Have you ever pulled out your favourite sweater, only to find tiny holes scattered across the fabric? It’s disheartening, but you’re not alone. Clothes moths are more than just a nuisance, they can wreak havoc on your wardrobe in a matter of weeks. As spring approaches and moth season looms, now is the perfect time to think about protecting your clothes from these unwelcome visitors.
The good news? With a few simple steps, you can protect. your wardrobe and keep your garments looking their best, even during peak moth season
HOW TO PREPARE FOR CLOTHES MOTH SEASON
The joy of Spring is upon us with flowers blooming, bees buzzing and birds singing. However, the longer days and warmer weather should serve as a reminder that clothes moth season is upon us and moth numbers will soon bloom. With the right knowledge and tools, clothes moths can be beaten and we at Total Wardrobe Care can provide you with everything you’ll need to keep those pesky moths at bay.
WHEN IS CLOTHES MOTHS SEASON?
Clothes moth season usually takes place in Spring and Summer, around April and May, when the female moths start mating and searching for the perfect spot to lay their eggs. Moths are most active during these months, with another wave of emergence in August and September. However, due to warmer winters, central heating, and the increasing popularity of natural fibre clothing, clothes moths have become a year-round problem.
HOW LONG IS CLOTHES MOTHS SEASON?
Moth season typically stretches over 5-6 months, peaking at the beginning and end of the cycle. During this time, each moth can lay up to 300 eggs at once, with a lifespan of 65-90 days. As the cycle repeats, a small problem can quickly escalate into a full-blown infestation.
Even if you haven’t noticed clothes moths in your home yet, you’ll certainly start seeing more news articles about them as the season progresses.
Moths tend to be most active at night since they’re nocturnal, which allows their larvae to feed on your clothing undisturbed. Unfortunately, this means you’re more likely to discover damaged clothes in the morning rather than during the day.
An experienced pest controller will tell you that there’s no one-size-fits-all solution to a pest problem. To stay ahead of clothes moths, you need to take a multi-pronged approach, but don’t worry – it’s not as hard as it sounds.
Dealing with moths should become part of your regular household chores, just like mowing the lawn, cleaning the gutters, or pruning the hedges. So, what can you do right now?
OUR TIPS FOR DETERRING CLOTHES MOTHS
Our top tips for deterring clothes moths include regularly cleaning your wardrobe, washing your clothes, and using moth-repellent sprays and essential oils.
Prevention is key, especially given how quickly moths can breed and multiply. However, if you’ve already spotted a few moths, don’t worry. Our effective anti-moth solutions will have your wardrobe back to its original, moth-free state in no time!
Deterring clothes moths can be tricky, but we offer anti-moth products that have been trialled, tested, and proven to work against house moths in the UK. These include our incredible Moth Decoys, which confuse male moths and disrupt their breeding process, and our Canada Red Cedar Balls, which naturally repel moths from your wardrobe. Both are vegan and cruelty-free, so you can keep your wardrobe moth-free with peace of mind.
While it may take a few weeks to completely eliminate clothes moths, with the right products and techniques, the process can be quick and easy.
SPRING CLEAN CLOTHES MOTHS AWAY
Clothes moths typically make their appearance during the Spring and Summer months, as the warmer weather (which we all love) prompts them to hatch from their cocoons. This is exactly why it's essential to kick off your moth control or prevention efforts in Spring. Female moths love to lay their eggs in dirty or stale wardrobes, so the first step should always be a thorough, old-fashioned deep clean.
Empty your clothes out of wardrobes and drawers and vacuum inside, on top and underneath. Pay attention to cracks and crevices inside where dust settles as these areas are perfect egg-laying sights. You will need to move wardrobes and chests to vacuum underneath. If you can’t do it alone, enlist some help.
Vacuuming will remove any existing eggs from your wardrobe, as well as help to remove general dirt, making your wardrobe a much less appealing place for clothes moths to lay their eggs!
Vacuum the rest of the room and use the nozzle to really clean the edge of the carpets. If the dust is really engrained at the edges I find rubbing hard with a damp cloth works well to bring it out.
If your goal is moth prevention, a deep clean should be enough but if you definitely have a clothes moth infestation, take this opportunity to carry out a treatment with our Chrysanthemum Moth Killer Spray. Our unique, natural formulation kills adults, larvae and eggs on contact.
PROTECT STORED CLOTHES FROM MOTH DAMAGE
Out of season clothes that are stored away for a whole season are like sitting ducks as far as clothes moths are concerned.
Left alone, undisturbed for months on end with an endless food supply of woolly jumpers is a clothes moth larvae's dream.
The larvae feed on the protein keratin which is found in natural animal fibres as well as skin cells, bodily secretions like sweat, and food residues.
It is imperative that winter woollies, coats and suits are stored away spotlessly clean. Either wash or dry-clean items before storing them away in Moth Proof Storage Bags.
Our selection of storage solutions includes Stackable Bags & Hanging Bags of varying sizes as well as stylish Storage Boxes and all have special moth proof features.
REPEL MOTHS NATURALLY WITH ESSENTIAL OILS
With the added bonus of being natural and smelling gorgeous, essential oils are a great way of deterring female clothes moths from laying their eggs amongst your clothing and soft furnishings.
They are another trick to keep up your moth-eaten sleeve! Our selection of fragranced products features our May Chang & Vetivert blends, both unique to us and organically produced and blended by a perfumer in the New Forest National Park.
Or try our Cedar Range which includes cedar hanging blocks for rails and scented Cedar Balls which are perfect for drawers and pockets. All of our scented ranges include items that can be placed in drawers and bags with folded items or hung on rails or on coat hangers.
STAY ONE STEP AHEAD OF CLOTHES MOTH
The next step is to stay vigilant. This means checking clothes and soft furnishings regularly for damage. While you’re checking for holes, give the clothes a good shake.
Moths like peace and quiet so regular disturbance like this will deter them for making your clothes their home.
If you know you’re likely to forget to make regular inspections, an easy way to remain vigilant is to use a Moth Box.
This clever tool uses a sticky glue board, laced with the pheromone of the female clothes moth which attracts male moths and traps them inside. Only the male clothes moth can detect the pheromone. When placed discreetly, underneath or to the side of the furniture, the moth box will catch adult male clothes moths and alert you to an infestation or tell you if your infestation is getting worse or better for that matter.
For full-blown infestations, you can bring out the big guns with the Moth Decoy. This clever product uses the same pheromone as the Moth Box.
The pheromone is formulated into a food-grade powder that sticks to males clothes moths when they are tricked into thinking it is a female moth.
This is a long term product that disrupts the mating cycle of clothes moths and reduces the number over every subsequent generation. Find out more detailed information about the Science Behind The Moth Decoy.
NEED HELP WITH CLOTHES MOTHS?
As you can see, we have many products available to help you with ghastly clothes moths. If you need further information and advice have a look at our Blog Pages or Contact Us we love helping people with their clothes moth questions.
