Why undisturbed rooms are the risk
Carpet moth larvae feed on natural fibres and thrive wherever nothing moves for weeks: a ceremonial hall used only for occasional events, a store room, and the underside of furniture that never gets shifted are the usual starting points.
Livery halls and ceremonial rooms
The City's historic livery halls often hold wool carpet, tapestries and hangings that are used or aired only a handful of times a year, giving carpet moth larvae exactly the settled conditions they need between events.
What to look for
Look for pale, bristly larvae, silken webbing in the pile, and irregular bald patches close to a skirting board or under furniture, whether that's near Temple, where legal chambers and historic buildings set around quiet courtyards and gardens, or elsewhere in the borough. Small, pale and rarely airborne, the adult moth means the damage tends to get noticed first, as anyone near Smithfield will recognise, where historic market buildings and food premises close to the meat market.
What to do before treatment
- Vacuum thoroughly, including under furniture and along skirting boards, and empty the vacuum outside
- Have affected hangings or textiles cleaned by a specialist rather than left in place
- Move stored furniture away from walls so edges can be reached
- Check stored curtains and upholstered furniture in the same room, not just the carpet
Booking carpet moth treatment in the City of London
Carpet moth treatment in City of London is priced at £180 for the first room and £60 for each additional room, and given that around Smithfield, where historic market buildings and food premises close to the meat market, it is worth checking older rooms first before you book carpet moth treatment and tell us which rooms show damage, with the rest on the City of London carpet moth treatment page.
