TL;DR
Get cleaning gear delivered free with Prime
- Fast, free delivery on millions of items
- Prime Video, Amazon Music and more included
- Member-only deals all year
Apartment Therapy’s Lizzy Francis described finding clothes moths in her New York City apartment and damage to a vintage wool rug after home remedies failed. A pest-control manager and an evolutionary biology researcher advised locating the infestation, cleaning or treating susceptible items, sealing stored clothing and consulting an exterminator; the report does not give a confirmed treatment outcome.
Apartment Therapy senior editor Lizzy Francis reported finding clothes moths in her New York City apartment and turned to a pest-control specialist and a researcher after vacuuming, traps and deterrents did not solve the problem. Their advice centers on identifying the source, treating affected textiles and consulting an exterminator, because the moths’ larvae can damage wool, cashmere, silk and other animal-fiber items.
Francis said she first noticed flying insects for several weeks before identifying them as clothes moths. She then found that they were feeding on a vintage wool shag rug. Her initial efforts included a thorough vacuum and traps and deterrents found online, but she said those measures did not work. The article does not report a verified inspection or a specific extermination result.
Eric Braun, a technical services manager at Terminix, and Isabel Novick, an evolutionary biology PhD candidate who studies fungus moths including webbing clothes moths, recommended finding the infestation’s source. Signs may include eggs, larvae or cocoons in cracks and crevices near affected materials. They advised having susceptible belongings professionally dry-cleaned, heat-treated or frozen, and having infested carpets professionally cleaned or thoroughly vacuumed before treatment.
The recommended preparation is extensive: seal and treat clothing in affected closets or storage areas, and clean items made from animal fibers such as wool, cashmere, silk and leather. Novick favored freezing as one treatment option. After cleaning, she recommended storing garments in water-tight, hard plastic bins; the report notes that some moths may chew through softer plastic bags. Braun said an exterminator can inspect and treat the affected area using different tools, rather than relying on a quick spray alone.
Protecting Rugs and Clothing
The practical concern is that clothes moth damage may continue while an infestation goes unnoticed. According to the experts quoted by Apartment Therapy, the larvae do the feeding; adult moths are part of the reproductive cycle. That makes finding and treating vulnerable textiles, not just removing visible flying insects, central to the advice.
The report also emphasizes that treating a home can involve many belongings and storage spaces. Cleaning, professional treatment and sealing items may take time and cost money, but can help protect wool rugs, cashmere, silk and leather. Readers should treat the article as expert guidance attributed to its interviewees, not as a guarantee that one method will eliminate every infestation.
Products Worth Considering
Shark PowerDetect Corded Stick Vacuum with HEPA Filtration, Purple (HZ4001AMZ)
Roborock H60 Ultra-B Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner
Dyson Ball Animal 3 Upright Vacuum
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
How Moths Reach a Home
The article identifies clothes moths by the scientific name Tineola bisselliella and says they are attracted to animal fibers containing keratin. The source says they may also eat some non-keratin materials, though these are not their preferred food. In the account, Francis suspected the rug was a food source after noticing the insects.
The experts differed on how moths commonly enter homes. Braun said they may fly in through a window. Novick said she had not found evidence supporting that explanation and suggested infested items—such as a rug, sweater or leather jacket—may bring them inside. She also said people in dense cities may be more exposed to moths flying in from outside, while emphasizing that the source can vary.
Braun said soiled items can be more attractive than clean ones because body oils provide odors and nutrients. The article also describes rapid reproduction: it reports that a female may lay up to 50 eggs in a couple of days, with eggs hatching within days to a week. Those figures are presented in the source article, not as measurements from Francis’s apartment.
The Infestation’s Source and Outcome
The source of Francis’s infestation is not established. Braun said moths may enter through windows, while Novick questioned the evidence for that route and pointed to infested belongings as another possible source. The account does not identify how the moths arrived in the apartment or confirm whether the rug was the sole source.
The article also does not say whether Francis hired an exterminator, which treatments were ultimately used, or whether the infestation was eliminated. It offers general advice based on interviews, but no case-specific inspection findings, costs, treatment schedule or outcome. The exact response needed will depend on where moths and signs of feeding are found.
Inspect, Treat and Monitor
The steps outlined in the report are to locate affected areas, clean or professionally treat vulnerable items, prepare clothing and storage areas for pest-control treatment, and keep cleaned garments in hard, sealed containers. If moths or damage persist, Braun and Novick’s advice points toward contacting an exterminator with experience handling clothes moths rather than relying only on household traps or sprays.
Francis’s article says she planned to explain how the situation was going a year later, but the supplied report does not include that follow-up. Until a later account or treatment details are available, the outcome in her apartment remains unconfirmed.
Key Questions
What materials do clothes moths commonly damage?
The report says they are drawn to animal fibers such as wool, cashmere, silk and leather. It notes that other fibers may also be eaten, but are not described as preferred food sources.
What should someone do after finding clothes moths?
The experts advised locating the source and checking nearby cracks and crevices for eggs, larvae or cocoons. They recommended cleaning or professionally treating affected textiles and consulting an exterminator for inspection and treatment.
Do clothes moths always come in through windows?
No confirmed route is given. Braun said they can fly inside through windows; Novick said she had not found evidence for that explanation and suggested moths can arrive on infested belongings.
Can cleaned clothing be protected in plastic bags?
Novick recommended water-tight, hard plastic bins for clean clothing. The report cautions that some clothes moths may chew through softer plastic, including vacuum-sealed bags.
Source: apartmenttherapy.com
