How to prepare for clothes moth season
The joy of Spring is upon us with flowers blooming, bees buzzing and birds singing. However, the longer days and warmer weather should serve as a reminder that this is the season that clothes moth numbers also bloom but don’t let this dampen your spirits; with the right knowledge and tools, clothes moths can be beaten and we at Total Wardrobe Care can provide both.
When do clothes moths emerge?
Warmer winters, central heating and an increasing popularity of clothes made from natural fibres mean that clothes moths are now a year-long problem.
There is, however, still a noticeable emergence in adult moths around April and May and a second wave in August and September. If you haven’t noticed them in your house just yet you will certainly notice an increase in articles about them in the national media at this time of year.
Any pest controller worth their salt will tell you that there is no single solution to a pest problem. To stay one step ahead of clothes moth you need to combine lots of methods but this needn’t be onerous.
Dealing with moths should just become part of your household maintenance duties along with mowing the lawn, clearing the gutters and pruning the hedges. So what can you do right now?
Spring clean clothes moth away
The first stage of moth control or moth prevention is to do a deep clean and what better time to do this than in Spring.
Empty your clothes out of wardrobes and drawers and vacuum inside, on top and underneath. Pay attention to cracks and crevices inside where dust settles as these areas are perfect egg-laying sights. You will need to move wardrobes and chests to vacuum underneath. If you can’t do it alone, enlist some help.
Vacuum the rest of the room and use the nozzle to really clean the edge of the carpets. If the dust is really engrained at the edges I find rubbing hard with a damp cloth works well to bring it out.
If your goal is moth prevention, a deep clean should be enough but if you definitely have a clothes moth infestation, take this opportunity to carry out a treatment with our Chrysanthemum Moth Spray.
Our unique, natural formulation kills adults, larvae and eggs on contact. Find out more about our spray and how to use it here.
Protect stored clothes from moths
Out of season clothes that are stored away for a whole season are like sitting ducks as far as clothes moths are concerned.
Left alone, undisturbed for months on end with an endless food supply of woolly jumpers is a clothes moth larva’s dream.
The larvae feed on the protein keratin which is found in natural animal fibres as well as skin cells, bodily secretions like sweat, and food residues.
It is imperative that winter woollies, coats and suits are stored away spotlessly clean. Either wash or dry-clean items before storing them away in mothproof storage bags.
Our selection of storage solutions includes stackable bags and hanging bags of varying sizes as well as stylish boxes. All have special mothproof features.
Keep moths away from clothes with our essential oils
With the added bonus of being natural and smelling gorgeous, essential oils are a great way of deterring female clothes moths from laying their eggs amongst your clothing and soft furnishings.
They are another trick to keep up your moth-eaten sleeve! Our selection of fragranced products features our May Chang and Vetivert blends, both unique to us and organically produced and blended by a perfumier in the New Forest national park.
Or try our cedar range which includes hanging blocks for rails and scented cedar balls which are perfect for drawers and pockets. All of our scented ranges include items that can be placed in drawers and bags with folded items or hung on rails or on coat hangers.
Stay one step ahead of clothes moth
The next step is to stay vigilant. This means checking clothes and soft furnishings regularly for damage. While you’re checking for holes, give the clothes a good shake.
Moths like peace and quiet so regular disturbance like this will deter them for making your clothes their home.
If you know you’re likely to forget to make regular inspections, an easy way to remain vigilant is to use a Moth Box.
This clever tool uses a sticky glue board, laced with the pheromone of the female clothes moth which attracts male moths and traps them inside. Only the male clothes moth can detect the pheromone. When placed discretely, underneath or to the side of the furniture, the moth box will catch adult male clothes moths and alert you to an infestation or tell you if your infestation is getting worse or better for that matter.
For full-blown infestations, you can bring out the big guns with the Moth Decoy. This clever product uses the same pheromone as the Moth Box.
The pheromone is formulated into a food-grade powder that sticks to males clothes moths when they are tricked into thinking it is a female moth.
This is a long term product that disrupts the mating cycle of clothes moths and reduces the number over every subsequent generation. You can find out more detailed information about the Moth Decoy here.
Need help with Clothes Moth?
As you can see, we have many products available to help you with ghastly clothes moths. If you need further information and advice have a look at our blog pages or give us a call, we love helping people with their clothes moth questions.
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