Q I have a glue mark on my new top – either Pritt Stick or clear school glue. I’ve tried ironing it through a hankie, but that only made it worse. The top is 95 per cent viscose and 5 per cent elastane. Any suggestions?
A Pritt Stick and other water-soluble adhesives should come out with water. Once dry, soak in cool water for a day or two to soften the glue before washing as normal. Ironing probably wasn’t the best idea, but I don’t think you’ve ruined your chances. Copydex, however, is waterproof, so for this, you’ll need a solvent such as Mykal Sticky Stuff Remover, £3.99 for 250ml, to break it down before washing.
Q While having our living-room decorated, we found bare patches on the carpet where the furniture had been. In a few places, the fibres on the surface are loose and nearby there were rice-like egg cases. Is something eating the carpet? I don’t want to have to recarpet. Help!
A Sounds like carpet beetles – the adults are about 3mm long and look like mottled brown, grey and cream ladybirds; larvae are about the same length and resemble maggots with brown hairs, hence their nickname woolly bears. As they grow, they moult, so finding cast-off skins is the first sign that you have them. Act quickly as they’ll be looking for fabrics such as carpets and clothing in which to lay eggs. As the larvae hatch, they can munch through their surroundings, leaving holes like those made by clothes moths.
Wide areas may be infested, so it’s important to trace the source. Birds’ nests or roadkill are favourite hangouts, so search the loft before you try to eliminate grubs that have moved down the house. Look for damage in airing cupboards, wardrobes and chests, as well as under carpets and rugs.
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You need to launder or dry-clean affected items and vacuum carpets. For minor infestations, spray the affected areas with a residual insecticide suitable for crawling insects, such as Rentokil Insectrol (£4.69 for 250ml; call 01342 327171 for stockists). Otherwise, call in experts. To find a specialist, call the British Pest Control Association (0870 6092687; www.bpca.org.uk).