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Hi
A friend of mine is being plagued by moths in his clothes. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to get rid of them before it gets too embarrassing for him?

Cheers
Zoe

Good old fashioned mothballs......but the do tend to pong.


When we moved here the previous owners left some lavender filled pouches in the walk-in wardrobe that seemed to do the trick.

Cedar is a good deterrent. You can buy prescented products or get the essential oil and drop on to cotton wool.

Aside from lavender, citronella should also work.

clara x.

I googled this up for you... hope it helps.

Control of Clothes Moths

The best way to avoid problems with clothes moths is through prevention. Woollens and other susceptible fabrics should be dry-cleaned or laundered before being stored for long periods. Cleaning kills any eggs or larvae that may be present and also removes perspiration odours that are attractive to the pests. Cleaned articles can be sealed in plastic clothes bags to reduce exposure to moths and the chance of future infestations developing.

Moth infestations are less likely in clothing, carpets and soft furnishings made from synthetic fibres than in those made from natural materials preferred by moths, such as wool or cotton, although it is still important to keep synthetic fabrics clean.

Standard household insecticides should not be used to treat clothing. However, some professional dry cleaners may be able to treat susceptible fabrics with a suitable, safe mothproofing liquid as part of their service. Valuable garments such as furs can also be protected from clothes moths by storing them in refridgerated vaults - a service offered by some furriers and department stores.

Controlling existing infestations of clothes moths requires patience and a thorough inspection to locate all potential sources of infestation, including roof spaces and lofts where pipe-lagging, roof insulation materials or debris from nesting birds may attract and harbour moths. All infested items should be thrown out, laundered or dry-cleaned.

Vacuum cleaning will effectively remove larvae which are already present as well as hair, fluff and other debris which could support future infestations. Take care to vacuum infested areas thoroughly, especially under the edges of carpets, along skirtings and into corners, underneath furniture, and inside closets, wardrobes, cupboards and other enclosed, dark and undisturbed areas where larvae prefer to feed or adult moths may hide. Be sure to dispose of the contents of the vacuum cleaner bag after you clean.

Freeze-treatment can be used for small items such as ornaments and fur toys by placing them in a home freezer for about a week to kill eggs and larvae, followed by thorough cleaning of the items.

You guys are absolute stars. Thank you so much. I will e-mail these off to him now.

I know he was trying to avoid the chemicals in moth balls, that's why he didn't use them. He also tried cedar but it wasn't that effective but maybe combined with lavendar and citronella plus a good spring clean and the freeze treatment.

Thank you again.

Zoe

Other good deterrent herbs are tansy, wormwood and mugwort.

Wassail

Karen