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How Do I Protect Clothes From Moths?

Written by PestMan Editorial TeamTechnical review pendingPublished Updated

Quick answer

Clean clothes before you store them, because moths favour soiled fabric. Keep woollens, silks and furs in sealed containers or zipped garment bags, vacuum wardrobes and under furniture regularly, and wear or air stored items now and then. Check second-hand clothes before they go in the wardrobe. Cedar and lavender may deter adults but don’t kill eggs or larvae.

Why this happens

Clothes moths lay eggs on fabric that is dark, undisturbed and slightly soiled. Clean, sealed storage takes away all three, and regular disturbance makes a wardrobe a poor place to lay eggs.

Cedar blocks, lavender sachets and similar products are popular, but their effect fades and they don’t kill eggs or larvae already in a garment. They are not a substitute for cleaning and sealed storage.

What you can do

  • Wash or dry-clean woollens, silks and furs before putting them away for the season.
  • Store them in sealed plastic tubs, vacuum bags or zipped garment bags.
  • Vacuum inside wardrobes and drawers, and under beds and furniture, every few weeks.
  • Take out, shake and air stored items a few times a year.
  • Freeze second-hand woollens and vintage clothing in a sealed bag for at least a week before adding them to your wardrobe.
  • Use a pheromone trap in the wardrobe as an early warning for webbing clothes moths.

What not to do

  • Don’t store worn, unwashed woollens, even for a few weeks.
  • Don’t use mothballs in open wardrobes; they are poisonous and only work in sealed containers as their label directs.

When professional help may be needed

Protecting clothes is something you can do yourself. If moths are already damaging clothes and carpets in several rooms, see how to get rid of carpet moths and consider a pest manager for the carpets.

Carpet Moths

Small, pale moths whose caterpillars eat wool, silk, fur and feathers. They chew holes in carpets, rugs, clothes and blankets, usually in dark, undisturbed places such as under furniture and inside wardrobes.

Species mentioned

Webbing Clothes Moth

Tineola bisselliella

The most common clothes and carpet moth in homes worldwide, including Australia. Its larvae eat wool, silk and fur under patches of silk webbing.

Case-bearing Clothes Moth

Tinea pellionella

A clothes moth whose larvae live inside a portable silk case made from the fibres they eat, so the case is often the same colour as the damaged fabric.

Guide

How to Pest-Proof Your Home

A practical, room-by-room approach to reducing pests without relying on chemicals: remove what attracts them, close the ways in, and make your property less comfortable for them.

Guide

Pest Prevention Checklist

A printable seasonal checklist of simple, low-cost tasks that reduce pests around Australian homes, with the reason behind each step and extra lists for renters, apartment residents, pet owners and Queenslander owners.

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Sources & further reading

PestMan provides general information only and does not replace licensed pest-management, medical, veterinary or structural advice. Always read and follow product labels. Read our disclaimer.