urgent help needed ref: bloody moths!!

[OhCobblers]

hello, longtime lurker and first time poster on this board! hope you can help?
I have 2 plastic storage boxes under the bed full of cotton tops and jumpers. discovered holes in a lot of items last year and washed everything, sewed (sp?) holes and put in stinky mothballs wrapped in paper.

couldn't stand the smell of the mothballs so ditched them - have now discovered more holes and have shoved in a load of cedarwood balls but am thinking that this doesn't resolve the situation.

So have now taken to washing everything, will wait for it to dry before bagging up and putting in the freezer (mum gave me that tip!)to kill off any remaining larvae (sp?) and thoroughly cleaning out said storage boxes before putting clothes back in.

does this sound right to you or could you offer any other tips or advice on keeping moths away?
thanks in advance.

Are the boxes sealed - moths can get in via tiny gaps? Make sure you have vacuum regularly, under the bed, skirting boards, etc. Washing and/or freezing will kill the larvae, but it sounds like you have an infestation. Your local council should be able to treat it for you if it's really bad. If you want to store things in the meantime, you can get moth proof storage bags or those vacuum seal bags that you suck all the air out of.

do you think its an infestation if its only the boxes that have been affected? we have hanging rails rather than wardrobes at the mo so hang the cedarwood on the hangers of zip up bags that the really precious stuff is in?
the boxes probably haven't been sealed properly as i have too much clothing in there plus they're under the bed where it doesn't get hoovered so perhaps thats the issue? hoover boxes, seal clothes in tightly and regularly hoover under the bed? thanks for your help.

Yes, because if it was just the boxes, and you'd emptied the contents, cleaned them, and put them back, you should have been clear. They are sooo bloody annoying. I had them once when I lived in a rented flat - the landlord reckoned they'd been brought in on a rug.

Make sure you either wash or freeze the clothes before you put them in storage.

Good luck, they are persistent little blighters.

I bought traps like this from John Lewis

TBOS : have just washed one lot - do i freeze once they're dry or will washing sort it. in the meantime have got another lot in the freezer but not yet washed - is that the right way round?!

EA : do you think those traps will work in open spaces, ie, clothes rails in a bedroom?

thanks for your help.

Oh do call me Bugger

Either washing or freezing will kill any larvae, which is the cause of the holes, not the adult moth. I think the traps attract the adult males, which will show you if you have a problem, and decrease the size of the breeding population, but you still need to get rid of all of the larvae.

i was told (by pest control) to hunt down the source of the larvae (in my case a woollen wrap) and chuck it! I also chucked everything else that had been nibbled.
Washed and froze stuff and bought colibri sachets from Lakeland.

Nothing as yet has reappeared but it is winter - fingers crossed.

(Our council doesnt treat because they are so difficult to get rid of.)

I have only tried the traps in the wardrobe and they work well

I wouldn't ever have stuff on open rails again as mine all got nibbled in a previous house

Covered in the NY Times today, here

sorry for the delay in coming back. thanks v much to you all for your tips/links.

i have :- cleaned out storage boxes (though they're used daily rather than for storing seasonal clothes IYSWIM?), washed all clothing or put in the freezer (still there after 6 days!) plus put loads of cedarwood balls/discs into boxes.
I will also buy the calibri sachets that Bookswapper recommended - really hope that does the job!
thanks again.

I keep my best woollies etc. in normal wooden chest of drawers and drip essential oil citronelle in the drawer first. they have been unharmed for a couple of years (and there used to be holes in them ) so that definitely works.

ppeatfruit : as my jumper boxes are plastic do you think me dripping the essential oil onto tissue / paper first and then into box might work?
any clues where i can buy the oil citronelle?
thanks for your tip.

Oh cobblers . yes i think the dripping would work but you'd have to dry the tissue first otherwise they may stain the clothes.
Citronella and other anti-insect essential oils can usually be bought in health food shops and some supermkts, even big chemists do them.