How to Get Rid of Moths
The webbing clothes moth, Tineola bisselliella, is small and unobtrusive, but it can cause extensive damage to your favourite wool and silk clothing, carpets, furs, upholstery and blankets. There is nothing more irritating than getting out a favourite item of clothing to discover an uninvited visitor has dined on your cashmere.
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There are a variety of ways to control clothes moth, the most important being to prevent their arrival in your home in the first place. Check second-hand soft furnishings and clothes for tell-tale silvery-looking threads about an inch long. These are the larvae cases that show moths are present.
Moths are endemic in some areas and may well already be present in your home in carpets and in the dust under the floorboards. The answer here is preventing their spread.
Never put clothes away dirty. Sweat, hair oil and food stains attract moths and make it much more likely that your clothes will be attacked. If storing clothes for a season, clean them and put away in plastic storage bags.
Moths hate light and being disturbed. Their life cycle is about 21 days, so every month open your drawers and shake clothing. Alternatively, hang your rugs or clothing outdoors for a day in the sun. Larvae are strongly repelled by light, and will fall from clothing when they cannot find protection.
Freezing also kills moths. For items that cannot be hot washed, wrap in plastic and place in the freezer for a day.
Mothballs containing the chemicals naphthalene or paradichlorobenzene are only a partial solution. The balls produce vapours that, in sufficient concentration, will slowly kill insects. The vapours build up to the required concentration only in an airtight container. If the container is not airtight, the chemicals only weakly repel adults and any larvae already on clothes continue to feed. In addition, the balls give off a distinctive and unpleasant smell that can be very difficult to remove even after cleaning. They are poisonous and must be kept away from children and pets.
Many people think cedar chests or cedar balls that hang in closets help prevent moth damage. Cedar wood does contain an oil that can kill small larvae, but it does not affect large larvae. After several years, in any case, the cedar loses this quality. Having the chest tightly constructed is more important in the long run than the type of wood used to make it.
To prevent and reduce moth infestations, regularly cleaning is essential. Thorough vacuuming under beds and along baseboards, in wardrobes and behind heaters will help. Empty the bag straight away, as it may harbour eggs, larvae, or adult moths.
