How to Get Rid of Clothes Moths: A Complete Guide

Published on May 21, 2025 by Eliana
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Your favourite clothes and precious family items can easily become damaged by clothes moths. Should you notice holes in your clothes or small moths in your closet, it’s not unusual. Over the years, many homes in America have dealt with these constant pests. This guide will teach you how to get rid of clothes moths, see why moths like to eat our clothes, What do clothes moths look like and keep them away for good.

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Why Do Moths Eat Clothes?

Have you ever wondered why do moths eat clothes and or enter our closet? The easiest answer is no. It is usually the larvae that destroy fibres, and not the adult moths. Clothes moth caterpillars are the ones to eat keratin, a protein found in animal-based fibres like wool, silk, cashmere, feathers, and fur. The larvae use these materials to build their bodies and develop into adult moths. That is why your warm woollen sweaters, fine silken scarves and even your rugs can appeal to these worms. Yet even these adult moths do not feed AT ALL and exist to lay their eggs on the suitable fabrics, which the offspring can eat from when they hatch.

How Do You Know If You Have a Clothes Moth Infestation?

The quicker you find a clothes moth infestation, the less the damage will be. Here is how you can figure out if a moth problem has occurred at your place:

  • Do a check on the clothes for the holes that have particularly irregular shapes in them, this usually happens in wool, silk, or fur clothing.
  • Silky tunnels or webs mostly on or near fabrics are the typical signs left by moth larvae.
  • Can you see tiny, sticky tubes (larval casings) clinging to clothes, rugs, or the corners of closets?
  • Would you notice any inordinate shedding from fur garments or a loopy damage on wool rugs?
  • Login to look for those small, pale, and sluggish moths which usually fly or crawl on fabrics, especially in dark, and rareky disturbed areas such as closets or storage boxes.

If you identify any of the above signs, you should immediately take any required steps to get rid of the clothes moths and then click here to learn more about how to get rid of clothes moths before the problem escalates.

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What Do Clothes Moths Look Like?

It is very important to know what do clothes moths look like so that are there for effectively managed. Clothes moths are tiny in size, usually no more than 1 cm long and have a pale yellow or greyish colour. They usually shun light and like to stay in dark and hidden parts. The pests of the clothes, which are the ones doing the real damage, are small and yellowish caterpillars with brown heads. Another way of detecting them is with their webbing or case trails, which will take the shape of small tubes or be spotted as small silky formations on the fabrics.

How to Get Rid of Clothes Moths

If you’re looking for advice on killing clothes moths, these effective ways are worth following:

Deep Clean and Declutter

Do away with all clothing and soft furnishings from infected areas. To keep the items, either wash or dry-clean them–clothes moths at a high temperature of water (over 120°F) or professional dry cleaning will kill larvae and eggs. Several clothes cannot be wash, so to clean them, you can use heat treatment by using a dryer, or low oven, or freezing them

Vacuum thoroughly

Clean your wardrobe, drawers, and carpets properly. Remove every crack, crevice, and dark corner that is infeste with moths and larvae. Moth expands into them. They can hide unseen all sorts of filth and garbage you might not think are actually there.

Discard Heavily Infested Items

If an item is so damage that the infestation is in a critical stage, it’s a good idea to get rid of it to avoid it from spreading.

Use Moth Traps

Harbour lures with pheromones in closets and storage areas. These lures can attract and capture male moths, stopping the breeding cycle and indicating the degree of infestation that you face.

Apply Moth Sprays

Insecticidal sprays that are suitable for clothes moths will be needed for significant infestations. Biological pesticides that are daisy-based insecticides, particularly chrysanthemum, can also be as effective and safe for most types of fabrics.

Store Clothes Properly

Make sure to get clean clothes properly store since body oils and food stains usually lure in moths. Put out-of-season clothes in airtight storage bags and also you can put natural repellents like cedar or lavender into the closet and drawers optionally.

Monitor and Repeat

Be sure to inspect potential moth locations frequently. Afterwards place new monitors every couple of months and in addition keep up with cleaning in order to prevent reinfestation.

Conclusion

Understanding How to get rid of clothes moths is necessary to preserve your clothes and living space. Spotting clothes moths, understanding their reason for eating clothing and acting right away can prevent them from damaging your possessions. Keeping your clothes clean, putting them away in a tight space and using traps/sprays will prevent moths from appearing. Steer clear of moth damage to your wardrobe by addressing the problem now and enjoying the security of knowing they are safe. Get the best help for your clothes moth problem by calling a specialist who has dealt with similar infestations.