Clothes moths can be a year-long problem, but as we make our way into spring, you may have noticed an increase in the number of these pests around your home. That's because as the weather warms up, moth start to emerge from their winter cocoons.
This is a problem because moths love feeding on wool, silk and cashmere (they don't have exclusively expensive taste — they'll settle for cotton fabrics and carpets, too). No one wants to take out their favourite cashmere sweater or silk scarf to find it covered in holes so prevention is the solution.
To help you take action against these fuzzy foes, we've put together this guide to getting rid of clothes moths for good.
Know your enemy
Even if you haven’t discovered holes in your clothes (yet...), the presence of certain types of moth in your home is a warning to take action. Look out for the brown house moth (8mm long with bronze, black-flecked wings) and the common clothes moth (6-7mm long with paler, beige wings). If they lay their eggs in your home, the larvae that hatch from them will feast on your fibres.
These grubs have a particular taste for animal fibres, such as wool, silk, cashmere and angora, but they will also target cotton fabrics if there's nothing else available. They don't differentiate between clothes or soft furnishings so even if you discover moth damage in your wardrobe, don't assume your carpets are safe.
Hunt them down
Contrary to popular belief, moths aren't just drawn to light. In fact, they will seek out dark, undisturbed places to lay their eggs, such as the back of your wardrobe or seldom-opened drawers. Check in these spots for signs of creamy white larvae with a brown head. They're hard to miss as one female moth can deposit anywhere from 50 to 1,000 eggs at a time!
At the same time, check areas of carpet underneath rugs and underneath or behind seldom-moved furniture.
Take action
To get rid of moths you'll need to break their life cycle, and that means getting rid of any unhatched eggs, as well as larvae. Start by taking all the clothes out of your wardrobe, then vacuum the bottom of the wardrobe thoroughly, using the crevice tool on your vacuum cleaner to get right into the corners and along the edges.
Next, wash all your clothes at the highest recommended temperature and take any dry-clean-only items to the dry cleaner. You can also wrap things made from non-washable fabrics in plastic bags and then pop them in the freezer for 48 hours, as sub-zero temperatures kill moth larvae.
Vacuum carpets throughout the house thoroughly, paying particular attention to areas of carpet underneath furniture, then follow up by treating any areas where you've seen adult moths using a moth killer spray.
Gone for good
When it comes to moths, prevention is better than cure. Here are five things you can do to keep these winged pests away:
- Wash garments thoroughly before you put them away. Clothes moths are attracted to perspiration and food stains.
- Keep your wardrobe well ventilated. Air your wardrobe regularly to prevent warm, damp or musty conditions building up, which clothes moths love.
- Store away clothes carefully. Store freshly laundered wool clothes you won't be wearing until next winter in a vacuum storage bag. A cardboard box won't cut it, as moth larvae will chew through it.
- Use a natural moth repellent. Cedar wood rings in your wardrobe or drawers can help deter moths.
- Spritz carpets with lavender. Make a natural repellent by adding a few drops of lavender essential oil to water in a spray bottle. Shake well then spray your carpet and clothes lightly.
Moth control buys
Acana Carpet and Fabric Moth Killer Spray
John Lewis Vacuum Storage Bags
Acana Moth Killer & Freshener Sachets
Cedar Space Cedar Moth Rings, 38 pack
Tisserand Lavender Essential Oil
FAQs
One way is to freeze them by placing the item in a Ziploc bag and putting it inside a deep freezer below 10°F. The other way is to solarize the larvae by putting them out in the sun. "That will bring the temperature up to about 140°F, [killing] all the moths, larvae and eggs that are present," adds Kern.
How do I permanently get rid of clothes moths? ›
Clean up
- Discard particularly infested items. If the clothing is extremely damaged, it may be impossible to repair. ...
- Thoroughly clean the clothes you do keep. ...
- Clean your closet. ...
- Air, heat, or freeze items you don't dry-clean or wash.
One frequent source of moth infestations is old clothing or furniture purchased at yard sales. Inspect any used clothing or furniture carefully for moths before bringing them into the house. It may be best to have them cleaned first as a preventative measure. Do not accumulate woolens that are not used.
What stops moths eating clothes? ›
Spray or Diffuse Cedar Oil
Other herbs that are repugnant to moths are lavender, rosemary, cloves, bay leaves, and thyme. Essential oils with these scents will also repel them, or you could make a DIY potpourri with them by placing them together into a mesh bag. Then stash it inside your drawer.
Do I need to wash all my clothes if I have moths? ›
How to solve a clothes moth infestation. Wash all items of clothing that have been affected on a high temperature. Be sure to read labels on all clothes before washing, especially when it comes to wool. Alternatively, put them in the freezer for a few days to kill any eggs.
Do dryer sheets repel moths? ›
Dryer sheets typically contain chemicals such as linalool, beta-citronellol, and geraniol, which are known to have some insect-repellent properties.
Is it hard to get rid of clothes moths? ›
You can remove clothes moth larvae from clothes and other fabric items by washing them in a clothes washer in very hot water over 120 degrees Fahrenheit. 2 A more effective method is to dry clean the items, and this is necessary with many wool, silk, and delicate items to prevent damage to the fabric.
How do you find a moth nest? ›
Signs you have a moth infestation. Adult moths do not have mouths, so holes in clothes are actually made from larvae. You can look out for webbing and cocoons in the corners of your wardrobe and cupboards, and signs of damage on your clothes will alert you to where the eggs have been laid.
How long does it take to get rid of clothing moths? ›
So, clothes moths may live one month, eggs may take less than ten days to hatch, larvae will reach maturity in about a month and the pupate stage will last about two to three weeks. So to get rid of a moth infestation, you would need to hammer all stages for at least four to five weeks to break the life cycle.
What is the most effective moth repellent? ›
Cedar wood rings in your wardrobe or drawers can help deter moths. Spritz carpets with lavender. Make a natural repellent by adding a few drops of lavender essential oil to water in a spray bottle. Shake well then spray your carpet and clothes lightly.
T-gramma (Trichogramma) are tiny, parasitic wasps (less than 0.5mm) that are natural antagonists of the clothes/food moths. They feel most comfortable at temperatures above 20°C and are then most effective.
What time of year do clothes moths lay eggs? ›
In fact, clothing moths will often lay eggs that hatch and eat through clothes all summer. Then in the fall, they make a cocoon where they grow into adults through the winter. In the spring when it warms up, these larvae leave their cocoons as full-grown adults.
How do I get rid of moths in my closet naturally? ›
To naturally remove moths from a closet, bag up all infested items and freeze them for 72 hours. Then, thoroughly clean out the closet with a cleaning solution. Wipe all cracks and crevices and then sweep, mop, and vacuum. After you have removed all moths and moth larvae from the closet, place pheromone traps.
How do you find the source of clothes moths? ›
Controlling clothes moths requires a thorough inspection to locate all infested items. The primary source may be a wool scarf or fur/felt hat at the back of a closet, an old rug stored in the basem*nt, or an abandoned bird or squirrel nest up in the attic.
Can you see closet moth eggs? ›
Clothes moth usually live around 1 month, and lay 40-50 eggs on fabrics in dark, undisturbed places. These white eggs are tiny and invisible to the human eye. The eggs usually hatch after just 4-10 days, with white larvae emerging. These start off just a few millimetres long but grow in length up to 10mm.
Is it safe to wear clothes with moths? ›
Clothes moths aren't considered dangerous to people. They don't bite, sting, or contaminate food sources. However, clothes moths are considered to be dangerous to personal property. Their larval stage is the stage of development that causes the most damage to fabrics.
How do I get rid of moths once and for all? ›
DEEP CLEAN THE AREA
Remove everything from your wardrobe and drawers. Wash what can be washed and dry clean everything else. To be safe, this includes bedding, drapes and curtains which are in the same room. Vacuum your wardrobe, drawers, carpets, floors and all surrounding areas thoroughly.
Can clothes moths survive washing machine? ›
Moth eggs, larvae and adult moths can all be killed by a hot-water wash cycle or by dry cleaning. And any that remain in the closet can be vacuumed up or removed by scrubbing.
How long does it take to get rid of clothes moths? ›
So, clothes moths may live one month, eggs may take less than ten days to hatch, larvae will reach maturity in about a month and the pupate stage will last about two to three weeks. So to get rid of a moth infestation, you would need to hammer all stages for at least four to five weeks to break the life cycle.
