Tip of the week: How to combat clothes moths

Clean like it’s 1899. Clothes moths adore darkness and undisturbed natural fabrics, so clothes that aren’t stored in plastic should be aired out regularly. Because adult female moths live about two weeks, shake clothes out and beat or vacuum cushions and rugs once or twice a month to dislodge any of the eggs or larvae they leave behind.

Boil your wash. “The biggest draw for a hungry moth is stained clothing.” Before storing clothes, wash them for at least an hour in 118-degree water in order to kill eggs and larvae. Freezing clothing for 12 hours also works.

Avoid moth balls. They emit toxic particles into your clothes, and the odor is “almost impossible to remove.” Cedar kills only eggs and larvae, not adult moths, so pheromone-loaded moth traps might be the best organic weapon.

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Source: London Daily Mail