Clothes Moths Ruining Your Holiday Outfit?

Has this ever happened to you? You know exactly what you want to wear to a party. It is a sweater that you only bring out during the holiday season. This year you bring it out and there is a hole. You must be going crazy, you don’t remember there being a hole last year. Well, you are not crazy, there probably wasn’t a hole last year. What could have happened? Clothes moths!
There are two common types of clothes moths, the Casemaking Clothes Moth and the Webbing Clothes Moth. Both of these pests damage clothing and fabric. Wool, silk, and furs are the most common target of clothes moths but in rare situations they have been known to destroy natural fibers such as rope and even cotton. Knowing a little bit about these moths can help you to protect your clothes.

The adult clothes moth you might catch flying around your vintage tablecloth is not the one who is actually eating it. Clothes moths eat fabrics when they are in their larval stage. That means no matter how many flying moths you kill, your clothes are probably still being damaged. The larvae of clothes moths are particularly attracted to items that have body oils or food residue on them. That means that before you put your sweater away you need to clean it. Even if your table cloth looks like no food has touched it, if food was served on it, make sure it is laundered before it is stored.

The next important step to prevent issues with clothes moths is to know where to store your clothes and fabric. When in the larval stage, clothes moths are attracted to spaces that are humid, dark and warm. Making sure that the closet or storage area you use is not humid can go a long way in helping to protect your fabrics. Keeping the area clean with regular vacuuming is important. If items are not going to be used for a long period of time, keeping them in tightly sealed storage bins or compression storage bags help. But, before you place your items in these containers thoroughly inspect them for moths or their larvae.

If you are having a problem with clothes moths you may want to use the trick our grandparents used and sprinkle moth balls on your clothes; this would be a mistake! The chemicals in moth balls are toxic to both humans and pets. There have also been cases when children have mistaken moth balls for candy (they do look a lot like Mentos) and have been injured. Lastly, who wants to smell like moth balls?

If you think you might have clothes moths the best idea is to contact Cowleys. We will actually inspect your closet, storage area, and fabric to determine the severity of the infestation as well as use targeted treatment methods, which means there will be minimal disruption to your home. Having Cowleys take care of this problem will give you peace of mind that everything from your expensive sweaters to your family heirlooms are safe from the ravages of clothes moths.