Winter is right around the corner and it is time to break out your sweaters! Your closet may soon (if not already) be filled with warm cashmere, wool, and fur clothes. Unfortunately, you aren’t the only one that loves these sweaters. Moths are fans too—the last thing you want to find in these cozy clothes are holes from moths.
Luckily, not all moths will eat your sweaters.
According to Bruce Walsh, a professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of Arizona at Tucson, only two out of the 15,000 species of moths eat clothes. However, if you do find yourself with a clothes-eating moth problem, we want to help!
Here are some preventative tips for keeping your clothes intact and the moths outside.
- Storage. Try to store your winter clothes in an airtight container during the off-season. This will seal in the clothes and keep the moths out. You don’t want moths lurking in your clothes during the summer months.
- Laundry List.Make sure you clean your winter clothes when you take them out of storage and before you put them back. If you are washing your clothes at home, use hot water to kill any moths or eggs that may be hanging on. You can also dry clean your sweaters if they can’t go in the laundry. The cleaner your clothes are, the less likely the moths will be to latch on.
- Household Cleaning. Frequently vacuum your carpet and furniture to rid your home of any moths or unwanted pests. If you have dogs, make sure you wash and/or vacuum their beds as well.
What Should You Do if You See These Pests?
If you spot holes in fabrics or find silken patches or tubes, take immediate action to get rid of these pests. Wash and dry all the clothes in the area or have them dry-cleaned before returning them to the closet. Vacuum up all lint and pet hair. Some items, such as stuffed animals or decorative needlework, are difficult to clean. To take care of them, you can freeze them in sealed polyethylene bags for about 72 hours. Inspect the crevices of your upholstered furniture and under the edges of rugs and carpets for activity. If you can’t locate the source or have a large infestation that would be difficult to take care of on your own, hire a professional pest management company like Eco Care.
Eco Care is a family-owned pest-control company. Eco Care owner Erich Grove, a board-certified entomologist, uses science to get insects and other pests under control in Howard County and surrounding areas of Maryland and that means you have science on your side. If you have a moth infestation that is too big for you to handle, please call our office at 410-465-3709 or schedule a free consultation online.
