How To Get Rid Of Moths In Your Home

Here’s how to banish the pests in five steps.

They may be minuscule but they can cause major disruption. Moths are determined creatures and a pest to obliterate.

Cashmere, wool, silk, fur, leather, your carpet, the bread in your pantry … they love it all. And they don’t discriminate.

A recent news story reported how a Georgian oligarch’s daughter was suing a high-end property developer for £36 million (NZ$77.4m) after she discovered her West London mansion was infested with millions of moths nesting behind the walls and ceilings.

Changes in weather, when temperatures heat up or the central heating goes on, can exacerbate the problem, with Checkatrade saying they see a 43% increase in callouts for pest and vermin control during these periods.

Phoebe Richardson, laundry buyer at John Lewis, adds, “We know moths can be a nuisance when it comes to keeping items in their best condition, and certain products remain our bestsellers for getting rid of them, including Acana’s sachets for drawers, hanging products for wardrobes, and lavender-scented spray for fabric and carpets. Moths are persistent so they need a dedicated approach.”

Here are five steps to banishing moths forever.

Step 1: Deep clean the area

Even if you only see one moth, it’s highly likely more are on their way. The common female clothes moth, Tineola bisselliella, loves to lay her eggs (up to 50) in warm, dark and undisturbed places (which makes them particularly hard to detect). The hatched larvae then have a field day on the fibres of your clothes, repeating the mating and hatching cycle if left alone. The other species of moth typically found in the UK is the case-bearing moth (Tinea pellionella); their preference is carpet, rugs, blankets and furnishings.

Pantry or food moths, which are less common these days, behave in a similar way, and can lay up to 500 eggs. They relish flour, bread, pasta, rice, cereal, beans, seeds, and even dog food. Poorly wrapped or sealed food is an open invite.

If you spot any moths or larvae (they look like small grains of rice or maggots), you will need to deep clean the area. Remove everything from your wardrobe, cupboards or pantry. If moths have attacked your carpet, sofa or curtains, you may want to get them professionally cleaned.

Decluttering and organising expert, Nicola Lewis, @thisgirlcanorganise, recommends a seasonal wardrobe overhaul, “If you don’t keep up with regular cleans it can become a problem. Every season I remove all the items in my wardrobe, vacuum, clean the inside of the wardrobe and then wash all the clothes. This keeps the area fresh, and prevents moths being attracted to this space!”

Hot soapy water should do the trick, but there are a number of specialist products on the market, ranging from the environmentally-friendly to those that focus on more hardcore removal.

Acana is the brand leader in the consumer market for moth products in the UK. They say consumer feedback and research has indicated new consumers recently entering the market. “While it’s difficult to track, the increase in vintage and re-used clothing and upholstery may play its role in this. Always wash, dry clean or professionally clean any pre-used items before introducing to your home.”

2. Choose your product

The market is huge. And it’s a personal choice whether you want to go down the eco-friendly route or the harder-hitting chemical option. Clothes moths feed on keratin, a protein found in natural fibres and hair, and they particularly enjoy unwashed items that provide a wealth of residue food and oils.

Lulu O’Connor, the founder of Clothes Doctor, which sells natural clothing care products, says, “Sales of our moth repellent range have increased by more than 500% in this past year. Many of our customers have children and pets in the house and find moths incredibly stressful, but they also worry about using toxic chemicals.”

Brand Ambassador at Neals’ Yard Remedies, Tipper Lewis, recommends, “Essential oils are an excellent way to deter moths. Cedarwood is a go-to effective repellent, and can mask the smell of keratin. Alternatively, lavender not only deters moths, but keeps your clothes in the cupboard smelling wonderful, too. Lemongrass and rosemary are both excellent options, too. Simply add a few drops into a sachet, pouch or dry wooden block and place in your wardrobe to allow the fragrance to gently do its thing. An extra tip: put a few drops of essential oil on cotton wool balls and place in between jumpers in your drawers.”

Laura Mountford is a cleaning content creator, podcaster and author. She says, “Believe it or not cucumber works an absolute treat as a natural pest control for moths as they do not like the bitter cucumber peel. Simply place the cucumber peel in places where moths gravitate to in your home.”

But, depending on the voracity of your situation, you may want to up the ante.

3. Create a moth-free environment

Don’t hoard. Piles of unread books, stagnant clothing, or furniture left undisturbed for months on end simply invites these insatiable munchers to gnaw their way through your prized possessions. Moths love to take cover, and outfits hanging in your wardrobe that haven’t been worn for months, even years, are sure to end up pockmarked with holes.

You need to shake things up – shift your sofa and vacuum behind it (remember to empty the hoover; it could contain unhatched larvae), get under your bed, behind cupboards, into the crevices of drawers, the dark corners of rooms, and rummage around the depths of your airing cupboard and pantry. Remember, disruption, ventilation and light put the fear into moths.

And because they love to feast on remnants of food, sweat on dirty clothes and animal hair, cleaning standards need to be maintained. If you are storing fabrics or clothing, put it away washed or dry-cleaned in zip-seal plastic storage bags. You can even freeze infested items for a minimum of 48 hours before storage for extra assurance on larvae elimination. Sachet repellent products can be added to these sealed bags, or hanging bags placed in wardrobes and cupboards for continuous slow-release attack.

4. Remain diligent

To keep moths at bay, you need to be meticulous and methodical. Repeat your cleaning and disturbance routine regularly and remember to change your traps – if they don’t have a date indicator, put a sticker on the packaging to remind you.

Finally, keep your rooms dry and well-ventilated. Laura Mountford says, “Clothes moths love to get cosy in humid areas of the home (80-90% humidity). Opening windows regularly to allow fresh air to circulate is a really easy way to keep on top of the situation. Do this on a daily basis, even for just an hour or so.”

Conclusion: Stay alert

Moths are wily. So your best defence against them is a committed and regular line of attack. If you manage to notice their appearance early on, you might get away with a more light-handed approach using natural products. But if the critters have set up home in your home, market leaders like Rentokil really are “the experts in pest control”.

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