because fabric pests can infest a wide variety of places including clothing, books, furniture, carpets and even stuffed animals, getting rid of these pests can be difficult. A Raifsnider  pest professional will design a customized program to control fabric pests that fits the specific needs of your property, with the goal of eliminating all of the fabric pests infesting your property.

• Can I do it myself?

Reducing humidity in damp areas of your home and properly laundering items that you suspect maybe infested with fabric pests are good first steps to eliminating these nuisances, but because these pests can infest so many different items and areas of your home, many people do not have much success eliminating them on their own. Many do-it-yourself remedies to rid your property of fabric pests simply do not work as the materials they use are not effective and can actually make your fabric pest problem worse. Remember – if misused or mixed improperly, do-it-yourself pesticides can be very dangerous to people, pets or plants.

• Is the treatment safe?

The pest professionals at Raifsnider's  will first correctly identify what species of fabric pest is invading your home or business, and then create a treatment plan that will eliminate your pest problem quickly and in an environmentally responsible manner. Before any treatments begin, our inspectors will consult with you regarding your children, pets, and gardens and then based on your current situation; they will then customize a treatment plan specifically for you.

• How soon can you get here?

Raifsnider's Exterminating  is committed to helping you as soon as possible. In most cases, we can respond the same or very next day.

• How can I prevent this in the future?
  

Fabric pest infestations can be difficult to prevent, but you can be sure to vacuum up pet hair and other dust and debris from carpets, rugs and under furniture. Also, before storing any woolen items away, make sure they are properly cleaned and always store in a pest-free container. If these measures do not work many of our customers chose a continuous Protection Program to help guard against future fabric pest infestations.