You just opened your closet and saw that insects had damaged your clothes? Even though you may be aware that some kind of insect is causing the tiny holes in your clothes, do you know what these little closet intruders are specifically?
Clothes moths and carpet beetles are the most frequent causes of damage to textiles in California. Carpet beetles and moths may cause havoc in your wardrobe by munching through clothes and ruining even your most treasured possessions. Fortunately, there are a few easy precautions you can take, including making sure your clothes are well washed and routinely inspecting them for bugs, to help keep closet pests from damaging your clothes. Additionally, the Dewey Pest Control staff is just a phone call away if your pest issues become out of control or if you simply need a guaranteed solution ASAP.
Typical Pests that Invade Closets
While there may be a variety of bugs buzzing about your house, carpet beetles and clothes moths are the two that we find most often making their way into closets and damaging clothing and other materials. Although these pests are distinct from one another, they share a trait that makes them uncommon in the world of bugs: their larvae generate an enzyme that breaks down keratin, the protein found in animal hair. Despite their differences, these pests cause many of the same issues. Only a few other pests, including termites, cockroaches, and silverfish, can do this as well, but they aren’t usually the ones causing textile damage.
Issue with Clothes Moths and Carpet Beetles
What does this imply specifically for you and your wardrobe? In essence, this implies that clothing moths and carpet beetles may find food in materials that aren’t entirely synthetic. Not only does this refer to apparel made of fur, but it also includes wool, leather, silk, and sometimes cotton mixes as well as other textile kinds.
Moths and carpet beetles have a unique tendency to ruin any of these materials that are also unclean. Carpet beetles and clothes moths may also target other natural fiber-based goods, such as furniture with canvas upholstery; regrettably, they are not limited to attacking your clothes alone. This implies that when keeping natural textile-based products, businesses trying to reduce pest concerns must keep an eye out for these bugs.
How to Spot and Get Rid of Clothes Moths and Carpet Beetles
You may have a lot of trouble, whether you’re dealing with clothing moths or carpet beetles. However, knowing what sort of insect is causing your issues and what you can do to avoid or get rid of them is helpful.
Carpet Beetles
Do you think your closet has carpet beetles? Look out for tiny beetles (which may have many colors or even vary in hue) and larvae that resemble tiny caterpillars. It is these larvae that feed on clothes; they might remain in this stage for a number of years. Any damaged fabrics or apparel will be a dead giveaway for an infestation. Molted skin fragments may also indicate the presence of insects, maybe carpet beetles, in your area.
Methods for Eliminating Carpet Beetles
You’re undoubtedly curious about how to get rid of carpet beetles if you have them or think you may have them. In general, you may assist discourage carpet beetles from visiting your regions by making sure your fabrics and other surfaces are as clean as possible. If you have carpet beetle infestations, remove the infected articles as soon as you can from your undamaged goods, thoroughly clean your clothes and surrounding area, and keep a close look out for any new damage or pest activity.
Carpets may serve as excellent hiding places for these insects, so be sure to vacuum them on a regular basis as well. To guarantee you notice a potential infestation on the increase as soon as possible, be sure to inspect and clean tight spaces. Make care to clean undisturbed objects and store them in airtight containers made of materials that will repel carpet beetles to help keep pests away.
Even while carpet beetles aren’t thought to be a very dangerous pest for people, you shouldn’t play around with them for too long. They’re unclean, for starters, and you don’t want them to ruin your stuff. In order to discover a safe and efficient method for advanced carpet beetle management, such as setting up bug traps and applying pest treatments, you may also collaborate with a pest control companies, such as Envirobug.
Clothes Moths
Clothes moths are often straightforward to spot for most people. The majority of adult clothing moths are tiny and have an off-white appearance. Although they resemble other species of moths, they are usually more reticent and prefer to remain in areas with less light. In comparison to many other common moths, they are also much smaller, measuring around a quarter or half an inch. The larvae of the clothing moth, which may damage your fabrics, resemble tiny, non-fuzzy caterpillars that are white or light brown in color with darker heads. Additionally, certain types of clothing moth larvae have obvious cases connected to their rear ends.
Similar to carpet beetles, seeing them or seeing damage to your garments are two of the strongest indicators that you have clothes moths in your wardrobe. Our best recommendations for eliminating moths—more especially, closet-invading moths—are comparable to those for eliminating carpet beetles.
How to Avoid or Get Rid of Clothes Beetles and Moths
Clothing moths are particularly drawn to natural fabrics that have been contaminated by food or body oils, so make sure your clothes are clean before storing them. You should also routinely check your clothing for bugs so you can relocate it right away if you think there may be an infestation. Clothes moths like dark, undisturbed spaces, so keeping your closet open and rearranging things on a regular basis will also help reduce the number of potential closet moths in your space.
If you do find yourself in need of getting rid of invading moths, throw away any clothes that has been infected, thoroughly clean your wardrobe and everything in it, and if you can, put anything made of natural fibers in sealed, non-fabric containers. Certain things may also be protected by additional measures including freezing them, applying mothballs, and having a dry cleaner apply anti-moth treatments. If you choose this course of action, be sure you are completely aware of the potential threats to your property that come with these treatments, the health concerns associated with using pesticide products (particularly mothballs), and the anticipated length of time that these goods will help preserve your clothes. Similar to carpet beetles, professional pest management is often the most secure and successful solution for severe infestations of clothing moths.
Avoid Myths about Closet Pest Prevention
Now that you know the proper techniques for getting rid of moths and carpet beetles, there are a few common misconceptions about pest prevention you should be aware of to avoid wasting time and money on ineffective remedies. To start with, buying cedar storage containers to attempt to preserve your clothes is probably not worth the money. For a short period of time, even a well-made and sealed one cannot completely guard against bugs that damage clothes. Cedar liners are also unlikely to last over time.
Spending too much on essential oils to deter pests in general should also be done with caution. These kinds of treatments may become quite pricey and often don’t work completely. Furthermore, using herbs to get rid of closet bugs is probably not going to help and can potentially make the area more appealing to additional pests. Moth balls and moth crystals are very popular goods, but you should exercise additional caution if you want to use them since they may pose a significant risk to both humans and domestic pests.
Frequently Asked Questions about Closet Moths and Carpet Beetles
How can I keep my closet from being overrun by clothing moths?
Wash or dry clean items before storing them, keep your closet tidy and well-ventilated, and store clothing in airtight containers. Cedar blocks or mothballs are other effective insect repellents.
Can synthetic textiles be infested by clothing moths?
The main food source for clothes moths is natural fibers. In general, synthetic materials are safe, yet they might be harmed if combined with natural fibers.
Do carpet bugs just eat through fabrics?
No, a wide range of natural fiber-based products, such as furniture, clothes, and even food placed in storage, may get infested with carpet beetles.
