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How to Get Rid of Clothes Moths

Tired of trying to figure out how to get rid of clothes moths from your storage space? We know these can be a pain to deal with, but since they are a common pest, Salisbury Storage Warehouse has expert tips prepared to help you gain control over the situation once and for all. Our storage facility in Salisbury, MD, is equipped to assist you through all your storage needs. Let our storage professionals guide you through the good, the bad, and the sometimes buggy parts of storage—whether you are storing in your home storage space or self storage.

how to get rid of clothes moths

How to Get Rid of Clothes Moths

Identify the Threat

How can you know for sure you are dealing with clothes moths and not something else? You will see holes and/or a web material in your stored clothing. Clothes moths especially go after natural, animal-based fibers, like wool, silk, and cashmere for the keratin nutrients. The casemaking clothes moth and the webbing clothes moth are about 1 centimeter long and yellow or gray, but the larvae are what actually do the damage.

Wash Your Clothes & Your Space

As soon as you determine it is clothes moths, you can start the cleaning process. It is best to wash anything that has been in the same bins and space as the affected items. Sift through to pick out pieces that are past the point of easy repair, and throw the rest in a warm wash (or take them to the dry cleaner ASAP if that is what their washing directions specify. After dealing with the fabrics, clean the storage space itself. Especially if the space has carpeting, you should vacuum and steam clean or shampoo it to ensure you are getting rid of all the clothes moths. Throw out your vacuum bag right after you are done cleaning!

Take Steps for Prevention

To keep clothes moths from coming back, there are steps you can take to organize your space so that you are not creating their ideal conditions. Clothes moths love the dark and humidity, so if you are able to visit your storage space periodically to open it up and air it out, you can keep that moisture from building up. You can also move around your boxes so they are not staying stationary throughout their entire time in storage.

Salisbury Storage Warehouse in Salisbury, MD

Store with Salisbury Storage Warehouse for secure storage year-round! We offer indoor and outdoor storage units of all sizes, so you can pick the best space for your situation. Use our online storage calculator to determine the amount of storage space you need, or walk through the rental with one of our experts for an accurate sizing recommendation. We can assist you in person at our storage office on Snow Hill Road or over the phone. Salisbury Storage Warehouse also offers contactless storage rentals, so you can browse our available storage, choose, and rent your Salisbury storage unit from anywhere. Check out Salisbury Storage Warehouse when you are looking for self storage near you!


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Katie Mest

About the Author: Katie Mest is a Content Marketing Specialist at Storage Asset Management in York, PA. She specializes in writing about the self storage industry, including storage tips and helpful resources. Outside of work, Katie enjoys spending time exploring the outdoors and snuggling in with a crochet project and her cat, Billie.