Clothes moths under floorboards

House2025 · 2025-08-26T07:09:23+00:00

I am interested to know if anyone has found clothes moths living under their floorboards? We have had a bad infestation for 2 years now in most rooms in our house. We removed all the carpets 2 years ago as this seemed to be the source, but we still have moths. We have constantly battled and tried professional pest control, full house heat treatments, chemicals, removed all loft insulation, foggers, washed all clothes on 60 etc. Also tried the wasps last year, but they didn't work (might not have tried enough). We have no sign of moths in our wardrobes, or on clothes, but they still live in our house and I'm wondering if it's down the floorboard cracks as we have the old gappy floorboards exposed. I have no idea what the are eating and we never find any larvae since the carpets were removed. Any advice is appreciated as it's really getting to me

Mossstitch · 26/08/2025 16:21

I've had problem since putting full wool carpet down, problem is it's up two full flights of stairs and one bedroom so reluctant to pull it up, however, I also get them in my bedroom and ensuite which is plain varnished floorboards. They're defo appearing from there rather than coming from where it is carpeted🤷‍♂️
I keep tiny hoovers especially for them on each landing (£15 from amazon they recharge via usb) and those sticky sheets of pheromones to attract the males hoping to stop them breeding. Weirdly they don't seem to bother with clothes just the wool carpet.

cornbunting · 26/08/2025 17:44

Check your sofa. We had awful problems with moths in carpet, clothes, and furniture, and throwing the sofa out helped a lot! They like dark and undisturbed areas, so if there's natural fibres somewhere eg under a chest of drawers/bed that's where they'll go. I found ours liked the carpet where it butted up against the skirting boards too. Maybe when the carpet was pulled up some fibres fell down under the boards?

I did win in the end, but it took weeks of diligent poison application, pheromone traps, and killing every single one I saw. It can be done, keep at it.

Original poster

House2025 · 26/08/2025 20:16

Mossstitch · 26/08/2025 16:21

I've had problem since putting full wool carpet down, problem is it's up two full flights of stairs and one bedroom so reluctant to pull it up, however, I also get them in my bedroom and ensuite which is plain varnished floorboards. They're defo appearing from there rather than coming from where it is carpeted🤷‍♂️
I keep tiny hoovers especially for them on each landing (£15 from amazon they recharge via usb) and those sticky sheets of pheromones to attract the males hoping to stop them breeding. Weirdly they don't seem to bother with clothes just the wool carpet.

Thanks @Mossstitch . I'm. Sorry you are dealing with them too.
How can you be sure they are also coming from the room with floorboards? Or is it just a hunch? I don't know how to test if they are under there or not, so thought you might have ideas...

OP posts:

Mossstitch · 27/08/2025 14:34

House2025 · 26/08/2025 20:16

Thanks @Mossstitch . I'm. Sorry you are dealing with them too.
How can you be sure they are also coming from the room with floorboards? Or is it just a hunch? I don't know how to test if they are under there or not, so thought you might have ideas...

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@House2025 Because of the layout of my old house, it's a bit unusual in design, my bedroom and ensuite are in loft conversion where brand new floor was put down as the ceilings from floor underneath were lowered. I keep the door shut but still find the odd one in the en suite and have seen them suddenly appear low down on the wall when I walk across the floorboards as if the vibration has brought them up if that makes sense. It's happened too many times to be coincidence. As you say no idea what they living on as it's never had carpet down and they don't appear to eat my clothes which are all natural materials as allergic to polyester🤷‍♂️ the worst infestation is definitely the room below as son has loads on the pheromone sticky traps🤢 but they can't be coming up through the floorboards from there as his ceiling is plasterboard. The only thing munched is the pure wool berber carpet🤦‍♀️

The number are calming down now so will just have to see whether hunting them all down reduces the number next season🤞

Original poster

House2025 · 28/08/2025 20:51

Mossstitch · 27/08/2025 14:34

@House2025 Because of the layout of my old house, it's a bit unusual in design, my bedroom and ensuite are in loft conversion where brand new floor was put down as the ceilings from floor underneath were lowered. I keep the door shut but still find the odd one in the en suite and have seen them suddenly appear low down on the wall when I walk across the floorboards as if the vibration has brought them up if that makes sense. It's happened too many times to be coincidence. As you say no idea what they living on as it's never had carpet down and they don't appear to eat my clothes which are all natural materials as allergic to polyester🤷‍♂️ the worst infestation is definitely the room below as son has loads on the pheromone sticky traps🤢 but they can't be coming up through the floorboards from there as his ceiling is plasterboard. The only thing munched is the pure wool berber carpet🤦‍♀️

The number are calming down now so will just have to see whether hunting them all down reduces the number next season🤞

Show quote history

They really are baffling little creatures. We have wondered if ours come down from the loft through the hole where the ceiling light wire is as we have had them in the loft too. I wonder if yours could go up through your sons light? It could be totally far fetched, but I often wonder it for mine as strangely they seem to fly towards the sunset light / phone lights/ torches so maybe they would make the journey. Also seem attracted to the moisture in my bathroom if I have a bath

OP posts:

Original poster

House2025 · 28/08/2025 20:52

cornbunting · 26/08/2025 17:44

Check your sofa. We had awful problems with moths in carpet, clothes, and furniture, and throwing the sofa out helped a lot! They like dark and undisturbed areas, so if there's natural fibres somewhere eg under a chest of drawers/bed that's where they'll go. I found ours liked the carpet where it butted up against the skirting boards too. Maybe when the carpet was pulled up some fibres fell down under the boards?

I did win in the end, but it took weeks of diligent poison application, pheromone traps, and killing every single one I saw. It can be done, keep at it.

Thanks @cornbunting glad to hear you beat your infestation. It helps hearing a story of success as it feels impossible after the lengths we've already been to

OP posts:

user1471538283 · 29/08/2025 12:18

Yes they can be under the floorboards they were in my house. I sprayed constantly but what really helped was moth sticky papers. Gradually I got rid of them.

It's so awful. I don't think you are ever the same after it.

Mossstitch · 29/08/2025 22:54

@House2025 no they cannot be coming through the ceiling light from son's room as due to the design my ensuite is not over the part of the ceiling where his light is, it is over the stairs and there is no light fitting there🤷 but a good suggestion.........👍

leaqu · 29/08/2025 23:09

Do you have cats? Or even if the previous owners did, there could be cat hair down there or under the baseboards for the moths to dine on.

Cloanie · 29/08/2025 23:12

They are a nightmare arent they. I think they won’t eat synthetic carpet?