9 Ways to Eliminate Clothes Moths

The annoying insects known as clothes moths can ruin your clothes by entering your wardrobe. Particularly, their larvae eat fibres derived from animals, such as wool, mohair, cashmere, fur, and feathers—all opulent materials. In many cases, people’s vintage or heirloom possessions are the ones made from them.

There are a number of methods and techniques that don’t involve the use of pesticides or pest technicians which can eliminate and prevent moths. However, they’ll only work if you identify them quickly and act at the first signs of their presence. Otherwise, you’ll need to get a pest control inspection to use more serious treatments.

Early identification of clothes moth presence

Before doing anything, begin by identifying whether you’re really dealing with clothes moths. Other bugs also feed on clothing items but are a lot easier to get rid of than moths, which include carpet beetles, hide beetles and larder beetles. Unlike moths, these species usually have a long life cycle, are easier to eliminate and their eggs can be easily picked up by a vacuum. In contrast, moth eggs are a lot smaller and stickier. 

The sight of a single moth doesn’t mean there is an infestation. Most moths in people’s homes are actually there feeding on their houseplants. Any specimen longer than one centimetre is unlikely to be eating your clothes. Only two moth species can damage your textile items. These are the casemaking and the webbing clothes moth. Both are only around one centimetre in length and yellow or grey in colour. If you notice a moth that looks like this, check your clothes for small holes. 

Keep in mind that simply eradicating all the flying moths won’t solve the problem. This is because it’s their larvae that cause the damage. Moth larvae are attracted to dark, warm, humid spaces and dirty clothing, especially items which have been put away unwashed and have lingering body oils or food residue on them. To confirm if moths are really responsible for the holes in your clothes, search for a web that looks like dried snot left behind by larvae.

Eliminating clothes moths from your home

If you have found clothes moths or other fabric-eating bugs, there are several actions you can take to get rid of them.

#1 Disposing of the infested items

First, discard any moth-infested items. If the clothes are severely damaged, they will be beyond repair. No matter how valuable the item, it’ll be best to remove the infestation.

Make sure that you also tidy up your whole wardrobe and vacuum the area where you’ve kept your clothes. Afterwards, remove the vacuum bag and throw it away outside. If not, it will be teeming with moth larvae and eggs. Move your furniture and clean the area underneath it while you’re doing your spring cleaning. Consider also a carpet steamer to deep clean any rugs made of natural fibres.

#2 Dry cleaning any infested items

Thoroughly clean the clothing pieces you decide to keep. Dry cleaning will be the most effective method to kill moth larvae. It’ll be particularly beneficial to invest in this service for any items made out of wool so you don’t risk ruining them. 

#3 Heating clothing to kill moth larvae

Instead of using dry cleaning, opt to wash your clothes in hot water above 50°C. Make sure to check their labels beforehand. Many wool textiles can shrink and feel rough if they’re laundered in hot temperatures.

#4 Freezing clothing to kill moth larvae

Instead of dry-cleaning or washing, you can use the freezing method. However, this treatment is effective only if the shift from hot to cold happens abruptly. For instance, quickly change from 20°C to -20°C. Additionally, keep the clothes in the freezer for a minimum of 72 hours after they have frozen. Note that freezing won’t solve a moth problem on its own.

#5 Airing clothing to kill larvae

A combination of sunlight exposure and vigorous brushing of the infested items can kill moth eggs and larvae. However, expect this treatment to be very laborious and dirty. You should also take care to avoid bringing moth eggs or larvae into your house.

#6 Using moth repellents

There are several moth repellents available, but you should take note of certain factors. These options include:

• Cedar and other herbal smells. Cedar and other herbal smells, such as lavender and chrysanthemum, can repel moths. However, it is unclear how effective they are. Some people believe cedar chests are good for clothes storage, but that is because of their airtight seals.
• Mothballs. Mothballs are an effective moth deterrent, but they should be used as a last resort. If you choose to utilise them, follow the instructions provided by the manufacturer closely. Insufficient amounts won’t have enough concentration to eliminate the moth larvae. However, mothballs are a kind of insecticide, and breathing in too much of their vapours might make you sick. Make sure to keep them safely closed within the storage containers and store them somewhere that is out of the reach of kids and dogs.
• Pheromone traps. Resort to using pheromone traps only as a last option. They can destroy adult male moths and break their breeding cycle. These traps are specifically designed for webbing clothes moths and don’t work for other common moth species. 

Replace all of these moth-repelling options at least every 6 months.