Fabric pest control

Fabric pests include moths and many beetle species that feed on the natural protein keratin. This can be found in any fabric of animal origin, including wool, mohair, silk, animal hair, leather, and feathers.

It is only when these insects become established in your property, and are left untreated, that they cause serious issues, such as:

• Damage to clothing, carpets, and upholstered furniture.
• Contamination of food and fabric goods.
• Damage to historic artifacts.

For businesses, the presence of an infestation may also lead to damaged reputation, material loss and loss of earnings.

The most commonly encountered fabric pest species in the U.S. include the varied carpet beetle and the black carpet beetle. Other common fabric pests include psocids, firebrats, silverfish, case-making clothes moths, and webbing clothes moths.

Call Ehrlich today at 800-837-5520 or contact us online to set up a free inspection of your property.

How to prevent fabric pests in your home

How can a fabric pest infestation be prevented? The best way to help reduce the chance of a fabric pest infestation is to make your home less inviting to them. This includes routine cleaning, managing clutter, and protecting items made from animal-based materials.

Here are a few steps you can take to prevent bugs on fabric:

• Regularly vacuum carpets, rugs, and upholstered furniture, especially around edges and under furniture.
• Wash clothing and other textile items before storing them long-term.
• Use airtight containers or sealed bags to store items like wool, silk, or feathers.
• Dispose of old, unused fabrics that could attract pests.
• Keep areas dry and well-ventilated to reduce suitable food sources for fabric pests, such as mold or natural debris.

These practices can help reduce pest activity, but they may not fully protect your home. For ongoing issues or added protection, our fabric pest control services can help.

Treating fabric pests

There are a number of methods available to treat fabric pest infestations. The right approach depends on the type and extent of the issue. At Ehrlich, we offer a range of tailored solutions for both homes and businesses to help manage and reduce pest activity.

So, what treatment options does Ehrlich offer for controlling common fabric pests? We offer a range of reliable, tailored treatments. These may include:

• Non-chemical treatments
• Specialized heat treatment
• Traditional insecticidal treatments

Non-chemical methods of control

Non-chemical solutions include the simple act of vacuuming. This plays an important role in removing cast skins and eggs, which helps to break the natural lifecycle of fabric pests and reduce their population in your property.

Our focus is on preventing issues and spotting areas where pests might enter or flourish. While ongoing cleaning plays a role, our technicians go a step further by inspecting your home or business to identify risk areas.

We provide guidance on how to store vulnerable items and reduce the conditions that fabric pests seek out. This includes tips on storing textiles, controlling moisture, and removing food sources that pests can reach.

Our team also checks for common entry points like gaps under doors, cracks around windows, and other structural openings. We can help seal or recommend repairing these areas to help reduce pest access and support a longer-term solution.

Entotherm heat treatment

Our Entotherm heat treatment offers a proven, non-chemical way to manage fabric pest infestations. This method is especially useful where conventional treatments may be less suitable or effective.

The system delivers controlled, dry heat to infested areas, which helps to target pests in all life stages. Its portable design means it can be used in a wide range of spaces with minimal disruption to your home or business. We carefully monitor the temperature during treatment. The hot, dry air warms the fabric of the building and its contents to a carefully monitored temperature between 133°F and 140°F – high enough to kill pests rapidly, but without causing any structural damage.

Insecticidal control

We apply insecticidal treatments carefully and only in areas where pest activity has been confirmed. Our technicians assess each space to ensure the right method is used for the situation.

To get the most out of treatment, we may need to move furniture or lift rugs to access areas where pests are likely to hide. We also recommend decluttering and vacuuming beforehand to help improve the reach and impact of the treatment.

We customise our application techniques for each property. This helps us treat infestations while causing minimal disruption.