Now, the time has come to talk of paint and property, of men and maintenance and gutters and gables.
Before I do, I want to say a word about moths, as spring could mean their return.
Moths are a problem in London which has increased in recent years. (Although as I amend this post it is January 2025 and the spring and summer of 2024 saw much less of those creatures)
This is how to win at eradication:
Buy Diatomaceous Earth and sprinkle it very lightly (it comes as a powder) around where your wool carpets meet the skirting boards and anywhere you suspect there might be eggs or larvae. It won’t work well if you are heavy handed, so a light sprinkle only. You can also mix the powder with water and spray it. The residue is visible on the carpets and woodwork but will wash off later. Much later, actually, as you want to leave it in place to continue working for as long as possible. Diatomaceous Earth will continue working indefinitely which is longer than chemical products. Meanwhile you and your infants can continue to crawl on the carpet without bother to health.
To repeat; leave the Diatomaceous Earth in place as long as possible. I left mine over the winter to ensure the next generation (in the larvae) did not survive.
For those who like definitions:
Diatomaceous Earth is a soft crumbly, porous sedimentary deposit formed from the fossil remains of diatoms.
A Diatom is a single-celled alga (singular of algae) which has a cell wall of silica.
It’s a naturally occurring product and is actually edible. No thanks.
Here are the instructions from the website: mothremoval.co.uk
Where do I apply the powder?
We recommend that placement is undertaken directly to the areas of infestation or areas that moths or their larvae may communicate. Diatomaceous earth is best used as a long-term preventative measure and should be placed in areas away from regular cleaning such as under heavy furniture or when possible under carpets.
Diatomaceous earth should be lightly applied rather than placed in clumps of powder; insects may detect the product and are more likely to avoid it when possible. Powder is best applied using a handheld dust applicator or sprinkled over the area, and a fine brush is applied to spread the material finely over the treatment area. Alternatively, diatomaceous earth can be mixed with water and sprayed; this can be particularly handy when applying products to areas that are irregular or to the underside of furniture, plants etc.
Just so you know:
Diatomaceous Earth works by drying out the exoskeleton of the moth, so will it also kill your house spiders, as they too have an external skeleton. I mention this, not because it’s a bonus, but because, as myself, you may also have come to like your house spiders.
I’ve run out of time now, and I am sorry if you were awaiting the painting info, but I’m happy to answer any questions on a phone call, or email for a free quotation.
Good luck
Joe
- P.S. There may well be a difference between clothes and carpet moths but what I saw in my home was the same type of moth in both my carpet and clothes.
