How Can You Get Rid of Clothes Moths in Your Storage?

If you suspect damage to your stored items, it’s crucial to identify and eliminate pests like clothes moths promptly. Whether you are storing items at home, in your business, or in a self-storage unit, fabric stored for a while could fall victim to damage if you are not careful. Dealing with clothes moths is annoying, but it happens often enough that the solution to getting rid of them is simple, and you can be well-prepared for the future. Follow Brooks Mini Storage’s tips below on dealing with one of storage’s most common insect problems.

How to Get Rid of Clothes Moths in Storage Spaces

Look for Specific Signs for Clothes Moths

How can you be sure you are dealing with clothes moths in particular and not some other pest? Clothes moths usually eat through fabric, leaving holes and sometimes a web material behind. They are especially attracted to animal fibers—cashmere, wool, etc. The culprits are the casemaking and webbing clothes moths, but the damage is done when they are larvae—not adults. As adults, they are yellow or gray and about a centimeter in size.

Clear the Damage & Clean Your Space

Once you know for sure it is clothes moths, you can properly clean away the damage. Look through your fabric for holes, and use your judgment to determine to repairable from the unrepairable. If a piece looks salvageable with a few stitches to fix it up, you can throw it in the wash to clean. Otherwise, discard of any pieces that are too far gone. After examining your storage items for damage, clean your storage space to keep from re-infesting the area. Sweep and mop if there is hard flooring. If there is carpeting, be sure to vacuum well and steam or shampoo if you are able to.

Pack Clothing in Air-Tight Containers

Clothes moth larvae are extremely tiny and can make their way through small openings. That is why it is important to pack up your fabrics in air-tight containers—no zippers or seams. If you are using a storage container that is not air-tight, such as a garment bag, you can tape up those edges for additional security.

Another way to keep clothes moths out of your storage is to avoid creating their preferred conditions. They like humid, dark areas, so any time you can open up your storage space and move items around, it is beneficial. Do not keep your storage stationary for too long!

Natural Remedies and Prevention Tips

While cleaning and air-tight packing are essential, you can also use natural remedies to further protect your fabrics. Consider using lavender sachets, cedar blocks, or cloves in your storage containers. These natural repellents are safe to use and can effectively deter clothes moths without the use of chemicals.

• Lavender Sachets: Place dried lavender in small bags and tuck them into your storage containers. The strong scent of lavender is known to repel moths.
• Cedar Blocks: Cedar wood naturally repels moths and other insects. Place cedar blocks or chips in your storage areas to keep moths away.
• Cloves: Cloves have a strong smell that moths dislike. Sprinkle some cloves in your storage containers for added protection.

Regularly inspect your storage items and refresh these natural repellents to maintain their effectiveness. Additionally, consider airing out your stored fabrics every few months to prevent the conditions that moths thrive in.

Find Secure Storage with Brooks Mini Storage in Kinston, NC

How can our temperature-controlled storage units help you stay rid of clothes moths? Brooks Mini Storage offers indoor and outdoor storage units of all sizes to help you take on even your toughest projects. To keep sensitive belongings secure, our indoor storage is monitored to maintain a consistent temperature range, warding off common damages caused by changes in temperature and humidity. Fight against clothes moths, rust, mold, and so much more by upgrading to temperature control. Brooks Mini Storage is your key to finding reliable self-storage near you in Kinston, NC. Check out our storage units online, and rent today!

Use our storage calculator to figure out the amount of storage space you need to hold your load. Then scour our self storage tips for choosing and packing storage units. Find all the resources you need with Brooks Mini Storage!

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