Fed up of going to put on your favourite luxury items of clothing, only to find it’s full of holes? We’ve put together a guide on how to keep your clothes safe from pests in your home.
As someone who cares about their style, you spend time and money on high-quality items. So, the last thing you want is for them to be damaged!
To help you keep your clothes safe, we will explore the pests that commonly cause such damage before looking at methods for preventing and controlling them.
Which Pests Cause Damage to Your Clothes?
If you’ve ever noticed mysterious holes in your clothing, you most likely blamed it on moths. However, you may be surprised to discover it’s not only moths that like to nibble on your finest threads.
There are actually five different insects that may be to blame!
Carpet Beetles
While their name comes from where they are usually found in the home, these beetles don’t limit their diet to carpets only. Instead, their larvae feed on many fabrics, including wool, fur, mohair and feathers – all common materials found in clothing.
Clothes Moth
The clothes moth is most often blamed for damage to clothing due to their name, but these moths will eat whatever fabrics they can get their hands on. The larvae of clothes moths favour fur, hair, wool and flannel, materials that are sure to be found in your wardrobe!
Silverfish
In contrast to the clothes moth, silverfish don’t eat clothing for the fabrics. Instead, they will chew through clothing for substances often found on the fabric, using their teeth to scrape edible material from your clothing.
Crickets
You may not expect to find crickets in your home as they usually live outside; however, they will travel indoors when temperatures drop. Crickets will chew through natural and synthetic fibres, meaning everything’s at risk. Typically they favour items containing sources of food, sweat or grease – tasty!
Termites
Termites don’t eat their way through your wardrobe for the same purposes as the other pests in this list. Instead, they are attracted to food & drink you may have spilt on your clothes and your natural body oils in the fabric. To get to their food sources, they will chew their way through anything – especially your clothes.
How to Deal with Pests Eating Your Clothes
There are many methods for preventing and controlling pests entering your home, but to help you narrow down your options, we’ve put together our top 3 tips.
Insect Control Equipment
If it’s too late for prevention, then your best method for getting rid of whichever insect is causing you problems is to buy insect control equipment.
There are many different types of insect control, each with varying application methods and for all kinds of insects, meaning it’s never been easier to deal with pests in your home.
When purchasing insecticides and equipment, make sure you use a professional, licensed pest control supplier like; Insect Control – Fly Traps – Fly Killers – 1env Solutions offering a range of solutions for carpet beetles, clothes moths, silverfish, crickets and termite.
Preventing clothes-eating pests in your home
One of the best ways to prevent damage to your clothes is to re-consider how you store your clothing.
You should pay particular attention to any expensive garments or vintage heirloom pieces. Rather than hanging them up with the rest of your wardrobe, why not try sealing them in an airtight container?
These are available for an affordable price online or from most general stores. Not only will this prevent pests from gaining access, but it will also help to prolong the life of these items – win-win!
Regular cleaning of your storage areas also helps to keep the pests out of your clothing. Ensure that the clothing you’re storing is clean before you put it away, as this can make it less desirable to many pests.
Natural Methods
Lavender is a great natural deterrent for lots of different pests. Place some fresh lavender into a cotton bag and hang it in your wardrobe.
Lavender essential oils also do the trick – place a couple of drops around your storage areas to keep the pests out.
Moisture in your home can increase your risk of pests like clothes moths. Investing in a dehumidifier is a great idea that will not only protect your clothes but the rest of your soft furnishings around the home!
Silica powder also works well for absorbing moisture in the air. Leave a small amount in the back of your wardrobe to help keep everything dry and pest-free.
