MOTHS IN UPHOLSTERY

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 53, 26 November 1926, Page 13

MOTHS IN UPHOLSTERY

, When furniture is being re-upholster-ed, moths are sometimes found in profusion between the outside back cover and the stuffed work, also in tfie space between the bottom cover and seatstuffed work; the same under the end covers, especially of large couches, sofas, settes, and such-like when not often disturebd. Upholsterers find that neither moths nor their grubs penetrate into the stuffing to any great extent. They are found on the surface of stuffings of wool or cotton flock, but not at all in horsehair or vegetable or wood fibre, with which the better-class upholstery is stuffed. Chiefly it is the fabrics they live on and the inside hessian canvases, with a preference for velvetpile. Even where furniture is badly affected, remedial measures are not very difficult. Say, for instance, a sofa in velvet is badly infected, but otherwise in fairly good condition It should be taken out into the open air, preferably on a dry, cold, frosty day. The bottom cover of canvas or black linen should be stripped off, and if the web is broken that, too, should be renewed All moths may be killed by dabbing with a duster "well sprinkled with turpentine. With the old web stripped off. a thorough brushing can be given with a dry, stiff paint-brush to clear out all trace of the pest from the spring canvas before re-webbing. The outside back cover and end covers also must be stripped off to clean out the spaces likewise. Before putting back any of these the sofa should be well beaten with a cane and brushed repeatedly to free from dust and shock out any sign of the pest. Then some blocks of camphor should be wrapped in muslin, to be tacked in each corner of the spaces, the covers being tacked in place as close as possible. This sets up a strong camphor vapour in the spaces, which will exterminate the life of any grub or moth that might possibly remain or hatch out. In cases where the trouble is but slight, or it may not be convenient to overhaul the furniture, it is recommended to tintack the covers j'ust sufficiently to slip in the blocks of camphor.