Get Rid of Moths In Your Clothes and Closet - Cleaning Required!

A customer recently brought us three sweaters and each had one or two holes is them. What could have caused this problem?  We don’t have equipment here that punches holes in clothes so we sent one of the sweaters to a garment testing lab to learn why this happened.

The report said moths had caused the holes and if you look carefully at the photo to the right, you can see the holes and the uneven pattern made by moths eating the wool.

When moths lay their eggs, the larvae hatch and begin to hunt for food.  The larvae won’t touch cotton, silk or synthetics.  They prefer fabrics made from animals like wool, fur and feathers, especially when they are soiled by perspiration, pet hairs and food.  The larvae tend to stay away from well-cleaned clothes (yes, this is true!)

If you find that you have a moth problem, here is what you need to do:

1. Remove all clothes from the closet and launder or dry clean all of them.

2. Vacuum the closet thoroughly, getting into all of the corners and cracks.

3. Place moth repellent, cedar blocks, lavender or tansy inside the closet.  Moth balls can be used but should not contact the fabric.  Place moth balls from a hanger on the inside or garments bags because the fumes are typically heavier then air and tend to move to the bottom of the closet.  Follow safety instructions on repellents carefully.

4. Check for signs of moths regularly and replace the repellents when the odor fades.

5. Clean the inside of closets regularly to prevent the build up of dust and debris that might attract moths.

Most dry cleaners (including Comet Cleaners of Denton) have moth bags available for a small charge that can help with this.

Here is a link to Wiki.Answers.com for their view on getting rid of moths.

We Can Improve Improve the Water Repellency of Your Rain Coat, Sleeping Bag, Jacket or Hat. Comet Cleaners in Denton Texas at 507 W. University Dr.