Clothes Moth Control Tactics Vital In Protecting Your Clothing & Other Posessions
January 15th, 2010 Posted in Pantry & Linen Pests
Ever taken some clothes out of the closet or attic and found holes in them? Some times moths get into your clothes and eat away at the fibers.
This leaves your clothes looking tattered and old, which isn’t really the look most people are looking for. With that said, it is vital to know how to protect your clothes and practice moth control tactics in your home.
Some Important Background On The Moth
The clothes moth feeds on wool, feathers, leather, lint, dust, hair, paper, cotton, silk, linens, and fibers. This is why the moth damages your clothes so extensively because they consider your closet to be a buffet of sorts. The clothes moth doesn’t fly towards lights at night like other species of moths and insects, but instead prefers the darkness of a closet, attic, garage, or storage chest.
Only the male clothes moth can fly, which is why you will only see the males flying around and the females hopping and running on the ground. Once the female clothes moth discovers a dark area with enough food she will start laying 40 to 50 eggs in about a day. These eggs will soon hatch in between 4 and 20 days.
After the larvae hatch they will begin to feast on the food surrounding them, which is most likely your clothes. Soon after feasting, the larvae will go make themselves a cocoon and then eventually begin growing into a pupa. After the pupa matures it too transforms, but this time into a fully grown adult moth. This whole life cycle takes about 65 to 90 days to complete.
How To Protect Your Clothes From Becoming Moth Food
Since the clothes moth feasts heavily on your clothing you must take measures to help protect your possessions. The adult clothes moth is relatively harmless because they don’t actually feed on your clothing; it is their larvae that feast upon the wool, silk, cotton, and more, while they mature. One way to protect yourself is to remove some of the things that attract the clothes moth to your wardrobe.
The clothes moth is attracted to stains on your clothes from beverages, urine, oil from hair, and sweat. So, wash and clean your clothes vigorously before storing them to help prevent the clothes moth’s larvae from snacking away on your favorite shirt or jacket. They often attack things that are left undisturbed for long periods of time, leaving the moths to peacefully eat holes in your clothes without worry.
You can also vacuum your home and clothes often to help prevent moths from spreading their seeds throughout your house. This will help to vacuum any existing eggs in your carpet or closet. By also placing your clothes in airtight drawers and containers you will prevent the clothes moth from ever getting into your clothes. Using mothballs is one of the most common methods of repelling the moths from your clothes. Mothballs are little balls soaked in pesticides and repellents that are really useful and easy to use.
Moth Control: Stopping The Clothes Moth Once & For All
So, what if the clothes moth have already overrun your closet or storage space? Well, then it is time to use EcoSMART’s organic pesticides throughout your home. Typically, it wouldn’t be safe to spray pesticides on your clothing because of the harmful chemicals they are made of, but with EcoSMART that is not the case.
All our products are made will all natural chemicals harmless to everything, but the insects we are removing from your home. Our organic pesticides are chemically engineered to only target the receptors found in insects, which means the pesticide is only harmful to the insect, not you, your family, your pets, or the environment. So protect yourself from damaged clothing, but stay green and use our product today.
8 Comments | The First 1,000 to Comment (Starting 12/21/2009) Will Become EcoSMART Product Testers!
By Christine Leonard on Mar 12, 2010
I have an infestation of clothes moths. I did a thorough cleaning last year and thought I handled the problem but they are back. They are after my ceremonial feathers and my clothes.
By EcoSMART Brian on Mar 16, 2010
Hello Christine Leonard,
EcoSMART can help you with all your clothes moth needs. By simply using our Flying Insect Killer most of your problem goes away.
Check it out here: http://www.ecosmart.com/shop/individual-products/flying-insect-killer.html
Thanks Christine.
By Erling Rheinlander on Apr 8, 2010
We have had a moth problem in this house since 1939. The moths population seem to rise and fall. We are knitters so have vast amounts of wool in raw form as yarn as sweaters, cloths.
We have a freezer just for the keeping of wool and will soon have another however the basic problem is that as we bring new wool into the house we can have a disaster if not watched all of the tine. We have a lot flees that we have had since the late 60’s and it is a problem protecting all of the wool in two buildings on 4 floors. My wife had to dispose of about 75 to 100 pounds of wool at one point and I have lost a whole wardrobe four tux,walker suites as well as and several other expensive suits.
MOTHS ARE NOT PRETTY!!!
we need a soultion to the constant threat of flying B-52’s that will eat us out of our home if we were to go away for any time..
By EcoSMART Brian on Apr 12, 2010
Hello Erling,
Sounds like you’ve had an extensive moth infestation for decades. Since the problem is so extensive, it might be prudent to get a professional exterminator to end the problem once and for all. I’m recommend our green affiliate EcoSMART Technologies.
http://legacy.ecosmart.com/Professional/default.asp
As always, try using our Flying Insect Killer for affordable & safe moth control.
http://www.ecosmart.com/shop-landing-page-2/flying-insect-killer/
By Crystal on Sep 6, 2010
I have a cockroach problem in my pantry and linen closet in my bathroom. I’ve tried bay leaves, catnip and baby powder, but they keep returning as we are in an apartment complex. I purchased Ecosmart’s canned spray for ant and roach killer, but the directions only state to use it under sinks, behind cupboards and behind appliances. I’ve found a store carrying your Home Pest Control spray, but will I be able to use this in my pantry and linen cupboards? Is it safe around food and clothes?
By Alex on Nov 4, 2010
My vacuum, freezer and washing machine have been my friends for the past week while thoroughly cleaning everything in my apartment after discovering that webbing clothes moths have taken up residence in my closets and heating ducts. I suppose that’s what I get for having a Newfoundland leaving hair everywhere. In any case, I’ve been looking for a product to use to prevent reinfestation of my closets other than diatomaceous earth and am happy to find a product that I can use around my dogs and cats. Hopefully it works as well as is claimed.
By Caroline on May 31, 2011
Hi,
I have clothes moth in my baby’s closet and drawers. Is it safe for me to spray on the clothes and inside the closet & drawers?
After I spray them, do I have to wash the clothes before putting them on my baby?
By Denise Gerace on Sep 12, 2011
Just noticed a lot of little beige moths, cleaned up wherever they seemed to be coming from, and now for two days they are showing up out of nowhere–have not been able to find a source. Mystifying. They probably are cloth moths, but no cloth nearby is infected. Wondering if Ecosmart products will do the trick–want to kill them, don’t want to smell mothballs. Thank you for your advice and help.