How do I get rid of moths??

[FamiliesShareGerms]

Keep finding small moths crawling around the feet of our wardrobe

What actually works to get rid of them? A quick google suggests natural cedar etc doesn't work, do the only option is chemical blitzing...

[FamiliesShareGerms]

Bumping to ask whether a steam cleaner would help at all - looking for an excuse to get one...

[flamingtoaster]

If you don't want to use chemical blitzing relentless hoovering will eventually get rid of them (but it has to be relentless (i.e. behind everything, along the skirting boards, etc. regularly). A steam cleaner would ensure any area you found eggs on was completely cleaned.

[FamiliesShareGerms]

Thanks flaming. Will have to find a way to pull wardrobe out regularly, and maybe get a Karcher too...

[PigletJohn]

Put everything through a tumbledrier to kill the eggs

Put moth killing wardrobe hangers containing Transfluthrin in all wardrobes and drawers. They kill moths, grubs and eggs.

Also, put all bedding and other clothes through the tumble drier, and I immediately (to prevent re-infestation) put them in large clear plastic bags or lidded crates with a Transfluthrin hanger.

If you have been seeing adult moths, then you already have damaged clothes.

You have got to hoover a lot, especually in, under and behind large furniture.

You can also buy cedar and lavender products. They do not kill moths but will make your holey clothes smell nice when you throw them in the bin.

[FamiliesShareGerms]

How long do things need to be in the tumble drier to have any effect ?

[PigletJohn]

I never thought about it. I think the drier gets them hot enough to kill the eggs, and probably runs on for about 20 mins even if the clothes were not wet when you put them in. Your drier might have a "freshen up" or "extra dry" setting. It certainly works because I had to do all my old mum's stuff that she had in her understairs cupboard (coats, hats, scarves, woolly gloves etc) and some were not washable so went in dry.

[PigletJohn]

I think these were the bags I used for everything as it came out of the drier. They are big enough to put a suit in, on a hanger, or quite a lot of folded items. You have to put a transfluthrin killer into each bag because a moth might get in and lay eggs, but the bag concentrates the vapour and will kill them. The killers have been designed to be very weak so that they will not be poisonous in a room, only in a sealed container or closed wardrobe. The chemical breaks down in rain or sunlight, and dissipates in fresh air. I presume it is chosen to minimise risk to people or pets. Each killer lasts for months.

Moths are attracted to the scent of clothes that have been worn by a woman and not washed. Clean clothes, and mens clothes, are attacked less.

[FamiliesShareGerms]

Many thanks - off to put everything in the dryer.....

[Rooners]

Moths hate to be disturbed so basically disturb stuff as much as possible and don't leave anything in one place for too long. I've had moths in carpets and they only eat the bits that are under furniture. They can also live in/under floorboards - this house is endemically infested and it's awful, we've had several rugs damaged by them and cannot get rid as we only rent part of it, and they are all the way through, on every floor.

No matter how much I spray and hoover, they come back up through the gaps.

Can't wait to move, I won't have any carpets, just vinyl or laminate in every room. Yay.

You can also deep freeze items if they are small enough, I think 24 hours is supposed to kill off any eggs.