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Clothes moths wreaking havoc! how to get rid of?

EastDulwichRose

By EastDulwichRose
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EastDulwichRose

EastDulwichRose

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I'm having a problem with clothes moths, they have eaten into my lovely persian rugs and my cashmere cardigans!

Someone told me its the the moths larvae (caterpillars) that are the culprits and eat into natural fibres around the home.

Has anyone encountered the same problem and how does one get rid of them?

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ianc

ianc

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I had the same problem when I moved into this (rented) flat in 2011. I've tackled it in a few ways. Firstly, I got brutal and use the Rentokil "Insectrol" Moth Spray, around the flat and a little into the open spaces in wardrobes. Usually on my way out, so I don't need to breathe it.


Then I got the pheromone strips to hang in the back of each wardrobe. These are really effective if changed every 3 months, and there are usually a fair number of (male) moths on them each time I look.


Finally, the above will tackle them if you're strict, but I also squash with a tissue any moth I spot. Immediately... because all it takes is two to breed and you've got another cycle of larvae to deal with.


I'm (almost) moth-free with the above, though it took the first year to knock them down.

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DulwichFox

DulwichFox

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They are a Pain and they are back in town again..


I used to go to the trouble of catching them and taking them outside. !!


I used to place a shot glass over them and slide a playing card under the glass to trap them and then

release them outside.


Its futile, there were 100's 1000's of them. they eat my Axeminster carpets, my clothes, and my cashmere scarf.

That was the final straw.


I am sorry but I have had to resort to a Moth Spray. A quick burst when ever I see one.

I also have some electric plugin devices that attracts them (Blue light) but they not catch/kill many moths .


It's a nightmare.


What do they look like ?


images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTNvfglgLTHJUz-_Oa528-VBkg7NnCzNN10l2J6vpjG87bGEABdZJD8cEM


They are very small. 1/2 an inch or smaller


DulwichFox

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Penguin68

Penguin68

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The moths themselves are pretty harmless, save as potential parents, it is the grubs/ caterpillars which cause the damage. Killing existing grubs and then discouraging adult moths from laying more eggs are your two remedies, and you need to follow both. The eggs (and grubs) can last a long time, the grubs can even survive without eating - so constant vigilance is a watchword. If you have organic insulation in your loft, then you have created a constant banquet site.
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sedm

sedm

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I've had problems with this too.


The most effective way of killing them is extreme heat or extreme cold.


I emptied every single cupboard and draw and washed all clothes on a high heat. While clothes out, give cupboards/wardrobe serious clean. The items I suspected of harbouring eggs I also put in the freezer after washing on high heat.


This takes ages, and is laborious. But it is effective.


From then on I used moth balls/strips in wardrobe and cupboards to try and keep them away.

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niwoodbridge

niwoodbridge

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We have had real problems with moths also, seems to be something about the area. They have eaten lines straight through our carpets all over the house. We haven't been able to stop them doing this and have thought about getting someone in to clear them out (but kinda doubt it would work for long). But do agree with the other comments here, pheromone strips do help, you can get them at Sainsburys. You can also buy hanging moth killer (I know John Lewis do them), to keep with your clothes. Also found that keeping cupboards closed if possible can help a little bit as well. The horrid things do seem to get everywhere.


Good luck!

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PeckhamRose

PeckhamRose

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I recommend the 'bombs' (heck, CIA MFI FBI if you read this, HAAAA!) you can get from a certain well known on line auction place. Pheremone strips do work to a certain extent, but the bombs, whilst dramatic, are more efficient. Get the pets out the room, light the bomb placed in middle of room on a saucer, and it just fills the room with a smoke and kills everything within. It's dramatic, but it does work. But then you need to do it in each room in the house. We've done this and we have just a small flat, and we must have walked some in or something because we have noticed a few more moths in the last few days. The bombs also come with a back up powder you should put where you see the nests (under sofas on wool carpets for example), and a spray also.
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FatherJack

FatherJack

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JAYSUS!! PeckhamRose...nests??? The ?&@?!! are back in my home too, if they ever went away! I've sprayed, use traps but the bombs sound like a plan. I almost suffocated on the spray, is there a strong smell from the bombs?


Last Spring/Summer I done a moth patrol each night/morning, killing any I could see, but what do the nests, larvae, caterpillar look like, can you actually see them?


Currently my freezer is storing more fabric than food.

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PeckhamRose

PeckhamRose

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Well FJ I can't do smoke, I have seriously bad lung issues which mean I can't go near powder or smoke or sprays. So I leave the house for a couple of hours and He does it when I go so it will all have settled on my return. But yes, nests, on our foolishly and expensively bought all wool carpet... I was hoovering and saw something move by the small hole in the carpet and saw a heap of the bug gers. I took a deep breath, dumped powder on it, and left the house so He could continue. The nests I saw, you can see little moths crawling though I did not see caterpillars as such as I did not hang around to get a magnifying glass! Neither did I stay around to breathe in. There was a definite lack of moths after we bombed the place. But yes, we have seen some again this year so maybe we brought them in? Not sure. We're going away for a few days soon so he may bomb the rooms and hallway while I am loading up the bike!
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duffy10

duffy10

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If you have carpets the moths are likely to have laid their eggs in dark places, under sofas, under beds, around the edges of carpets, behind and in long curtains. They especially like to lay the eggs in dust and on clothes that have been worn and have traces of skin and body grease. This is why you should wash woollens before putting them away for the summer. If you look closely at infected areas of carpet or clothes you will see what looks like little rolls of dust, about 2cms long and pale grey. If there are several they may be sort of meshed together with a sticky looking substance. Inside these 'rolls' are the grubs. Eggs can live in the carpets for up to two years before hatching into grubs and eating their way out. The female moth dies after laying the eggs. The pheromone strips attract the male moths and break the mating cycle over time. You need to hoover the carpets well, especially around the edges then steam if you have a steamer and spray with the sprays shown in other replies. Dulwich DIY sells the strips and sprays or you can buy them more cheaply online.

It helps to not have too many crowded dark corners in rooms with carpets that don't get hoovered regularly or thoroughly.

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hettywainthropp

hettywainthropp

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It got so bad I took to storing my cashmere in the freezer. I eradicated the problem 2 years ago with a visit from Southwark pest control......saw one again last night and am horrified. I didn't realise they could survive for 2 years. What a serious pain in the ass. Serves me right for being smug.
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MarleyLover

MarleyLover

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A few years back I had a bad infestation in my kitchen, found moths in my food cupboard and was reluctant to spray because of health risks. However I decided to throw away all the packet foods and kept the tinned stuff only and used sprays, but after a a week or so notice they were back.


I contacted a pest control firm and was given a ludicrous quote, which outraged me as much as the moths.


That's when I got the idea to use my steamer - worked a treat!! no chemicals used! and better still - never seen a moth since!


I advise all to use a steamer but do a spot test first on certain fabrics/furnishings.

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