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Original poster

Moths?? HELP!!

33 replies

DottyDash · 17/04/2010 15:57

Now this has got to be possibly the most boring first thread ever - apologies

My clothes (and Dd's - but not DH's, what does that say about him?!) seem to be gaining little holes around the tummy area.
I thought it may be the washing machine but can't find anything sticking out that would catch the clothes like this and it always seems to be in the same place too.
I've never experienced moth holes before but could it be that? If so, how on earth can I get rid of them? Do moth balls still exist? If so, what do you do with them??

Sorry for barrage of very boring questions but shortly myself and Dd's will be wandering around in the buff - Dh, however, will eb fine

OP posts:
Original poster
DottyDash · 17/04/2010 17:00

Please??

OP posts:
AbricotsSecs · 17/04/2010 20:38

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Original poster
DottyDash · 18/04/2010 10:10

Thank you HoochieMomma
I have never seen any evidence of moths apart from these inexplicable holes - it's really annoying as I can't afford to keep replacing clothes!
Good advice about the lavender and cedar wood, think I'll be nipping to Lakeland

OP posts:
lowrib · 19/04/2010 09:37

We have had the bastard little things. Like HoochieMommaLurve says you would probably know they were there, you would see them flying about. It's not actually the moths that eat the clothes, it's the larvae. They grow, attached to the clothes in little white casings, which you would also see.

I'm happy to be corrected, but IMO the various treatments you can get form them only keep them at bay. To get rid of them completely, you need to do what HoochiMommaLurve says - find their home and get rid of them. The problem is they do tend to live in many places, and in carpets!

The more I think about it, them more I think you don't have moths actually. They don't eat clothes that are washed regularly. They live in the backs of cupboards and eat things which haven't seen the light of day for a while (jumper your nan knitted and you never wear but has sentimental value? yum! Special dress you only wear one a year? yum yum! old socks which fell down the back of the cupboard? mmm-mmmm!)

Unless you are talking about stuff you've had at the back of the cupboard for a while, it's unlikely it's moths IMO.

lowrib · 19/04/2010 09:41

Hold on, accouding to this page the hatching period is 3-21 days, so theoretically they could be in your often-used clothes.

Having said that I'm sure you'd notice the larvae. Despite much battling with moths, I've never seen them in my regularly used clothes.

DottyDash, it's not boring, this is serious stuff! Moths = war

lowrib · 19/04/2010 09:46

Oh and welcome BTW

Original poster
DottyDash · 19/04/2010 18:55

Lowrib

Thank you, I am pleased to find other people as obsessed with moths as I am (although sorry you're having to deal with the little buggers darlings too!)

I have never seen the casings at all and have never seen a moth in or near my wardrobe, but I am totally perplexed as to what else could be doing this. The holes are always in the same place....spooky. Perhaps they are very particular moths who only eat material from around the tummy area of clothes. Either that or my belly button needs filing down!!!!

Thanks for the welcome too

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fatsatsuma · 19/04/2010 19:00

I agree with others that if it was moths, you would see them flying around. We are fighting a losing battle with them at the moment, and I've just started seeing them flying around the house again

Could your clothes be catching on a belt buckle/bag or something? Not that that would explain the holes in your DCs clothes...

Original poster
DottyDash · 19/04/2010 19:13

I am going to keep my eyes peeled from now on, just incase I'm missing something obvious (wouldn't surprise me if they were merrily flying around and I hadn't noticed at all!)
I thought about belt buckles but haven't been able to pin point anything and DC's don't wear anything like that yet...... I need to get Jonathan Creek in!!
(Hope your moth issues clear up soon fatsatsuma )

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TrowelAndError · 19/04/2010 19:37

There was a thread on this theme a while ago - little holes around the waist of tops and t-shirts - and the consensus was wear and tear from jeans buttons and the like wearing at the clothes.

Moths tend only to eat wool and silk.

Original poster
DottyDash · 19/04/2010 19:39

Moths would only find very cheap clothes in my house - not a lot of wool and silk here Perhaps it is just wear and tear then, just a pain that it seems to be happening very frequently and to fairly new clothes....I need a pay rise!!

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lowrib · 19/04/2010 23:51

"Moths tend only to eat wool and silk." No one's told that to the moths I've met unfortunately! I think you must have a better class of moth

The ones here also eat cotton, sometimes paper, and their favourite seems to be the odd dirty sock (or knickers ) which have found their way down the back of a cupboard or whatever.

BirdyArms · 20/04/2010 00:24

We have moths but I don't see a lot of evidence of them other than holes in cashmere. Occasionally I see one flying about but have only seen the larvae in a couple of things that have been eaten to shreds over the summer, don't always see them in things that have a few holes. They seem to be very difficult to get rid off, mothballs, cedar etc seem to provide only limited deterrent. Pheremone (sp?) traps seem to work, I have caught a horrifying number in ours and ds's wardrobes. Reminds me that i need to replace the traps.

They eat holes on the fronts of things because it's the food that's spilt on clothes, even if they don't look dirty, that they are after. Try to wash woollens before they are put away for any length of time.

Original poster
DottyDash · 22/04/2010 11:14

Thank you Birdyarms, I'm going to look into pheremone (No idea how to spell it either!!) traps right now - they can't be any more expensive than replacing the clothes all the time!!

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DeFluff · 27/04/2010 22:05

When your DH hid me in the wardrobe last Wednesday night after the 'grading' I didn't notice any moths. Was quite dark though

You really need to start a thread on tea bagging now to balance out your dull/interesting thread ratio

clotheslover · 27/04/2010 22:52

Good news it's not moths! It's your belt or the teeth of the zip in your tousers/jeans.

Contrary to popular belief moths will eat anything but love silk and cashmere. Put cedar wood balls or lavender in your wardrobe and drawers to keep moths away.If you have moths you will usually see the adult moth flying around but it is the larvae that eat your clothes.

How sad am I have be so knowledgable on a subject like this!!

Original poster
DottyDash · 28/04/2010 21:50

DeFluff!! honestly woman!! I keep telling you, you're welcome to him! No hiding in the wardrobe is required

Nope clotheslover - I find your knowledge both interesting and useful!! (This may, however, just say something about both of us! )

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DeFluff · 28/04/2010 22:00

Its no fun without the hiding

bingybong · 28/04/2010 22:10

We have the very same thing in our house and it bugs the hell out of me!

First noticed it happening to severall of my hubbie's O'Neill t-shirts so blamed their fabric and stopped buying from there, but recently it has happened to other things too.

I can't see it being belts or zips either, and there is no evidence of moths.

Spotted a couple of silverfish on the landing and read that they can eat clothes, but saw them months apart. Are any of you moth-boffins also silverfish knowledgable?

Original poster
DottyDash · 29/04/2010 10:33

Oh crikey, hope it's not silver fish - they inexplicably freak me out!!
Been looking at the holes again and they seem too high to be from buckles......may invest in moth balls and such, just incase....

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dreamingofsun · 29/04/2010 10:38

we had a moth infestation in our carpets - appartently its on the increase as farmers are using less pesticides. never seen any moths in our house flying. you can see little white things around the edges and under cupboards etc - look a bit like rolled up tiny bits of tissue. i had to get stainmaster in to fumigate. moths made quite a mess of lounge carpet underneath - luckily being ripped up for wooden flooring - like to see them eat that!

dreamingofsun · 29/04/2010 10:39

forgot to say - they like dark damp conditions - so my children now make sure they open their curtains and windows

DeFluff · 29/04/2010 11:20

we've got silver fish in the bathroom dotto.

is it always wednesdays that you work?

Rhian82 · 29/04/2010 11:26

Moths freak me out - I'm a knitter so have lots of wool around that I would be really gutted to lose!

We get them flying around occasionally but I've never seen any larvae or any evidence of things being eaten. Apparently only a few types of moth do eat wool so I'm hoping it's the other types that fly around our flat!

Downdog · 29/04/2010 11:34

It's not moths. I have the same problem in almost all my tops - and I have figured it out.

I work at a desk & the holes are made when my top gets pinched between my desk edge & either the buckle of my belt or jeans button. I used to think it was the huge belt buckle I had that caused it, but since stopping wearing the buckle to work I still get the holes - from the jeans button (yes I wear jeans 80% of the time). It tends to happen with clothes made from finer fabric - not my jumpers for example, but shirts, esp tops made from knits, jersey etc.

It makes sense - if animals were making the holes they wouldn't be in such a regular place - they would be random, or at least in different areas of the tops.