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How to Get Rid of Clothes Moths in Your Home

How can you get rid of clothes moths, and why do they end up in your space in the first place? Cool Spring Storage Center has been in the business for a while, and we know the clothes moths are as annoying for you as they can be damaging to your items. We can help you figure out why your storage space might be attracting pests. Follow our expert storage advice below for tips on how to get rid of the clothes moths from your home, business, or self storage space.

how to get rid of clothes moths

How to Get Rid of Clothes Moths

Identify the Clothes Moths as the Threat

What is step one? First thing is to make sure you are in fact dealing with clothes moths. They mostly go after fabrics—specifically materials that are animal-based. If you are seeing holes and webbing among your cashmere and wool clothing, that is a pretty good indicator of your perpetrator. You might not actually see the clothes moths, as they cause damage mostly as larvae. But when they are adults, the casemaking and webbing clothes moths get up to about 1 centimeter and present yellow or gray in color.

Get Them Out & Assess the Damage

Once you know you have clothes moths, start the cleaning process. Begin with bins you know for sure have some damage, and sift through to determine savable pieces and too-far-gone pieces. Wash everything you are planning to keep in warm water, and throw away any damaged goods. From there, move on to the storage space itself. It you are dealing with a storage unit, sweep and wash down the space well. If you are working with a home or office space, like a closet, that has carpeting, it is a good idea to take additional steps for treatment. Vacuuming is a must, but if you have access to a steam cleaner or shampooer, you will be grateful for the peace of mind that you are killing any remaining pests. Dispose of your vacuum bag ASAP.

Stay Clothes Moth-Free

Now that everything is cleared out, how can you make sure the clothes moths stay gone for good? As you are packing up your items for storage, look for air-tight bins to store them in. If you use other containers, like a garment bag, tape up edges and seams that might wear to produce holes over time.

Clothes moths like dark, humid spaces, so you can see why they are a common threat to storage. You can disrupt this ideal environment by allowing for some airflow and moving items around when you visit your storage space. Make sure you check on fabrics frequently to catch clothes moths early!

Rent with Cool Spring Storage Center in Milton, DE

Looking to upgrade your storage space? Let Cool Spring Storage Center set you up with a storage unit at our Cranberry Township, PA,  facility to help you get organized! We can take on residential and commercial storage projects, and our month-by-month leases provide the ultimate flexibility as your ongoing storage needs change. Choose from drive-up and temperature-controlled storage units to protect your belongings. You can even find boat and RV storage—truly store through any season!

Did you know you can browse our available storage units and rent online? We strive to make the self storage experience as easy for tenants as possible. Look through the storage options at Cool Spring Storage Center from your device, and choose your space in a few easy steps. Refer to our online resources for help picking a storage unit size or considering different features. Start storing with us today!

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Katie Mest

About the Author: Katie Mest is a Content Marketing Specialist at Storage Asset Management in York, PA. She specializes in writing about the self storage industry, including storage tips and helpful resources. Outside of work, Katie enjoys spending time exploring the outdoors and snuggling in with a crochet project and her cat, Billie.