Those strange little holes that randomly appear on the front of tops???

[PuppyMonkey]

I'm sure we've talked about them on here on numerous occasions. Did we ever solve the mystery?

The teeny tiny ones on the front of light/cotton tops, just at belly button level. Never anywhere else on the garment.

Not moths.

I'm getting bleddy fed up of them.

Just mended a pile of thes on the shoulder and sleeve of my next t shirt, seat belt crossed with my horrible Hotpoint washer dryer probably the culprit. I think things get caught and pulled in the hot air vent thing.
Eats things if over loaded and not great even when it isn't.
DD has a hole in
Her hardly worn Sainsbury's t shirt, it's a really pretty one, not sure how to hide it. I suspect edge of seat belt against her belt.
No granite work tops and bugger all cleaning and certainly not by DD

spider mine is defo not hot rocks
So did we reach a conclusion then? Its on quite afew of my tops,can you cure moths yourself or are they like rats and you need the specialists?
One of my asos tops has it and it wasnt cheap but i assumed it was the belt of my jeans or the button.

I have been plagued with this - every top, no matter what the price - just below belly button.
It doesn't happen to my younger childrens or DH's tops - but my 18 year old has had it a few times. By a process of elimination have worked out that it has something to do with the kitchen - maybe leaning against the worktop or
the gas cooker, it may be a granite worktop problem (did not happen when I had wood) - don't think its chemical as I mostly use vinegar or washing up liquid (although some people think Fairy Liquid is the culprit).
Anyway have started to wear an apron religiously when cleaning and cooking and only one out of 5 new tops has developed holes in the past few months (I probably made food or coffee or did quick wipe round without the apron). Thin, delicate cotton seems most vunerable.

So those of you who get it on the waist...ar you very tall? I am 5foot nothing and get it on the chestal area

Startail - funny I have hotpoint washer/dryer - wonder if it is to blame? AnyFule - I'm 5ft 2, and mine are all on the waist.

I have just come across this thread. I have a terrible problem, mainly with White Stuff tops. I have just bought a white shirt from White Stuff and today I notice four little holes just below the belly button. I am convinced that the moth lavae, (they apparently are the ones that do the damage), are already in the material at the factory when it is made. I have lots of moth reprellant stuff in my wardrobe too. I am so fed up of this. :(

do you smoke?

Moth repellent does not kill moths, it just makes them smell nice. Moth killer does. But if you have moths then you have a serious problem, and you will find holes in more things, especially your best pure wool that you don't get out very often.

Going out of my mind. Keep getting these small holes in our t-shirts and it's driving me bonkers. Always in the same area (Around the tummy ) At first we thought it was moths so we vacuumed the wardrobe and clothes, disinfected everywhere and put moth repellent on everything. Still the holes came back, replaced the bedroom carpet with laminate flooring, still the holes came back. Finally we replaced our washing machine with an new expensive miele washing machine and the holes went. Yippee ! But just took out a month old t-shirt and the holes have returned ! Sob ! It must be something we're doing and I bet it's something stupid that's simple but no one's thought of yet! I've gone over all our work surfaces and there's no snags. my belts are smooth and no cleaning fluid as gone near the top. . .Help !

Great thread. I have this problem with cheap thin cotton Primark tops which I wear around the house but yesterday discovered a thin cotton M&S top with about 4 or 5 holes near the belly button area. I have not worn this top for a while and also don't have granite worktops and just use basic cream cleanser so would like to know the answer to this mystery.

I have my wardrobe stuffed with mothballs but found a couple of the 'winged fuckers from satan' (great description!) hiding in the cracks of my wooden floor so they might be attacking things when they are left out to dry on the clothes horse while I am sleeping. It's usually the male moths you see flying about the females are usually lower down near the floor.

For me, the cause is trying to zip my too tight coat over my too large and flabby belly and the tops getting caught in the zip, or else getting caught up in my belt or buttons when going to the loo.

I have this problem, belly button area also, the only tops it happens to is the TU ones from sainsburys, ive got next tops and it hasn't happened to them I am the only one with the problem though, doesn't happen to the kids clothes.

The manual that came with my new washing machine says this can happen if clothes are being washed on the wrong cycle or the machine is being overloaded. Doesn't explain the holes being in the same place though.

I like writers theory about the fairies. That's the explanation I am giving my dcs from now on.

It is my work top that catches when I wash up (do not have a flat tummy anymore)

I found one on the back of one of my favourite tops today, so it's not just in front.

I've been assuming that they were caused by cat claws, but I know we have some little tiny moths in the house which I've never worried about before.

I did a bit of research on this and it seems it's a world wide problem.The general consensus was that it's due to overloading your washing machine. I don't know why the holes only appear on the front of my tee shirts though.

on mine it's either my belt buckle or work pass that does it

Someone mentioned om another thread biological Persil washing powder rotting clothes and/or causing little holes.

Okay here's one for you. Bought a nice top from M&S (yes I know I should know better). Put it on and two hours later looked down and there were the holes!! Exchanged it. Same thing again. It's going back for a refund tomorrow but....... it hasn't been washed so it can't have been the washing powder or overloading. I have granite worktops but hadn't cleaned anything whilst wearing it. Always move my tops out of the way of my seatbelts. So frustrating!!

My theory is long necklaces and/or car seats

I think they come from pulling the top down at the hem a lot. The pressure will be about mid tummy height I imagine on a hip length top. A knitted top with stretch and weaken under stress, and the stress will be where you stretch it when pulling it.

I have them in my Boden top. So not just cheap tops, but only stretchy knitted ones

This is so weird!

I've had this happen to me for years....and at the navel level too!
I always thought it was down to my job......I work with glass, and the workbench is covered in the stuff. So I always thought I was catching little fragments of it on my jersey T-shirts/tops as I worked, which then cut the fabric as I leaned against the edge of the bench![hmmm]

Can't be moths that cause it as it happpens to my cotton t-shirts mostly.

I think it is a combination of things:

• thinner, cheaper fabrics that simply don't hold up to normal wear and tear
• shirts constantly rub against buttons/zips on trousers
• we rub up against counter tops that may/may not have remnants of cleaning products
• seatbelts go across our laps, and rubbing causes friction which leads to holes

Whatever the cause, I'm getting fed up of it happening. I have a not-cheap shirt i've worn less than half a dozen times (and washed accordingly), and it already has the holes.

A friend in retail told me that one very large manufacturerer is now putting a 'hand wash only' label in their t-shirts. Obviously no one hand washes their t-shirts (!) so now the company can refuse to refund/return/exchange when people attempt to return shirts with holes.