lorryw Report post Posted February 10, 2006 I loathe ironing and keep my ironing basket in a cupboard under the stairs. Ive just taken it out to do a little ironing and found holes in several of my things. My best dress has a large hole, along with a blouse and a couple of my t shirts. Ive had a look in the cupbaord (very carefully!) and cant see evidence of little hairy cheese eaters. Could it be mice or something else, I suppose it will teach me to get on with the ironing. Lorainexxxx Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Flora Report post Posted February 10, 2006 Moths???? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
baddad Report post Posted February 10, 2006 Could be the giant, South American cloth eating weevil, or possibly the South African Pygmy weevil Hope it's the S.A. Pygmy - 'cos that's the lesser of two weevils........ SORRY SORRY SORRY. couldn't resist!! My money's on Lauren's moths... and no ball jokes please L&P BD Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
on the edge Report post Posted February 10, 2006 That happened to me!!! The very same - jumpers with holes in amongst my clothes in the ironing pile in the utility room....no evidence of mice................until.............three weeks later I went to get some flour out from a box I kept it in, in the kitchen cupboard..and it was like a flour and mouse poo bonanza!!! and the very same night I saw one.....Have had the mice baiters in and have not seen any evidence since Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
UltraMum Report post Posted February 10, 2006 Do moths eat over winter - or are they all tucked up in their chrysalids? My money's on the mouse! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DaisyProudfoot Report post Posted February 10, 2006 Does it smell like mice? - very distinctive smell - a bit like raw basmati rice They do nibble clothing to make nests out of, they like newspaper too, I suggest you put some newspaper in the cupboard and see if that gets nibbled too. Pesky little critters - get rid of them quickly - there's nowt worse than lying in bed at night and hearing them running in the walls Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
littlenemo Report post Posted February 10, 2006 Do moths eat over winter - or are they all tucked up in their chrysalids? My money's on the mouse! Isn't it the moth larvae that eat clothes? Fattening up for their metamorphosis in springtime. In my experience mouse holes are bigger (2p size upward) and less circular than moth holes. Either way it needs dealing with before the problem gets worse (or fatter/or sprouts wings). good luck Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kathryn Report post Posted February 10, 2006 Get a cat!! Problem solved! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lorryw Report post Posted February 10, 2006 Thanks chaps, It seems as though it could be mice. Little blighters, not sure what theyre eating though and I thought the dog would have smelt them. Off to buy a (humane) trap tomorrow, Tom and Jerry have suddenly sprung to mind. Lorainexxx Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lil_me Report post Posted February 10, 2006 I'd rewash everything incase it is moths, and keep the washing upstairs incase its a lil Jerry. Moth balls and humane trap should stop whatever it is. Just don't do what my silly mother did and forget to check the humane trap, poor lil Jerry in her garden starved to death last week Last time we had holes like that it was an escape artist hamster Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
UltraMum Report post Posted February 10, 2006 Moth balls are a bit stinky - try cedar wood balls Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shell Report post Posted February 11, 2006 the holes i had in my clothes came from steven he was comming down in the night and chewing on them. only found out by chance because i had put down mouse traps and moth balls but it was still happening so my dad came over and sat there all night to see if he could find anything and thats when we found steven Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lil_me Report post Posted February 11, 2006 Shell we found my son was chewing his own. When he started coughing up balls of chewed up material it kind of clicked. Before that I thought it was moths. He's never chewed other peoples. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
call me jaded Report post Posted February 11, 2006 We use the plug-in mouse deterrents, from the bargain basket in Robert Dyas, and they work. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
redberry Report post Posted February 11, 2006 Conkers! For moths that is mice probably love em! If you collect lots of shiny conkers, theyve got to be whole and not pre nibbled ,dry them and store them in pockets, draws, (just dont run too fast ) or ironing baskets. Anywhere really where moths may nibble. Handy tip from wardrobe misstress of big theatre company. Its worked for us. I actually don't own an ironing pile! Ive never ironed a thing for over 10 years. My SIL was horrified she didnt believe me at first cos we dont all look worzel gumidgey. Any way Ive added her to my list of converts. Chuck away your irons..Be Free! redberry Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bid Report post Posted February 11, 2006 Me too, Redberry!! It's all in the art of meticulous hanging and folding... Bid Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
on the edge Report post Posted February 11, 2006 My mice seemed to like the plug in detectors!! Found more mouse poo around them than anywhere else Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
redberry Report post Posted February 11, 2006 Me too, Redberry!! It's all in the art of meticulous hanging and folding... Bid and the thorough shaking of each item as it comes out of the washing machine! Still beats the tedium of the ironing pile redberry Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hev Report post Posted February 11, 2006 agree with redberry,definately got to shake it as it comes out of machine,also havent ironed for years,it takes a special skill not having to iron,theres all these little rituals me,bid and redberry go through,we are saving on our electricity bills as we dont iron,we will not get an injury whilst ironing therefore we are saving the nhs money,you have a lot to thank us for come on everyone throw away your irons,you will feel liberated!! by the way i think its mice what are eating the washing,im petrified of them,i would move out if i had them but i wont get them as i havent got an ironing pile Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DaisyProudfoot Report post Posted February 11, 2006 I'm three quarters liberated - I only iron hubbs work shirts ....... the rest just dress and go! Daisy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lorryw Report post Posted February 11, 2006 I do try and smooth and fold but sometimes I leave things too long and they end up on the ironing pile, to be ignored for months. I ve bought a humane trap, filled it with chocolate and put it in the cupboard.See what tomorrow will bring. Anyone any recipes for chocolate stuffed mice........? Only joking, if we catch anything we will let it go in the nearest woods and hope it doesnt follow us home. Lorainexxx Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kirstie Report post Posted February 11, 2006 [quote name='redberry' date='Feb 11 2006, 03:41 P Chuck away your irons..Be Free! redberry we are talking about ironing again!!!!!!!!!!!!! It is definatley in the folding, a good shake when it comes out the machine then stuff it into the tumble drier and fold! Love it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
redberry Report post Posted February 11, 2006 I'm three quarters liberated - I only iron hubbs work shirts ....... the rest just dress and go! Daisy hope you just iron front of shirt and collar? Yehaah, its good to know I am not alone. C'mon shake off those iron fetters redberry Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
loulou Report post Posted February 11, 2006 Hi, I'll send my two cats over, they LOVE mice. They eat them and then spit the gall bladder out on the floor. Lovely! One thing, check the clothes don't have holes in when you take them out of the machine, i've heard that washing machines can sometimes make holes. As for ironing, I place mine strategically on the table when my Mum babysits. When i get in, hey-presto the ironing is done. Strange that. Loulou x Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DaisyProudfoot Report post Posted February 11, 2006 Only joking, if we catch anything we will let it go in the nearest woods and hope it doesnt follow us home. Lorainexxx Seriously ... you will have to go further away than the nearest woods ....... a car drive would be best ....... they find their way home amazingly easy .... and that's without an A-Z (see Batcave reference) Daisy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
redberry Report post Posted February 11, 2006 Hi, I'll send my two cats over, they LOVE mice. They eat them and then spit the gall bladder out on the floor. Lovely! One thing, check the clothes don't have holes in when you take them out of the machine, i've heard that washing machines can sometimes make holes. As for ironing, I place mine strategically on the table when my Mum babysits. When i get in, hey-presto the ironing is done. Strange that. Loulou x Ah the old' iron by stealth' technique..good to see that it hasn't died out with the gradual dispersal of the nuclear family redberry Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tally Report post Posted February 11, 2006 Best thing to attract mice (to a trap) is raisins coated in cocoa, or dry catfood. Take it for a long walk, or a short drive, before releasing it, else it will come straight back in. Make sure all food products are stored away in cupboards, preferably in boxes. Mice will eat through paper, cardboard, and polythene. Check all your floor-level cupboards for evidence - chewed packets or droppings - the droppings are really tiny by the way. I keep getting mice coming in through an air vent, but my cat catches them before they eat anything, and leaves the corpses beside my bed. And you really don't need to iron T-shirts Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lil_me Report post Posted February 11, 2006 (edited) Until I found this forum I thought I was the only person who hated ironing Then after asking local Mam's they hate it too. My Dad used to iron for hours when I lived at home, he still does his and Mam's now. I couldn't stand it. People who enjoy ironing worry me, for some reason I used to iron everything, even the boys's terry nappies, but now no chance. I know someone who even irons socks, like I said 'Are you insane ?' By the way Tally is right, it will come back if you don't 'get it lost' first. Edited February 11, 2006 by lil_me Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
redberry Report post Posted February 13, 2006 Good luck with the mice removals. Our cat used to leave the bottom half of well chewed mice either on the floor by Ms (Husband) side of the bed, in exactly theright place for him to step on them as he got up in the morning (one got stuck on his big toe and he had to shake it very vigourously to remove it!) Or... on his pillow Our cats are old now and sleep by the fire so we have humane traps for any mice. Yes you have to take the little blighters miles away - or spin em round three times- because they can find their way back. redberry Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zemanski Report post Posted February 13, 2006 we're not quite an iron free household - hama beads and batik still require heat Zemanski Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
redberry Report post Posted February 13, 2006 we're not quite an iron free household - hama beads and batik still require heat Zemanski Oh hot metal craftings acceptable! redberry Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest hallyscomet Report post Posted February 26, 2006 Get a cat!! Problem solved! Little critters still get in the roof and the walls especially come out to play while you are sleeping could I put the cat in the roof. certainly thought about it, but she would probably get stuck then I will have to call the fire brigade. H. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
