Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 2: Fighting a pest
• Method 2 of 2: Preventing a pest
• Tips
• Warnings

There are three types of moths in the Netherlands that are fond of wool, silk, cashmere and other textiles: the clothes moth, the fur moth and the brown house moth. They prefer to live in dark places, such as your wardrobe. They lay their eggs on animal fibers, such as wool, which then immediately serve as food for the larvae as soon as they hatch from the eggs. But wool and cashmere, their favorite food, can be very expensive, and besides, you don't want to lose your favorite sweater. Protect your clothing by effectively preventing or controlling moth infestations.

To step

Method 1 of 2: Fighting a pest

1. Locate the source of the pest. The first step is to find out where the moth infestation comes from. Look for holes in garments made of animal material to discover where the moths laid their eggs, as it is usually the larvae that will eat your clothing as soon as they hatch. What often happens is that someone buys a second-hand item of clothing that already contains eggs, causing the plague to end up in their own wardrobe.
   • Depending on both the economic and emotional value of the garments, as well as the severity of the plague, you can decide to have the garments cleaned and repaired or, perhaps the cheapest and safest option, to throw away.
2. Clean the garments. All clothing made of wool or other animal products will need to be steamed. Tell the dry cleaner that the garments have moths in them, so they must use chemicals that kill the moth eggs. All other clothing must be washed at a high temperature, preferably at 90ºC, so that all stray critters are dead.
   • End this process by letting the wax dry in the sun, that will kill the larvae too.
3. Clean your closet. After you have found the source and your clothes are clean, you will need to give your closet a good clean. Moth eggs can be in all kinds of places, at the top and bottom of your shelves, and even against the ceiling. Vacuum and dust well, especially in the corners and pieces of cupboard that are covered with carpet, for example.
   • Moth eggs can also be hidden in carpets or under furniture, so it's important to vacuum well everywhere.
   • While you don't need to use a special spray for wood surfaces, as it is a good dusting facility, there are specialty products you can buy to get rid of moths from your clothes and carpet.
4. Use a pheromone moth trap. These traps lure male moths with a powder that contains the pheromones of female moths. The powder then sticks to their wings, causing the males to send false signals that they are females. Because both males and females no longer know who to mate with, the reproductive cycle is effectively ended.
5. Use mothballs. Mothballs are an effective means of killing moths. They contain transfluthrin, which is a fast-acting insecticide that works by contact and inhalation.
   • Garments such as jackets can be protected by putting mothballs in the pockets.
   • Caution: Using mothballs around children and pets can be very dangerous, especially if swallowed.
   • Garments that have been covered with mothballs must be washed before you can wear them.
   • If you experience headaches, nausea, dizziness, or vomiting after coming into contact with mothballs, stop using them and throw them away.
6. Iron your clothes. With high temperatures you kill the moth eggs and larvae. So if you run a hot iron over your clothes, the eggs and larvae inside will die.
   • You can iron wool just fine, unless the label says that this is not allowed, or if it says something like "dry clean only". If you are not allowed to iron the garment, set your iron to the "Wool" setting, turn on the steam function and then iron it inside out with a cloth between the wool and the iron.
7. Freeze the wool. Larvae and moths die at sub-zero temperatures. If it is cold enough in winter, you can put your clothes outside for a day. Otherwise, you can also put the garments in the freezer for a few days without a plastic bag.
   • If you wash your clothes first, make sure that everything is completely dry before putting it in the freezer, otherwise ice crystals can form in the fabric.
   • Some sources state that it is better to freeze your clothes in a plastic bag for a week to make sure all the bugs are dead.
8. Smoke them out. If all methods of getting rid of the moth infestation have failed, you can always call a professional pest control company. There are often emergency numbers that you can call for a quick appointment. While this is probably the most expensive option, you can be sure to get rid of the pest.
   • Call a pest controller by searching the internet for moth infestation and your place of residence. Then you will find different companies that can help with a plague, and you can compare the prices on their websites.
   • Do know that if you choose this, toxic pesticides will often be used. You, your housemates, or pets may not be allowed into the treated area for a day or more.

Method 2 of 2: Preventing a pest

1. Take a good look at all the clothes you just bought. Especially if the garment is second-hand, regardless of what fabric it is, you should check carefully that there are no signs of moths. It could be that there are small caterpillars on the garment, which can then end up in your closet.
   • Look out for fine spins, or empty pockets that have contained clothes moths.
   • Bags of fur moths get the color of the substance they are eating. That's why you should always keep an eye out for multiple, suspicious little holes, as that's the most obvious sign of a moth infestation.
2. Keep your closet clean. Clean your closet regularly from top to bottom; moths prefer to live in a dark place where they are not disturbed. Move your things around, take your clothes out of your closet, wipe the shelves with a cloth with all-purpose cleaner, and vacuum the floor and drawers.
3. Keep your clothes clean. You may think that cotton or synthetic clothing is safe as long as you store the wool elsewhere. But moths also like to eat dander, and they like sweat and food scraps. Make sure your clothes are always clean when you put them back in the closet.
4. Store your clothes in airtight containers or bags. You can take plastic boxes with a lid, or bags that you vacuum with the vacuum cleaner. This is especially useful in the spring and summer. You can also add mothballs to be on the safe side. You can find these types of bags and bins at Blokker or Hema, or online.
   • Be careful, because storing your clothes will only prevent new pests; if there are already eggs in the fabric, they will just hatch and eat your clothes. Make sure your clothes are clean before putting them away.
   • Make sure the bins, bags and your clothes are dry, otherwise you will get mold.
5. Use cedar. The strong scent of cedar can protect your clothes from moths. You can buy a cedar wardrobe, but if it's too expensive, hangers, cubes, or even cedar essential oil are an affordable option.
   • There is some evidence that Juniperus Virginiana (Juniper) contains an essential oil that can kill small moth larvae. But in a wardrobe, there is likely to be too much air circulation that won't kill the oil, although it will keep adult moths at bay.
   • Juniperus Virginiana only works for a few years. After a while the oil has evaporated, so it no longer scares the moths.
6. Use natural remedies to deter moths. For centuries, certain foods and herbs have been used to keep moths at bay. The theory is that moths don't like certain strong smells. Recent research shows that cinnamon, cloves and lavender are effective in controlling moths.You can make bags of these herbs or put a bowl of essential oil in your cupboard.
   • Certain aromatic herbs, such as bay leaf, eucalyptus, lemon zest and mint, have not been shown to work, according to this study, so be aware of which herbs you take.
   • Note that these scents are difficult to get out of your clothes, in case you or your roommates think they stink or are allergic to them.
7. Check your clothes from time to time. If you are trying to prevent an infestation for the first time, or you don't want to get another infestation, make sure you check your clothes regularly. Watch for signs of an infestation, which usually means suspicious small holes in your clothing.
   • While this is especially important for those months when your clothes aren't in plastic bags or bins, it's still good to check them out a year after you've put them away. Adult moths live for 75 to 80 days, and the eggs hatch after 4 to 10 days. If there are moth eggs in your stored clothing and you don't notice it, you will find out months too late that all your clothing has been ruined.
   • It's always a good idea to shake out your clothes and put everything in different places, because moths don't like to lay their eggs in places where they are often disturbed.

Tips

• Avoid buying wool or fur clothing second hand, as this is the most common cause of moth infestations. If you really want to buy something secondhand from an animal material, make sure to wash it before putting it in your closet.
• All natural textile items, including carpets, chairs and sofas, can suffer from moth infestation, so act quickly as soon as you see the first signs of it.
• When it gets colder, don't turn on the heating in your bedroom as this will make the room less inviting to moths and other pests.

Warnings

• Always read the directions for use on chemical moth sprays and balls. They can be poisonous.