Clothes Moths –   A Serious Pest Problem in Home

Have you ever spotted small holes in your clothes while taking those out from drawers after a gap of few weeks? If yes, clothes moths is the most likely culprit. It is a small insect whose larvae feed on natural materials such as wool, silk and fur.

Pest infestation is really frustrating as it takes time and a lot of efforts to get rid of it. Clothes moths can become a serious problem if not taken care.

How to spot clothes moths?

Before eliminating, you first need to recognize the problem. Usually there are no apparent signs of cloth moth untill you discover the damage done by the insect. Here are few ways to spot cloth moth –

1. Visible small holes in your clothes? The storage area of your home might be infested with cloth moth.
2. Excessive shedding from furs.
3. Tiny tubes clinging to the cloth. This is actually a home of cloth moth larvae.
4. Presence of cloth moth insect under clothes in storage areas. Some insects will fly away and some will crawl. The Webbing Clothes Moth is one of the most common types of clothes moths in USA. This is generally light yellow in color and has a shiny luster. Casemaking Clothes Moth and Tapestry or Carpet Moth are also common and both are slightly dark brown in color.
5. Cloth moth larva are creamy white in color with a brown head.

How to Treat Cloth Moth?

Cloth Moth Trap – Set the cloth moth trap in storage area like walk-in-closet, under drawers, or under your bed.

Regular Vacuuming –  Clothes moths generally infest carpets and baseboards. Regular vacuuming keeps a check on clothes moths by removing any eggs.

Dry Cleaning – We generally pack the winter clothes in summer and keep these in closets or drawers. It is advisable to dry clean your jackets etc to keep the moisture away. This prevents the infestation of clothes moths.

Exposure to Heat – Keep the infested material under sun or at a place which stays warm (120 degrees Fahrenheit or 50 degrees Celsius for 30 minutes plus) such as attic.

Fabric Freeze – You cannot wash some fabrics and outside weather doesn’t allow you to keep it under the Sun. In this case, seal the items in a plastic bag and store these in refrigerator for about 12 hours. Extreme cold will kill egg larvae and insects.

Buy natural moth spray.

Call a professional – In case of extensive infestations, call a professional exterminator who will use chemical insecticides to control these bugs.

To keep cloth moth away, keep your clothes clean, do not stack these, and vacuum regularly.