Clothes moths wreaking havoc! how to get rid of?

[Sue]

There have been a couple of threads on here about moths. It's a common problem.

I had a very bad infestation some years back.

Served me right because I ignored the first couple of moths I saw.

Then I got wall hangings, cushions, carpet and clothes eaten (by the larvae, not the moths). I even found moths in amongst a pile of towels in my bathroom :(

I tried loads of non-chemical things like lavender and sandalwood, and sticky traps, and none of them worked.

In the end I resorted to chemicals, which did work.

However do be aware that those paper strips and hanging things for wardrobes and drawers need to be replaced every six months (I think) and in my experience you need to do this scrupulously. I have started writing the date on them so I know how long they have been in use.

I thought I had got rid of all my moths, but then they started to come back, which was when I realised that chemicals on strips etc don't last indefinitely.

You also need to kill any moth you see. This is easier said than done sometimes - the females in particular can slide very quickly under very small gaps. I now keep a spray of Rentokil moth killer to hand in almost every room because if a moth is on the ceiling for example, it is very hard to get at it to squish it :(

The moths you get in food are a different species I think.

[PeckhamRose]

Yes, indeed, clothes moths aren't keen on food and vice versa....

As previously advised, clothes-moths-BOMB the place. There are some good ones on the bay of E so getting bommin'!

[hpsaucey]

I've so far avoided painting any of the walls on my flat - all currently white - makes the little bu**ers much easier to spot and zap asap!

HP

[helenblack]

These little things are so annoying & frustrating!!

Seen a few in my bedroom over the past couple of weeks, i think some are in my wardrobe : (

Thanks for the tips, i will be purchasing some of those strips.

[PeckhamRose]

Strips are of limited use. Use the bombs. Go on ebay and look for clothes moth bombs. We have had so far this year hardly seen any so they must have worked when we bombed the flat last Autumn. I like writing the word bomb, I imagine CIA and FBI are now watching our little forum.

[uncleglen]

I had an infestation and found the blighters were breeding profusely in a corner of an Ikea Persian rug under heavy furniture- said rug was obviously untreated or whatever other carpet providers do.

[Ladysaw]

Great imformative thread . I've been getting lots lately as well.

[uncleglen]

If any of you have an Ikea 'persian' rug you might want to have a thorough inspection of it the little blighters love them...

[Jennys]

Farmers in Lordship Lane sell lots of anti moth products.