YouLookFab Forum » Topic: Moths! Help?

YouLookFab Forum » Topic: Moths! Help? https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/moths-help Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Sat, 18 Apr 2026 18:37:26 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 <![CDATA[Search]]> q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php lozz_oz on "Moths! Help?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/moths-help/page/2#post-1814785 Mon, 12 Jun 2017 11:14:19 +0000 lozz_oz 1814785@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Sorry to have only just seen this post- I'm new here! without having read all the comments I absolutely second the summary given by Diana. Not sure if anyone else recommended the use of oil of cloves -  used in very diluted form - to wipe out drawers wardrobes etc. cherylm on "Moths! Help?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/moths-help/page/2#post-1805863 Sat, 06 May 2017 21:24:09 +0000 cherylm 1805863@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ thanks Jill58 - that's what I thought too but I had my husband shake out his cotton tees just in case and a couple flew out . So into the washer go his extensive tee shirt collection. Oh my is this a lot of work!!! jill58 on "Moths! Help?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/moths-help#post-1805855 Sat, 06 May 2017 20:38:10 +0000 jill58 1805855@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ cherylm, I have never know moths to go after anything but wool. I occasionally find holes in wool sweaters, scarves, socks that have been stored. It's the larvae, I believe, that eats the fibers. It's important to store woolens clean, as opposed to after they've been worn several times. I do a fair amount of knitting so we have lots of sweaters, socks, etc. that are pure wool and that's always were the damage occurs. I have never had cotton or workout clothing incur any damage. cherylm on "Moths! Help?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/moths-help#post-1805846 Sat, 06 May 2017 19:51:36 +0000 cherylm 1805846@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Thank you everyone. I have spent the first half of the day taking everything out of the closet and sorting between wash, freeze, dry clean or get rid of. We have seen several flying moths but thankfully no holes - hurray! Debating what to do with all the cotton stuff, tee shirts, dress shirts and non natural fibers (i.e workout clothes). Seems like over kill to clean or freeze all of them. Reminds me of when my kids were little and we had a round of lice at the school - Ugh. unfrumped on "Moths! Help?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/moths-help#post-1805788 Sat, 06 May 2017 15:14:03 +0000 unfrumped 1805788@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Agree with above- always quarantine or decontaminate new items, often by freezing. I confess I use chemical moth sachets ( formerly " mothballs" for part of my process. I got very paranoid after holes appeared in cashmere. They seem to like that more than merino. I place some of my sweaters in a tight plastic bin with a couple of them to literally fumigate, then air out thoroughly and/or run through dryer on air dry with a fabric softener sheet. I also just began to realize these are semi- high maintenance/ anxiety issues for me. The answer is not necessarily to do without, but to be more minimalist ( ha- not there yet!) on total numbers. As I've said before , the maintence problem is linked to having LOTS of wool sweaters each worn only a few times in 6 months, so each is gently worn but still always at risk as moth- bait and require lots of storage space in summer. I reorganized my closet rod space to more of an all- in closet except for wool sweaters and warm blazers in summer. I hang all my sweaters ( yep!) but have been learning that I need to either have fewer and/ or allow more rod space so they can " breathe" and not be squished together, as noted by other posters. viva on "Moths! Help?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/moths-help#post-1805787 Sat, 06 May 2017 15:12:13 +0000 viva 1805787@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I'm organizing sweater storage today: this is incredibly timely! Thanks to Suz for bringing up the topic, thanks to the hive for your collective wisdom, and special thanks to K.Period in particular for the very clear steps.  Irina on "Moths! Help?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/moths-help#post-1805769 Sat, 06 May 2017 14:20:27 +0000 Irina 1805769@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Had a horrible case of moths few years ago. A lot of clothes got ruined including my husband 's RL new suit before we found that they infested the wool carpet. Now I make sure all woolen clothes is washed frequently and keep sweaters and scarves in ziplock bags. I buy those with the ports for a vacuum cleaner to suck the air out of it. When they are flat as a board, it's easier to store it, too. cherylm on "Moths! Help?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/moths-help#post-1805673 Sat, 06 May 2017 05:11:45 +0000 cherylm 1805673@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Referring back to this older post as we have discovered moths in my husbands closet - ugh. Haven't discovered any holes yet but trying to figure out how to proceed. Lucky day for the dry cleaner. Any new advice appreciated. Diana on "Moths! Help?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/moths-help#post-1760096 Tue, 13 Dec 2016 16:42:29 +0000 Diana 1760096@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I vacuum and then decontaminate the drawers/shelves with rubbing alcohol.  (This is another lab trick - we use 70% ethanol to clean everything - since you can't buy 70% ethanol without going to the liquor store, rubbing alcohol (which is 70% isopropanol) works just as well but is stronger smelling).  K. Period. on "Moths! Help?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/moths-help#post-1760091 Tue, 13 Dec 2016 16:32:47 +0000 K. Period. 1760091@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ The drawer probably has a small but established population of moths by now.  Make sure to put the freshly dry cleaned sweaters in an entirely new area.  Also, he should vacuum all the drawers very carefully to remove as many larva and eggs as possible and then avoid storing any woolens in that dresser in the foreseeable future.  Make sure to empty the vacuum immediately and outside, to avoid transporting any baddies around your house. Moth eggs and their larva are easily disturbed, which is why brushing items as a precaution can do a lot to avoiding problems, and why wearing often is the best defense.  Also, since you know it is only one area that is contaminated (i.e., the contagion is in a contained area), it might be possible for you to get it treated by a pest control company, so that's good news, right? Good luck! Such a bummer, but I hope you are able to get it under control.  (And I'm glad that my woolen losses are at least able to benefit someone. It makes it a little less painful.)  Suz on "Moths! Help?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/moths-help#post-1759946 Tue, 13 Dec 2016 03:09:10 +0000 Suz 1759946@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Wow, K. Period - thank you for this. He has taken his stuff to the cleaners (apart from a few that he thinks he cannot rescue). And we are taking other precautions. We determined that the ones he is wearing most often were not affected. It was the ones at the bottom of his drawer that he had not moved in a long time that were eaten. Sadness for him!!  I may send my items out to be cleaned one by one also instead of washing, as I usually do. No point in taking chances.  K. Period. on "Moths! Help?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/moths-help#post-1759917 Tue, 13 Dec 2016 01:48:23 +0000 K. Period. 1759917@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I agree with Diana and April.  When we moved to our current old house, I didn't think to get the place treated for moths first.  Well, there are moths.  I've worked very hard to get rid of them, which probably isn't ever going to happen.  I've settled on limiting their damage and have learned a lot about moths in the meantime.   Regular wear and cold temperatures mean moths aren't an issue, so winter in Canada is more or less a safe time.  I don't take extra precautions in winter.  It is storage where moths flourish.   I  haven't had any wool losses in a couple of years, so I think my system is working really well.  My system is basically two steps.  Step one is to ensure there are no moths or eggs by proper cleaning.  Step two is to make sure no moths can get in while also preventing cross contamination if step one fails. So, step one, cleaning.  Everything has to be cleaned.  Regular hand washing and air drying won't kill eggs, so you either need to dry clean or, if you are handwashing, wash and then take the fully dry item and put it in the dryer on hot for half an hour.  Wet wools can't stand the combination of wet, heat and friction--they will felt.  But heat on dry wool isn't usually a problem.   After everything is cleaned, on to step two, storage.  The science-based sources I've read (rather than word of mouth) say don't bother with lavender and cedar.  They work very slightly, if at all.  That's consistent with my experience. (Cedar closet. Moth munched clothes. Sadness for K. Period.)  Moth balls work, but the smell is awful, so I don't use them.   What I do is put all my freshly cleaned items in ziplock bags.  For sweaters that I've hand washed, I use individual gallon size ziplocks because those are the items with the highest risk of eggs surviving.  For things that I've dry cleaned, which I know the moths can't survive, I use big storage ziplocks (jumbo 20 gallon size) and throw a bunch of items in one bag.   I've been able to avoid any losses using my system.  It's a pain, but much less painful that finding all my woolens have been munched on.  BTW, it isn't surprising to me at all that Mr. Suz's items got eaten and yours didn't if your things are store separately.  Moths aren't good travelers. They flutter short distances and are really lousy fliers.  They are wonderful hangers-on, hiders and crawlers, though.  Mr. Suz probably bought an infested item (which could have been new from a store--there is no telling what might have eggs on it) and stored it without dry cleaning. Your sweaters were probably just too far away to get contaminated.  For now. (Really. Seriously. Take precautions. Moths are like an infection. An infection that kills cashmere.)  celia on "Moths! Help?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/moths-help#post-1759104 Fri, 09 Dec 2016 20:20:46 +0000 celia 1759104@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I sympathize with Mr Suz, the same happened to a couple of sweaters of mine. Everything I read tells me that you have to clean the whole place where you had the eaten items because although they don't eat cotton they can let their larvae there. After that happens no matter how much lavender you put there you still can get moths eating your woolen items Suz on "Moths! Help?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/moths-help#post-1758978 Fri, 09 Dec 2016 14:09:06 +0000 Suz 1758978@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Thank you so much -- it sounds from your descriptions as if things can get pretty awful! Yikes. We've had small temporary problems with moths before (some years ago) but we didn't have to take such extreme measures. Cedar seemed to do it. Hmmm. I expect it must depend a bit on climate and whether one is in a large building, etc.  Greyscale, commiserations on your sweater! Kate and Joy, that is hilarious and amazing about Irish Spring! Who would have thought?  April, it sounds as if you moved heaven and earth to deal with the problem! Jlpp -- pheromone traps, it gets trickier and trickier!  As usual, YLF is the best source of info, ever -- thank you!  Anonymous on "Moths! Help?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/moths-help#post-1758929 Fri, 09 Dec 2016 06:16:45 +0000 Anonymous 1758929@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Only larvae eat but in my unfortunate experience they can go after clean or dirty items, naturals or blends. I buy pheromone traps on Amazon to attract males before (hopefully) they mate. Catches an amazing amount. In my battle sachets have done little to deter adults and they make no impact on larvae. Currently been fighting them about 8 years. Finally have a decent hold on the population. The larvae can lie dormant as eggs for a few months to 2 years, and they will also eat hair, dust, pet hair or carpet. So be mindful. Lost a trove of sweaters (they came in, in a chili pepper wreath). Clothes moths can go after pantry items too. Anyway, now I regularly freeze my sweaters too. Kills larvae. Best of luck!!! April on "Moths! Help?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/moths-help#post-1758923 Fri, 09 Dec 2016 05:07:32 +0000 April 1758923@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ They hang on the clothes rod, way up high.  No danger to a kitty.   ETA: also, they are sticky, which is quite disgusting to cats and something most cats would avoid like the plague.   Greyscale on "Moths! Help?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/moths-help#post-1758922 Fri, 09 Dec 2016 05:03:12 +0000 Greyscale 1758922@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I've seen those baits, and I'd like to put one in my room to check if there are moths. But they say to keep them away from pets. Any clever ideas on keeping a very curious kitty away from it? April on "Moths! Help?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/moths-help#post-1758912 Fri, 09 Dec 2016 04:00:47 +0000 April 1758912@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ In our last building in New York, someone had stored something infested in the basement -- a wool carpet, perhaps -- and the moths were coming into our apartment from the basement through the HVAC system.  (It's the only thing we could figure out, since we had had a very expensive, very extensive treatment done to our apartment, kept every single cashmere item zipped in plastic in the freezer, and were utterly paranoid about brushing and cleaning all woolens and checking for holes before putting them into the closets.  Seriously, it was crazy.) We learned A LOT about moth behavior during that awful time, Suz, and everything Diana says is golden.  Extreme temperatures are your friend.  Moth balls are horrible; lavender and cedar are lovely but not effective against moths; sunlight and clean fabric are your friends.  Moths love the dark and dirty fabric.  There are also baits you can order that are NOT moth killers but that will tell you if you have a problem or not (which is otherwise hard to tell until your favorite clothes have been destroyed.  In fact, when you hire a good exterminator, part of the service is that they will leave these baits behind for you to check periodically.)   It's very normal never to see a moth while you notice the destruction they're wreaking on your clothing.  That's one reason we believed they were coming through the HVAC in that apartment -- we saw them all over the place, on the walls, sitting on the bed, -- yet our clothes, in the closets, were fine. Quite unusual.    Good luck, Suz.  Moths can be a real nightmare.  Clean everything and hire a professional.  I feel your pain. Anonymous on "Moths! Help?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/moths-help#post-1758903 Fri, 09 Dec 2016 03:50:53 +0000 Anonymous 1758903@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I have used Kate's Irish Spring bar soap method for years and have not had any holes. I also use the freezer for my most expensive items in zip loc bags. I read that moth eggs are easy to remove just by shaking the garment or brushing it every so often. They fall off easily, so I shake garments often. I hand wash and air dry before storing for the summer. The only thing that moths have touched in years has been a pair of cashmere socks that were in a sealed plastic storage bin but not with the Irish Spring bar. Kate on "Moths! Help?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/moths-help#post-1758900 Fri, 09 Dec 2016 03:30:48 +0000 Kate 1758900@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ l had this problem last year with some thin wool henleys that I wear & wash regularly as well as with some merino sweaters. In my quest for a solution, I ran across an oddball remedy--Irish Spring soap. Just tuck an unwrapped bar (or parts thereof) of the soap among your woollens. It sure seems to work, since I haven't had a problem since. It's a strong smell, but thankfully it dissipates from the sweaters quickly once I take them out of the drawer and shake them out. Greyscale on "Moths! Help?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/moths-help#post-1758832 Fri, 09 Dec 2016 00:52:00 +0000 Greyscale 1758832@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I just found a moth hole in a favorite Helmut Lang top, and I've been meaning to ask the same question! My condolences. I have a lot of wool, and I don't like to wash it after each wear. I also don't have a closet -- I hang my clothes on standing racks or put them in dresser drawers. I don't know if a closet would help at all -- my things are at least out in the air.  Diana, putting them in the -80 is a brilliant idea. Unfortunately I don't know that ours has that much extra space... one particular grad student seems able to fill any overflow space within days! ;-) I hadn't realized steaming kills moths, and that's wonderful news, because I've been meaning to invest in a better steamer and use it more often. I'll look into that. Suz on "Moths! Help?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/moths-help#post-1758816 Fri, 09 Dec 2016 00:24:06 +0000 Suz 1758816@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ This is super helpful -- thank you! I think I know what has happened. I wash my woollens and cashmeres carefully before storing and I also wash them pretty frequently during the season of wear. Mr. Suz may not be as careful. Also, I keep mine in a place where there is some air circulation (both winter and summer) -- he had his all stacked (stuffed?) in a dark drawer. Plus, I rotate my sweaters more regularly and may even have fewer than he has (hard as that is to believe, LOL.)  Thanks so much for your help. We did have cedar but he didn't have any in his drawer. We'll now take the other steps. I have not seen any live moths or any casings or anything -- but will still follow the protocol. Freezing will be easier than putting them anywhere hot, in our climate. ;)  SandyG on "Moths! Help?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/moths-help#post-1758814 Fri, 09 Dec 2016 00:22:41 +0000 SandyG 1758814@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I buy a lot of vintage clothing and have learned the hard way to keep an eagle eye out for clothing moths and carpet beetles. I tried lavender and cedar oils, a cedar chest for storage, and sachets everywhere but these didn't stop the critters. Common wisdom is that moths prefer food stains, except mine have munched brand new with tags, unworn items and I even found holes in a merino top inside its sealed shipping bag.  What works for me is 1. Never bring anything second hand into the house without treatment first, either clothes brushing them in sunlight, or a thorough steaming and hanging outdoors.  2. My big clothing steamer gets used on each wool or silk garment, and also to steam the corners and join lines in empty drawers, closet shelves and everywhere I put items. With my steam-clean environment, it's been two winters since my last moth hole. Crossing my fingers! I prefer steam to kill moth eggs on wool clothing because the oils are messy and moth balls smell to high heaven, I haven't the patience or space to freeze all my sweaters and coats, and it's relatively quick and easy to treat the whole closet. JAileen on "Moths! Help?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/moths-help#post-1758799 Thu, 08 Dec 2016 23:40:57 +0000 JAileen 1758799@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ A fiber expert told me to put suspect fiber in a heavy duty trash bag along with moth balls, seal it up, and leave it in a hot garage for a week. Summer on "Moths! Help?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/moths-help#post-1758795 Thu, 08 Dec 2016 23:32:25 +0000 Summer 1758795@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ As well as the suggestions above, be sure to vacuum the storage area really thoroughly, and dispose of the debris straight away.  Also, placing the sweaters in the freezer for an hour or two will kill off the larvae which do the damage. Diana on "Moths! Help?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/moths-help#post-1758789 Thu, 08 Dec 2016 23:20:55 +0000 Diana 1758789@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Moths like residue from food and humans (so, food stains, anything you've sweated on, etc) and will generally leave clean items alone.  They also like dark, undisturbed places, so a garment that gets worn regularly will most likely be spared.   I've had a couple of moth problems in the past (a knitter's worst nightmare!) and it has always been garments that had not been worn for over a year that got eaten.  Clean things literally right next to the things that got eaten were fine.  They're pickier than we think! If you do have moths, it's a good idea to check ALL your woolens.  I would lay out a clean sheet or something, pick up each garment and shake it out.  If you see any pupal casings (they look like little dried maggots, sorry to gross anyone out), or any sort of sandy residue falling from the sweater you probably have moths.  They may be long gone but you never know.  I never saw a live one.  A good way to de-moth things is to put them in the freezer.  When I had moths, I took my sweaters to lab and put them in the ultra deep freeze for 1-2 nights in ziploc bags, which would kill everything.  But since most people dont' have a -80C freezer, you can use your home freezer.  Most people suggest one week in the freezer, one week out, then one more week in the freezer, to make sure you kill everything.  Keep it in a ziploc bag throughout.  Also clean and vacuum any spaces where the moth-eaten sweaters were stored.  I am not sure that cleaning (dry cleaning or non-hot wash, which is what you'd do for a merino sweater) will kill all moths if they are already there but it will definitely deter them, as they really are attracted to things with sweat, food, etc. If you continue to have moth problems, I'd probably clean the garments right before storing and store them wrapped up in sealed ziploc bags or the like in the off season.  During the season, if you wear them regularly it should not be an issue.  jill58 on "Moths! Help?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/moths-help#post-1758783 Thu, 08 Dec 2016 22:58:13 +0000 jill58 1758783@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ We have this problem too. I like <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.amazon.com/Colibri-Yellow-Squares-Natural-Protector/dp/B004L4QHTY/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1481233646&sr=8-7&keywords=colibri+moth"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Colibri-Yellow-Squares-Natural-Protector/dp/B004L4QHTY/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&amp" rel="nofollow">https://www.amazon.com/Colibri.....8&amp</a>;</a> The come in a hanging version too--also from amazon.  If you check Ravelry (the knitting site) there will be lots of ideas for ridding your cloths of moths. Washing before storing is probably the main thing. I knit, so I store all wool in sealed plastic bags but several sweaters that I've knit for my husband have moth holes.  At that point that I discovered that I began using the Colibri sachets and paying more attention to cleaning the sweaters. If nothing else, the Colibri lemongrass sachets smell nice and they seem to work since my sweaters don't seem to have holes.  carter on "Moths! Help?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/moths-help#post-1758771 Thu, 08 Dec 2016 22:34:24 +0000 carter 1758771@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Oh no! I'm no help, but I'm watching! I will note that my tailor did a decent job of mending a couple moth-nibbled sweaters a few years ago. El Cee on "Moths! Help?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/moths-help#post-1758766 Thu, 08 Dec 2016 22:26:14 +0000 El Cee 1758766@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Another recommendation for cedar chips or lavender sachets (which can be refreshed seasonally with a little lavender oil). You may also want to store out-of-season wool garments in air tight vacuum seal bags (space bags). texstyle on "Moths! Help?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/moths-help#post-1758765 Thu, 08 Dec 2016 22:20:12 +0000 texstyle 1758765@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Washing more (and IMO not dry cleaning), cedar or lavendar sachets.