https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/moth-holes Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Thu, 16 Apr 2026 08:54:43 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/moth-holes#post-874471 Mon, 11 Mar 2013 14:56:39 +0000 Anonymous 874471@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I do much as Gaylene suggests, storing each wool item in a zip loc freezer bag after washing/cleaning. My best stuff gets stored in the zip-locs in the freezer. I've also had no problems when storing clean woolens in a plastic container with a tight lid to which I've added a few unwrapped bars of some strong smelling soap like Irish Spring rather than mothballs.<br /> Sometimes the problem isn't moths but silverfish. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/moth-holes#post-874414 Mon, 11 Mar 2013 14:04:29 +0000 Anonymous 874414@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Jean, that is SO distressing! I have had the same experience as you when we lived in a cold climate. I can only imagine how upset you must feel since you have built up such a special collection of items that are irreplaceable. Gaylene has provided a great solution but I just wanted to send you some hugs since there's nothing else I can do. I'm so sorry. &lt;&lt;&lt;&lt;hugs&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/moth-holes#post-874370 Mon, 11 Mar 2013 13:18:11 +0000 Kalli 874370@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>That's really sad. Moths are annoying but it's the larvae that create the holes that are worse. You have comprehensive advice above but I never follow any of that. And maybe it's easier to manage for me because I don't have as many clothes, if you move them regularly (aka shake out and refold) that also works. I do this because I don't like having to deal with worrying about storage. So ever couple of months, I shake out and refold. Also, it's probably because I have less clothing to deal with now that it's easier. </p> <p>(I do have to check my yarn stash though, most of it's wool but generally that stuff is very clean). </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/moth-holes#post-874354 Mon, 11 Mar 2013 13:04:35 +0000 Glory 874354@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>oh so sorry to hear of this. Looks like there are some solutions to try above. Hope it resolves quickly </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/moth-holes#post-874353 Mon, 11 Mar 2013 13:04:00 +0000 greenglove 874353@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Thank you Gaylene for such a comprehensive answer. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/moth-holes#post-874162 Mon, 11 Mar 2013 05:40:25 +0000 Gaylene 874162@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>One of my sons had this problem when he was renting an apartment in an older building. Several of his good wool sweaters were damaged by moths. My mother, who was way more familiar with this problem than I was, gave us this advice:</p> <p>Always wash or dry clean woolen items before storing them. Cleaning kills any eggs or larvae that may be present and also removes perspiration odors that are attractive to the pests. Store items in sealed plastic bags or containers with tight-fitting lids. Moth balls which give off lethal vapors only work if the vapors are concentrated in a confined area, so it's important to have a good seal. Contrary to popular belief, cedar closets or chests are seldom effective by themselves, because the seal is insufficient to maintain a lethal or repellent concentration of the volatile oil of cedar.</p> <p>Once moths have infested a storage area, you need to remove all the items to find the source. Infested items should be thrown out, laundered or dry cleaned. Vacuuming will get rid of the larvae as well as hair and lint which could support future infestations. You'll need to pay close attention to vacuuming the edges of carpets, along baseboards, underneath furniture, inside closets and other "quiet" areas where clothes moths prefer to feed. And make sure that you dispose of the vacuum contents in a sealed bag to avoid re-infestation. You can also use a household Insecticide in the infested areas after vacuuming. Spray along baseboards, underneath furniture and other likely areas of infestation. </p> <p>According to my mother, clothes moths were a fairly common problem in the first half of the 20th century, but became much rarer once synthetics became more popular. Her advice worked. My son managed to get rid of the moths in his apartment (and learned how to use a vacuum properly at the same time!), find a tailor who was able to restore his sweaters, and bought plastic storage containers with tight-fitting lids to store his sweaters in the future. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/moth-holes#post-874136 Mon, 11 Mar 2013 05:01:49 +0000 CocoLion 874136@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Oh no! When I find the odd moth hole, I bring the sweater to my stitching pro Mom and she fixes them. Then again I enjoy RATE style so don't mind the darned look.</p> <p>The first thing I'd do is look on line for solutions, as well as go to a local hardware store for advice. You can call pest control for an estimate as well. But I have had very mixed results with the pros. Most solutions require persistence, in some cases thorough cleaning; a lot of this you can do yourself. What the pros can offer is chemicals that aren't available at retail. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/moth-holes#post-874133 Mon, 11 Mar 2013 04:54:54 +0000 lyn* 874133@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I have never had moths as I don't really own any wool - I am unsure if you need to call in an exterminator. </p> <p>Martha Stewart says ... <a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/264609/the-basics-of-mothproofing" rel="nofollow">http://www.marthastewart.com/2.....thproofing</a> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/moth-holes#post-874131 Mon, 11 Mar 2013 04:52:36 +0000 Anonymous 874131@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I have no solutions to offer you, other than an empathetic "that stinks." </p> <p>Good news is, moths aren't nasty spiders, ants or rodents. Now THOSE I'd lose sleep over!! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/moth-holes#post-874122 Mon, 11 Mar 2013 04:39:26 +0000 greenglove 874122@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I am very upset after finding several sweaters with moth holes. They were stored in a cedar closet. I thought that they were in the only area that had moths but then found another sweater in a cloth storage container sitting on a shelf far away from the closet.<br /> I am busy and not sure what to do. I am losing sleep as I write this not sure what to do. Do I need to call an exterminator? Has anyone else had this problem? </p>