This little insect looks like something out of a science fiction film, and the amount of damage it can do to your clothes is horrific. So much damage that your clothing can become riddled with holes that are unsightly and can quickly turn your favorite dress or outfit into a rag.
Luckily, there are some simple ways that you can keep them away from your closets and keep your clothing looking great for the long run.
Look for the Signs of Moths
The first thing is to determine whether or not you have a problem with moths or not. Perhaps you have seen a moth or two flying around in your home, but aren’t quite sure how far reaching the issue is, you can look for these signs.
- Are their tiny holes in your any of your clothes?
- Do your clothes look dusty, discolored or have a musty smell?
- Are there webs in the corner of your close or on your clothes themselves?
Get out the traps!
If you find that you have an immediate need to get rid of the moths in your closet, you can easily set out some traps to get rid of them. These traps are made from a sticky material with a pheromone attached that attracts the moths and keeps them from escaping.
Making your own moth traps is also an easy process, you just need to put some fish oil on some flypaper and hang them in your closet. You can also use the same traps that have been designed for mice as well.
Wash all your clothes!
This may be a tedious task, but it is very important that you wash every piece of clothing that you have because if you don’t, you may not be getting rid of the moth eggs that attach to your clothing. You should follow the instructions on your clothing as to the proper care for them, but it is best if you can run them through a dryer that is hot.
For those that are not able to go in a hot dryer, you can put them in the freezer for a few days in order to kill eggs that may have found their way into your clothing. You should also wash any type of fabric that you normally store in your closet. This may include linens, bags and suitcases as well as other containers that you may have stored there.
Clean your closet shelves
After you have removed everything from your closet, you will need to clean it well. This means using soapy water or vinegar and water to clean the shelves and walls of your closet. This will get rid of any other moth eggs that may have stayed behind. You should also be sure to vacuum the carpet of your closet and bedroom as well because eggs may be found in your carpet also.
Preventing Moths in the Future
Probably one of the best ways to get rid of moths is preventing them in the first place. It is quite a task to get rid of an infestation after it has already taken place, but if you take some proactive steps, you will be able to prevent their occurrence and save your clothing.
Brush out Your Clothing
Have you ever wondered how moths invade your space in the first place? The answer is they take a free ride into your closet off of your clothes where they then hatch and have plenty of food to eat. Unfortunately, they love to eat our clothing so their existence is not that great for us.
By brushing out wool and fur clothing before you put them back in the closet, you will be keeping moths from riding along with your favorite outfits into the free buffet that is also known as your closet.
Keep your clothes clean!
You should only put clothing that has been thoroughly cleaned back into your closet. Moths love to snack on wool and are more likely to enter your closet if you have stains and other items on your clothing that they enjoy eating. You should always wash and dry your clothes before you hang them back up and dry clean your wool items before you choose to store them.
Store Clothing
Make sure that you only keep out the clothes that you are wearing. For example, you should keep winter clothes stored during the summer and summer clothes stored during the winter. This not only gives you more room in your closet, but can help prevent your clothes from wearing and protects them from moths that may appear throughout the year.
Make sure your Closet is Cool and Well-Ventilated
Moths love humid climates and if you keep the air moving in your closet, you can avoid setting up the perfect spot for them to live in. Also, if your closet is cooler, they may decide to move on and find a warmer place to find their next meal.
Air out your Laundry!
Let your clothes get some sunlight occasionally, especially if they have been packed up in storage for the winter or summer. It will help them look and smell fresh and moths will hate the experience.
Use Cedar Hangers and Hang Mothballs
Let your clothes get some sunlight occasionally, especially if they have been packed up in storage for the winter or summer. It will help them look and smell fresh and moths will hate the experience.
There are two things that moths hate the most, cedar and mothballs. If you hang your clothing on cedar hangers, you will be able to prevent moths from sticking around. However, these can be rather expensive, but you can also hang blocks of cedar throughout your closet which may be more cost effective. You can also hang mothballs in your closet as well, but they tend to have a unique scent that can rub off onto your clothes.
Moths and your Carpet
Now, let’s talk about a fabric that you may not have thought about when it comes to the infestation of moths, your carpet.
While most of the focus on the treatment and prevention of moths reside in the clothing themselves, you will actually find that moths can be found in your carpets, rugs and drapery as well.
In fact, if you have completed all the steps listed above and still find that you have an issue, moths have probably found their way back into your closet by hiding in your carpet and draperies while you completed your cleaning process.
Moths are not the only bugs that love your carpet; you can also find fleas, bed bugs and dust mites hiding among the fibers as well. Besides damaging your clothing, these freeloaders can actually cause harm to the health of your family as well.
For example, they can cause skin irritation as well as allergies. People with asthma have even seen an increase in their asthma and may have attacks more often if there is a severe infestation of bugs in their home.
How do you treat this problem? By regularly having your carpets, upholstery, rugs and drapes cleaned professionally. Once you notice an infestation of moths, it is best to schedule an appointment to have these areas cleaned right away.
You can easily have your carpet cleaned while you are cleaning your closet. This will help ensure that the issue has been eradicated and that your home will now be bug free.
Having your carpet cleaned by a professional is the best way to keep your carpets fresh and your home free from allergens. Be sure that you choose a company that does not use harmful chemicals that will leave behind residue.
The best method of cleaning your carpets is hot carbonation extraction. This method leaves behind little to no residue and will make sure that your carpet dries faster than it would with other cleaning methods. This helps prevent dirt and particles that are in the air from sticking to the fibers of your carpet as it continues to dry.
Conclusion
Moths can be extremely irritating and can ruin an entire closet worth of clothes quickly. At the first sign of moth trouble, you need to be proactive and eliminate the problem quickly. While most moth issues can be taken care of on your own by following these simple tricks, extreme situations may call for an exterminator.
When you make clothing purchases, you want them to last a long time and be durable throughout the lifetime of a typical piece of clothing. Moths can wreck that plan and cause a perfectly good piece of clothing to be ruined in a few moments. By preventing and protecting your clothing from moths, you will be able to protect your pocketbook as well and prevent unnecessary purchases of clothing.
By taking a proactive approach to preventing moths and by having your carpets, rugs, draperies and other fabrics cleaned regularly, you will not only be able to keep your home free, but your family healthy and happy as well.
