Moth infestation is one of the most common pest issues throughout the UK and in many other regions across the world. Living with uninvited guests under the same roof is not the only inconvenience you are going to face through this invasion. Clothes moths can be really annoying going around your dry food packs and jars, as well as eating your natural fashion – especially sweaters and coats. Unfortunately, your luxurious upholstery and stylish carpets made of solid organic materials aren’t protected against the holes left as signs of pest presence. In all cases, it’s always better to know how to prevent moths rather than dealing with them with a delay. 

What attracts moths? 

Prevention has always been the best treatment. So it is when it comes to moth control. Keeping these insects away from your house involves nothing else but knowing what drags them to you. Many things seem nice and attractive for the clothes moths to come to have a new home in your own home. Here’s the list of their favourite things in your house: 

  • Lights. Although they prefer to live in darkness, at first, the clothes moths are attracted by the lighting in your home. Turning off the lights and living in obscurity is not an option, so you should focus on the following things you can eliminate from home. 
  • Dry food products. Even though they are usually stored well in boxes and jars, the clothes moths will feel quite attracted to them. If you don’t have any lids or leave the box of flour opened in your kitchen drawer, be confident that you will eventually ask yourself how to get rid of moths. 
  • Your pet’s food. It’s another source of proteins and carbs the moths love and seek in your house. Here’s where we should warn you that keeping your furry home fellow’s food closed and stored might not be a good enough preventive measure to take. You should also clean after your pet’s dinner immediately. 
  • All natural clothing items. The linen, wool, tweed, animal fur and silk clothes attract the moths as much as they attract you in the fashion store. Most of the holes the insects make are found in your favourite warm sweaters and winter coats. 
  • The same goes for the upholstery and the carpets. If they are made of natural materials – woollen, especially – the severe moth infestation will hit them, too. 
  • Domestic clutter. It’s in any pest nature to hide and seek. That’s why usually, when there’s clutter, there’s a pest invasion, too. Clothes moths love the chaos in your wardrobe. It’s dark and pell-mell here, and they love it.

Signs of a moth infestation 

Am I facing a moth infestation? It’s a question you shouldn’t ask if you have holes in your clothes, carpets and upholstery. There might have been one accident with your guests smoking in the living space on the rug. And one more – when your kid has decided to try her scissors on your sweater. But what about the other holes and damages to the natural fabrics in your home? Add to these the following signs of a moth infestation: 

  • Tunnels among the dry food you store in the kitchen; 
  • An excessively shedding fur; 
  • Small tubes in clothing fabrics (these are larvae, you should know); 
  • The carpets have crusty deposits on their surfaces. 

How to prevent moths from infesting your clothes? 

Before you see your entire winter wardrobe damaged, do what you have to do to save it. When you know what attracts moths, you get aware of how to keep your house free of them. Your current fashion strategy for survival includes a lot of actions. But trust us – your style becomes more secure once you undertake them. 

Wash everything before placing it in a closet 

Moths don’t just like natural clothes. They like them dirty. Save for the chaos. These insects are keen on the grime. So everything with stains, nasty smell, and not fitting the highest hygiene standards in your closets will eventually call the moth army. It’s essential to be prudent in your clothing maintenance. And washing your clothes is where everything starts. 

Keep wardrobes ventilated 

The dirtiness and the nasty smell on your clothes might not be due to your hate for the washing machine. They might be due to the lack of fresh air inside the wardrobe. We strongly recommend you keep the entire wardrobe ventilated, including the tiniest drawers for your underwear. That’s how the moths will be kept away, and your clothes will look and smell fresher. 

Store clothes properly 

Rule number one in preventing the chaos, respectively, the moths in your wardrobe is to establish a good order. Storing the clothes the right way keeps the pests and the often usage of the iron away. Not to mention that you will have more chances to know what to wear every morning before work.

Place moth repellents 

Here’s one cool life hack for freshness lovers and moth haters: natural lavender moth repellent. You can find such in the store. They are easy to be hanging right between your shirts and coats. You can also make one through the thousands of online DIY recipes for natural moth repellents. 

Use scents moths hate 

Let us help you with your DIY “weapon” against moths. You don’t have to be creative and handy to make one. It’s enough to spread in your wardrobe the aromas that chase the moths away. Try any of these: cedar, lavender, eucalypt, or peppermint. 

How to fight an existing moth infestation? 

Ok, let’s imagine that you are already in trouble. Moth infestation is now a significant part of your living conditions. Panic is not needed. What you have to do is to learn how to get rid of moths efficiently and on a budget. Stick to the tips below. 

Deep clean the closet 

Start with simple de-cluttering. Make sure to sanitise the closer in a top-to-bottom manner. Don’t just brush and wipe. Remove all items and then sanitise. These creatures are tiny and hide well, so there’s a big chance for them to escape your notice while you carelessly dust the surfaces. 

Freeze affected items 

Freezing is a great and easy domestic method to deal with clothes moths. For those of you, who’ve already seen the holes in your clothes, put them straight in the freezer. 

Wash clothes at a high temperature 

Moths hate coldness as much as they hate heat. And by the way, expert moth control companies use exactly high temperatures to free their clients’ houses from pests. If there are clothes that can be washed at high temperatures, put them all in the washing machine for severe disinfection straight away. 

Vacuum regularly 

The vacuum cleaner is another home appliance that can do great work in case of moth infestation. Regular removal of the dust can reduce the risk of being infected. Here, though, we mean vacuuming inside the drawers, cabinets and wardrobes, too.

Use fumigation as a last resort 

None of our tips worked up to now? Don’t worry! There’s always a plan B. If A does not show any results, it’s time to call the experts to handle the situation. They know how to get rid of moths literally for up to 3 hours in total. It’s called fumigation – a special procedure that spreads gas around the entire house and makes moths disappear at once. 

Final thoughts 

The sooner you perform the step-by-step guide for moth prevention, the more chances you have to avoid dealing with them later. But even if you fail, there’s always a way to eliminate them all! Just follow our tricks and tips, and you’ll make it to free your house from the invasion.