Clothes moths can be difficult to eliminate once they become established in a home. The insects are attracted primarily to animal-based fibers containing keratin, including wool, cashmere, silk and leather. Their larvae cause most of the damage by feeding on clothing, rugs and other household items.
According to evolutionary biology researcher Isabel Novick, clothes moths are highly resilient. Eric Braun, a technical services manager at Terminix, says they may sometimes enter through windows, although Novick believes they are more commonly brought indoors on infested items such as rugs, sweaters or leather jackets. Dense urban environments may also make accidental entry more likely.
Dirty clothing is particularly attractive to clothes moths because body oils provide smells and nutrients that the insects seek. Regularly cleaning clothing, rugs and other potential feeding areas can therefore help with both treatment and prevention.
The experts recommend contacting a professional exterminator rather than relying only on household sprays or traps. Before treatment, homeowners should locate the source of the infestation by checking cracks and crevices near affected areas for eggs, moths or cocoons. All potentially affected clothing and other items should then be sealed and treated.
Treatment options include professional dry cleaning, heat treatment or freezing. Leather jackets, wool coats and cashmere garments should be handled by a professional cleaner with experience treating clothes moths. Infested carpets should also be professionally cleaned or thoroughly vacuumed before an exterminator arrives. Washable items can be hot-washed and dried, while Novick particularly supports freezing as a treatment option.
Once cleaned, clothing should be kept in watertight, hard plastic containers. Some moths may chew through softer plastic, including certain vacuum-sealed bags, so those bags should not be treated as the only layer of protection. During professional treatment, exterminators may use dust or liquid residual insecticides to target adult moths, larvae and larvae that hatch later. Homeowners should ask which products are being used and whether they are suitable for children or pets when relevant.
Regular vacuuming remains important after treatment. Brush or rake attachments can help remove eggs from floors, rugs, baseboards, walls and furniture. Vacuum bags should be emptied immediately outside the home. Depending on the severity of the infestation, multiple extermination rounds may be necessary.
For prevention, homeowners should check that window and door screens are intact and inspect animal-fiber items before bringing them indoors. Secondhand wool clothing, for example, can be taken to a dry cleaner or frozen for several days. Garments should be cleaned regularly and stored in watertight, hard plastic containers when not in use.
Although lavender sachets and cedar blocks are commonly promoted as natural deterrents, Braun and Novick do not necessarily recommend them as reliable solutions. Their preferred preventive measures are regular washing, frequent vacuuming and careful storage.
In the account that prompted the expert advice, a major cleanup involved sorting through closets, discarding some garments and laundering or dry-cleaning others. A year after the professional treatment and extensive preparation, only a few moths had been seen and there had been no return to an infestation.
Sources: Apartment Therapy.