How To Get Rid of Clothes Moths

clothes moth image
Adult (Webbing) Clothes Moth

Check out how to use our PestXpert Total Moth Control to protect your fabrics from clothes moths!

Finding a hole in your favourite piece of clothing is certainly upsetting….. and could be expensive! The most likely culprit for damage to clothes in wardrobes and drawers is the clothes moth. Preventing clothes moths causing damage can be achieved by putting in place a number of preventative measures and using products to control clothes moths.

Clothes Moth Identification

webbing clothes moth
Webbing clothes moth
case making clothes moth
Case making clothes moth

What do they look like?

There are actually two main species of clothes moth, the webbing clothes moth and the case-making clothes moth. Both get their names from the way the larvae protect themselves whilst they are feeding.

Webbing Clothes Moth

  • Larvae: Cream coloured larvae with a dark head. Hides under webbing whilst feeding. Webbing picks up droppings and pieces of fabric. When the larvae move to a new feeding site they leave the webbing behind.
  • Pupa: Webbing clothes moths spin a silken cocoon on the fabric they are feeding.
  • Adult moths: Light, gold coloured moth less than 1cm long.

Case-Making Clothes Moth: 

  • Larvae: Cream coloured larvae with dark head. The larvae make a case of silk which they take with them wherever they go. They can feed from either end and enlarge it as they grow. As droppings are added to the case, it takes on the colour of the fabric they are feeding on, so can be hard to spot.
  • Pupae: Case-making clothes moth larvae tend to find a crack or crevice to pupate in.
  • Adult moths: Darker than the webbing clothes moth with feint dark spots.

Back to Clothes Moth Menu

Key Clothes Moth Facts

clothes moth larva
Webbing clothes moth larva
  • Generally, clothes moths are more common in the coastal areas of Australia, where the humidity helps their development. The case-making clothes moth prefers warmer parts of Australia, whereas the webbing clothes moth can be found all over Australia.
  • Clothes moth larvae eat a wide range of animal fabrics, but primarily fabrics containing wool. They will also damage fur, silk, feather and leather.
  • Clothes moths are poor flyers, likely to be hiding in dark areas near to where the larvae are feeding.

Back to Clothes Moth Menu

Signs of a Clothes Moth Infestation

Clothes moth larva and spend skins
Clothes moth larva and spent skin
  • Holes in fabrics, clothes and curtains, damage to furniture and bare patches on the edge of carpets in dark, low traffic areas. Also check out our blog – What’s eating my clothes?
  • Webbing or larval cases in clothes or fabrics.
  • Moths that fly up or crawl away from dark, secluded areas, when disturbed.

Main Pest Season

There is no particular pest season for clothes moths as they live indoors. However, the temperature does impact how much they eat and how quickly they progress through their life cycle. In Queensland the life-cycle may be completed in as little as 2 months, but in Tasmania it may take up to 6 months.

Back to Clothes Moth Menu

Clothes Moth Prevention Tips

Packing away clothes into plastic boxes to protect from pests
  • Regularly vacuum all carpeted rooms, especially around the perimeter and under heavy furniture.
  • Regularly move cupboards and heavy furniture in carpeted rooms. Inspect the carpet for signs of damage and insect activity.
  • At the end of each season, wash and store clothes in a sealed bag / suitcase.
  • Hang PestXpert Total Moth Control cartridges in your wardrobes
  • Drawers can be treated with an insectcide spray for clothes moths, such as PestXpert Pro-Spray Flying.

Back to Clothes Moth Menu

How to Control Clothes Moths

PestXpert Total Moth Control
  • Before starting a treatment a thorough inspection is required to make sure you have found the source of infestation – there may be more than one! Inspect all wardrobes, drawers, carpeted rooms and curtains for signs of insect activity and damage.
  • Items of clothing or curtains suffering damage (or items close stored close by) should be placed in a sealed black plastic bag in the sun for 1-2 hours. This will kill any larvae / eggs. The items can then be washed. Any delicate items that may be impacted by heat should be inspected individually.
  • Any cupboards which have been sites of cloth moth activity should be treated with an insecticide spray (all shelves and drawers). Items of clothing should be removed before treatment and replaced once the treatment is dry.
  • Place PestXpert Total Moth Control cartridges in wardrobes to prevent future infestations.
  • If you suspect clothes moths presence / damage in carpets, all affected areas should be sprayed with insecticide (either aerosol or ready to use pump spray), paying particular attention to damaged areas and other areas under furniture.
  • Clothes can also be damaged by silverfish and carpet beetles, so check out what other pests that eat clothes.

Back to Clothes Moth Menu

PestXpert Products For Clothes Moths

  • PestXpert has a range of products that can be used to protect clothes in wardrobes and treat carpets and storage areas for clothes moths; Pro-Spray flying, Pro-Spray Crawling and Pro-Spray Indoor and Outdoor.
  • PestXpert Total Moth Control should be used on an ongoing basis to protect your clothes in your wardrobes.
  • To treat surfaces, it is recommended that Pro-Spray Flying and Pro-Spray Indoor and Outdoor be the first choices for fabrics as they are water based formulations. However, as with all products, test on a small area of surface or fabric first before spraying a large area.

Back to Pantry Moth Menu

FAQs about Clothes Moths

Adult moths don’t eat clothes, as they don’t have chewing mouthparts. However, the larvae of clothes moths do eat a wide range of animal fabrics, especially wool and silk. Although their name suggests they eat clothes, they will eat any fabrics, including woollen carpets. Any suitable fabric in a dark, undisturbed location is under potential attack from clothes moths.

Clothes moth eggs are very hard to see. They are cream coloured, less than 1 mm long and often laid in clusters in folds in clothing and fabrics. If you think you have a clothes moth problem, whilst you can look for the larvae, looking for clothes moth eggs is a bit of a waste of time. You should assume eggs are present in the clothing and treat them accordingly – wash at hot temperatures, tumble dry or place in the sun as the fabric allows.

Although many moths are attracted to lights, clothes moths actually don’t like the light and will crawl away to hide in dark, undisturbed areas. These are the areas where their like to lay their eggs.

Moth balls are an old fashioned way to protect clothes from pests. They are smelly and there are issues around toxicity so have to be handled carefully. Learn more about moth balls and why PestXpert Total Moth Control is a better option to protect your clothes.

Back to Clothes Moth Menu

PestXpert Blog

For the dedicated PestXperts…

The PestXpert Blog gets updated regularly with articles on pests, products and tricks of the trade.
Take your pest control knowledge to the next level and say goodbye to pest problems.

  • Slater or woodlouse
    How to Stop Slaters Invading Your Home

    Slaters entering the home can be a problem in Australia. Learn how to keep slaters out of your home and how to control them.

  • Indian meal moth or pantry moth
    What’s Eating My Food? Pantry Insects

    Pantry pests is a common name given to insects that infest stored products such as flour, cereals and indeed any dried foods. Sometimes you may not be even aware your food has been infested, but when you do… yuck! But…

  • Carpet beetle larva
    5 Facts About Carpet Beetles You Need to Know

    Carpet beetles are a common fabric pest. Although their name indicates they only eat carpets or rugs, they will eat a wide range of animal fabrics including wool, fur, silk, felt, feathers and leather. As with any pest problem it…

  • Silverfish
    10 Places Silverfish Like to Hide in your Home

    Secretive and nocturnal, a silverfish infestation can go unnoticed for some time. A versatile, primitive insect, silverfish can inhabit a wide range of hiding places in your house. Silverfish like to eat starchy foods, so they find paper and cardboard…

  • cockroach on pear
    Spring Cleaning? Do a Pest Spray!

    With the temperature warming up, everyone thinks about clearing up the yard for outdoor entertaining, which often leads to cleaning out the garage and then the house – a good Spring clean! If you are giving your house and yard…

  • Dog with petfood bowls
    Safe pesticide use for pet owners

    “Are insecticides safe to use around my pets?” is perhaps one of the most common question homeowners ask about pest control products. It’s a good question…. and important, because when using any pest control product, safety comes first! Learn more about…