Prevent Clothes Moths

A number of practices can help to protect your clothes and furniture and keep clothes moths from infesting. These include:

• Where possible, keep humidity low, as clothes moths do not survive well in very dry areas.
• Keeping the home well-sealed will help keep pests of all types out, and keeping susceptible items in well-sealed containers will help protect them from the moths.
• Because clothes moths are most attracted to stains that have the nutrients they need to survive and thrive, it is important to keep household furnishings, carpeting, and clothing cleaned

• Moths can even survive in rarely cleaned areas where hair and dusts accumulates, such as beneath furniture and appliances, in cracks in floors or along baseboards, and in vents. Thus, it is important to keep these areas well vacuumed.
• Before storing clothing, fabrics, or craft materials of natural animal origin, clean thoroughly, then store in sealed containers.
• Items can also be periodically removed from storage, brought into the light, and well brushed - paying particular attention to hidden areas - to remove any eggs and larvae that may be on the pieces.

Repel Clothes Moths

Moth repellents can also help to protect clothing. These include:

• Moth balls, flakes, crystals. A traditional, proven repellent for moths, these are made of naphthalene or paradichlorobenzene. The chemical works by producing a vapor through evaporation that kills the moths. However, they must be in an airtight container to produce enough vapor to kill the insects.
  The disadvantages of this method of control is that the balls/flakes/crystals are toxic, so must be kept out of the reach of children, pets, and non-target animals, and that most people consider the odor left on the items to be very unpleasant. They can also damage plastic.

• Cedar. Some fresh cedars can contain enough oil to repel small larvae, but as it ages, it loses its oils and its effectiveness. However, if a cedar chest, or other storage unit of any material, is tightly sealed, it can effectively keep moths and other insects out.
• Lavendar. Sachets made with lavender, cloves, thyme and eucalyptus have been reported to repel clothes moths, however no conclusive studies are known to exist on this.
• Traps. Sticky traps labeled for clothes moths contain a pheromone (sex attractant scent) that attracts the male moths. When placed in areas where clothing is stored, the traps can be monitored to provide early warning of a new infestation. The traps provide very little control, however, so other control methods should be used if moths are caught in the trap.

Control Clothes Moths

• Temperature. Wash in hot water, or otherwise safely heat infested items, above 120 degrees F for at least 30 minutes; or freeze below 0 degrees F for three days. The freezing method is most effective if it is an abrupt change from room temperature or higher.
• Dry clean. If items, such as wool, cannot be laundered in hot water, they should be dry cleaned to kill and rid the item of all the life stages of the moth.
• Dry ice. Items can be loosely sealed in a thick plastic bag with dry ice (e.g., a 1/2- to 1-pound piece of ice in a 30-gallon bag). When the dry ice is vaporized and out of the bag (through the loose seal), seal the bag tightly for four days. Be very careful to not touch the dry ice as it can freeze skin upon contact.
• Insecticides. Insecticide spray labeled for clothes moths are available at hardware and home stores and other retail outlets. The active ingredient in these sprays is usually a pyrethrin, and can generally be sprayed directly on the infested items and moths, as they do not leave a toxic residue. Use only a product labeled for these moths and the area and application in which it is to be used, and read and follow all label directions. Also, be sure to check the product ingredients; if it has an oil base, it should not be sprayed directly on fabrics or items that can be stained by oils.
• Professional Service. If an infestation is very heavy, you may want to consider contacting a pest control company. There are commercial fumigation products containing Sulfuryl Fluoride labeled for clothes moths that are available to professionals, who may determine that this, or other professional treatment, will most effectively eliminate the infestation.

Article compiled from information by:

• University of California
• Colorado State University
• Connecticut Department of Public Health