HOW TO GET RID OF CLOTHES MOTHS
The seriousness of your clothes moth problem will decide what actions you should take. The severity of your clothes moth infestation will determine the necessary actions. Combining various pest control methods is more effective than using just one method, regardless of the severity of the infestation.
The following steps will explain how to get rid of moths in your home. Alternatively, watch this video demonstration here.
INVESTIGATE SIGNS OF MOTHS
If you see clothes moths flying around or if you notice small holes in some of your clothes but aren’t sure, it’s a good idea to investigate further.
Check your wardrobe or soft furnishing for signs of moths. Remove all clothing out of the wardrobe and inspect for small holes or white cobweb like strands.
Pay special attention at clothes made from natural fibres like cashmere, wool and silk, inspecting them carefully for further evidence of moth damage. Next, check your soft furnishings for any signs of moths, this includes the underside of wool rugs, around the edges of carpets, the underside of sofa’s and footstools and the backs of curtains.
TIP - Moth larvae feed on the proteins found on bodily secretions and skin cells. They like dark, quiet places. Check collars, cuffs, armpits, crotches, and creased areas like pockets for evidence of damage on clothes. . When checking soft furnishings, check the pleats at the top of curtains, the creases in sofas and the underside of sofa’s and footstools.
MONITOR CLOTHES MOTH NUMBERS
If you find little evidence but are still concerned, deploy the moth trap box. This discrete box contains a glue-board inside that is impregnated with the pheromone of the female clothes moth. Male clothes moths will be attracted to the Moth Box and stick to the glue board if they are about. The pheromone lasts for 3 months so replace with refills at 3-month intervals.
Catching 1 or 2 moths a week indicates a light infestation, so you may wish to carry out a deep clean, store your clothes (described below) and check the Moth Box weekly for any spike in numbers. If the Moth Box fills up with moths in 1 or 2 weeks, then jump into action.
TIP – Place the Moth Box in dark areas preferred by moths such as under wardrobes and beds or behind bedside tables. DO NOT put the Moth Box inside a wardrobe or cupboard.
DEEP CLEAN
Once you have found evidence of moths, carry out a deep clean to remove the moths food source.
Starting with your wardrobe or drawers, take everything out, and either wash or dry clean as necessary. Vacuum the inside of the wardrobe paying attentions to gaps, cracks and crevices, wash down with soap and water.
Then turn to the room itself. Vacuum thoroughly to remove as much dust as possible. Pay attention to the edges of carpets underneath furniture, skirting boards and don’t forget where dust settles that you cannot see like the tops of curtain poles. You may need to move furniture to vacuum underneath.
Send soft furnishing such as curtains and cushion covers for dry cleaning.
TIP – If the infestation is rife in soft furnishing like sofas and footstools, and you know that the filling is animal based, then you may have to throw it out to avoid it re-infesting the rest of your house. If you can’t bear to do this, treat first with Chrysanthemum Moth Spray and monitor closely.
STORE CLOTHES CORRECTLY
Only ever put clean clothes back in the wardrobe. Even once worn clothes will have picked up skin cells and possibly minute food residues which are attractive to moths. Store out of season clothes and coats in moth-proof garment storage bags for folded items or hanging items.
USE NATURAL MOTH DETERRENTS
Once you have carried out a deep clean, prevent moths from returning with a range of products containing natural essential oil ingredients. These oils have a pleasant scent for humans, but they repel moths effectively. Place moth repelling hanging sachets in the wardrobe and anti-moth drawer sachets among folded items. For rooms and soft furnishing, place moth repelling room diffusers and use a natural anti-moth linen spray.
TIP – to maintain protection replace scented sachets every 6 months and spritz the moth repelling linen spray once a week.
GETTING RID OF CLOTHES MOTHS
For instant knockdown of a large infestation, use the chrysanthemum moth killer spray. The natural pyrethrum which kills adult moths, eggs and larvae is combined with the Total Wardrobe Care signature essential oil blend. Spray the inside of wardrobes during your deep clean and spray in whole rooms paying attention again to carpets and curtains.
TIP – Treating a room with chrysanthemum moth spray takes about 8 hours so plan it in, start early in the morning and follow the instructions on the label.
For a long-term solution deploy the moth decoy. This product disrupts the mating cycle and is placed discreetly in each room. The tablet is made of compressed wax power, infused with the female moth pheromone, so when male moths land on the tablet, they pick up powder and become confused and are no longer able to find a mate. They also begin to attract other male moths and the mating cycles is broken. Reduced mating means fewer eggs are laid and over a number of generations the population crashes.
TIP – If your rooms are large enough, use The Moth Decoy in conjunction with the Moth Box. Make sure they are placed at least 5 meters apart. Use the Moth Box to monitor the reduction in moths over the long-term period.
For a thorough step by step guide on how to deal with clothes moths in your wardrobe, read our guide 5 Steps to a Moth-Free Wardrobe and take a look at our Blog for industry insider hints and tips on how to get rid of moths but also how to care for, store and prolong the life of your clothes.
NEED HELP?
For further tips and advice on getting rid of clothes moths, head to our Blogs or Contact Us, we love talking about clothes moths!
As a quick recap, these are the products you will need to get rid of moths:
- Chrysanthemum Moth Spray - kills moths
- Moth Trap Box - kills male moths and monitors infestation
- The Moth Decoy - confuses male moths and interrupts the lifecycle
- Hanging Sachets - hang in wardrobe to repels moths
- Drawer Sachets - pop in drawers to repels moths
- Room Diffusers - repels moths from room
- Linen Spray - repels moths from soft furnishings