Don’t Let Moths Dine Out In Your Wardrobe

I spotted this sign in my local dry cleaners which brought a smile to my face. As the weather is warming lots of us are inspired to spring clean our wardrobes and throw out unworn items and bag up the rest until the next season. It’s often as we’re picking through the woolen sweaters and thick overcoats which haven’t seen the light of day for months when we spot a moth infestation.

Dry cleaning your clothes regularly can prevent moths snacking on your textiles as moth larvae is attracted to the nutritional value a stain may provide. Dry cleaners use liquid chemicals to remove stains from the fabric. Often garments are pre-treated then agitated in a large machine followed by a hot cycle to dry. It is highly unlikely that insects such as moths or bed bugs could survive such a treatment.

Once a moth has selected it’s nesting area it will lay its eggs and die. The common clothes moth can pass on a legacy of up to 100 eggs. The eggs, which resemble rice grains, can be very difficult to spot as they are very small and whitish and are usually found within the folds of clothing.They hatch after a few days and can remain as larvae for up to two years, munching through cashmere, wool, silk and other natural fibers.

So to avoid a nasty surprise when you get round to unpacking your clothes next season take a trip to the dry cleaners and make sure your clothes are clean when you store your clothes away. Popping a moth deterrent product into your wardrobe or storage boxes will help too.