How do you get rid of clothing moths? Here is all you need to know about wool moth control.
All kinds of pest issues affect humans.
These include crop, household, garden, tree, and structural pests, among other categories. Their destructive nature makes these pests highly undesirable.
The longer a pest problem lasts, the more difficult it gets to contain it.
Clothes Moth Extermination Guide
Clothes moth is one pest we’ll be discussing here. As the name signifies, these moths target and cause damage to clothes and other items made from synthetic or natural fibers.
There are also cases of allergies that result from moth feces and cast molts or skins. Getting rid of wool moths helps put a halt to such problems.
What Attracts Clothes Moths?
Finding solutions to house moth problems first identifies the cause of their presence.
In other words, you need to figure out what the attraction is or how they got in. Clothes moths are initially attracted by outdoor lighting.
They dance around such lights when they come around and won’t hesitate to explore your home. Clothes moths will enter your home through open windows, cracks, or doors.
When they do, they seek suitable nesting and feeding sites.
Your closet will likely have the right conditions, such as being secluded, humid, and dark. Now, this might sound a bit confusing because we earlier said clothes moths are attracted to light.
If so, why do they seek out dark, secluded areas within your home?
It’s simple; they need such locations to nest and reproduce. Eggs in your stored clothing (in dark closets) are safe from damage and predators.
Let’s consider the entry routes primarily used by clothes moths to get into your home.
-
Entry Routes Used by Clothes Moths
Besides getting in through open windows, doors, or cracks, clothes moths will exploit other entry points.
These include being transported into the home through used or second-hand furniture, second-hand clothing, in grocery bags, or could hitch a ride on your clothes.
How to Get Rid of Clothing Moths for Good
Having identified a clothes moth problem, you’re left with finding an urgent and reliable solution to such.
Effective treatment strategies include dry cleaning, washing, freezing, and heating. All of these approaches will destroy clothes, moths, and their eggs.
Let’s discuss these points further.
i. Dry Cleaning Treatment for Clothes Moths
Clothes moth’s problems can be combated by simply taking your clothes to the dry cleaners.
Here, most of the solvents used for cleaning kill both clothes, moth eggs, and larvae. An infestation will require getting all your clothes cleaned through this technique.
This approach ensures infested items aren’t left behind as these can lead to a resurgent problem. However, not all garment types may be suitable for dry cleaning.
You may need to have them laundered by hand or placed in a laundry machine.
ii. Washing Treatment for Clothes Moths
To ensure this method is effective, empty your closet of all clothing and have them washed.
A more effective washing strategy involves the use of hot water. However, paying attention to the type of garment you wish to wash with hot water is necessary.
Some are only tolerable to warm or cold water.
Sort these out and have each washed accordingly. Using this treatment technique, you should be able to rid your clothing of moth larvae while destroying their eggs.
iii. Freezing Clothes Moths
Moth larvae and eggs are destroyed under extreme temperature conditions. Based on this knowledge, consider having your clothes frozen for about a week.
To be effective, have infested items placed in a plastic bag and seal. Place in the freezer for about a week. Clothes moths should be unable to survive.
You may have to freeze the clothes in batches if there are many. However, this technique has limitations because it takes a long period (about a week) to freeze a single set of clothes.
This wouldn’t be a problem when the items to be treated aren’t much.
iv. Getting Rid of Clothes Moths by Heating
Another extreme temperature clothes moths can’t survive the heat. Here, all that’s needed is to have your clothing or fabrics in the dryer. Only dryable items should go in.
Set on high heat and allow to run for about 30 minutes to kill these moths effectively.
Are these Treatment Methods Enough?
There are situations where people have complained about clothes moth problems persisting after implementing various treatment measures.
A possible reason for that is an improper implementation of treatment strategies. Not treating all affected clothing is likely to prolong the problem.
What more? Ignoring basic preventive measures will likely lead to ongoing issues with comprehensive clothes moths elimination. So, what are these preventative treatments?
Let’s find out.
Clothing Moth Preventive Measures
The adoption of preventive treatments helps prevent future clothes moths infestations.
This involves simple strategies like periodic inspection of all clothing, setting traps around, regular vacuuming, finding ways to address humidity issues and the use of mothballs.
Other preventive measures include proper storage of clean garments and limiting the use of outdoor lighting. Let’s have a look at some of these points.
i. Periodic Inspection of Clothes
Once in a while, you should monitor your clothes to see if they’re in good condition.
Unexplainable holes on such garments are a possible sign of clothes moths’ presence. Have your closets and drawers emptied once a year for such inspection.
ii. Proper Storage of Clean Garments
How you store your clean garments will determine whether or not clothes moths will get access to them. The best way to do this is by using airtight containers.
Clothes moths aren’t able to have access to such.
iii. Limiting the Use of Outdoor Lighting
We earlier said clothes moths are attracted to lighting. From there, they’re able to get into your home.
To prevent this from happening, consider only using outdoor lighting when necessary. This makes your home unappealing to them.
Getting rid of clothes moths follows all the above strategies. You’ll have to be intentional about your efforts to ensure a moth-free home.