How to get rid of clothes moths: A complete guide to stopping closet infestations

Published October 23, 2020 • Updated September 9, 2026
Reviewed by Julie Miller, BA in Language Arts, Editorial Lead, Dr. Killigan’s

TL;DR: Clothing moth larvae primarily feed on animal-based natural fibers, rather than 100% synthetic fabrics. The fix is finding and treating the source, not just chasing the moths you see. Treat affected items with heat, freezing or dry cleaning, clean the closet, trap adult males and protect what’s stored with cedar.

Clothes moths rarely announce themselves—you notice the damage before the moth. Left undisturbed, their larvae feed on natural fibers in closets and drawers. This guide walks you through how to identify, treat and prevent them, step by step.

How to get rid of clothes moths step by step

1. Assess the situation & identify the winged pest

It’s easy to overlook the exact type of moth you’re dealing with, but understanding what species of moths is in your home is essential. 

Before opening your box of Clothing Moth Traps, ask yourself these four questions:

1. Is my moth a weak flyer, tending to flutter about rather than fly in a direct pattern?
2. Does it shy away from light, hiding in dark locations? 
3. Does it have tiny tufts of golden or reddish hair on its head? (You’ll need to catch one to find out. A magnifying glass may be helpful.)
4. Have you found evidence of its destructive nature? Clothing moths tend to graze along the surface of keratin-rich fabrics, but they can also chew holes.

If you answered "yes", you’re likely dealing with clothes moths.

What are the signs of a clothes moth infestation?

Once you’ve assessed behavior and features, confirm the infestation by checking for these common signs:

• Irregular holes in natural fabrics
• Silken webbing or cocoons left behind on clothing, drawers or shelves
• Tiny white larvae (often mistaken for lint) or shed casings
• Adult moths fluttering away from closets or dark corners when disturbed

Once you’ve confirmed you’re dealing with a fabric-damaging moth rather than a pantry moth, it’s time to focus on getting rid of them.

2. Discard infested clothes to stop moth spread

Go through your wardrobe one piece at a time, starting with natural fibers—wool, cashmere, silk, fur, felt and feathers—and anything blended with them. Clothing moth larvae don’t feed on 100% synthetic fabrics like polyester. However, they can still damage blended fabrics when synthetic fibers are mixed with natural fibers such as wool or silk, because the larvae feed on the natural-fiber portion of the blend. 

On each item, look for small irregular holes, silky webbing or tube-shaped cases stuck to the cloth, gritty specks that look like sand, and cream-colored larvae. Pay closest attention to the spots moths prefer—folds, cuffs, collars, seams and anywhere stained with sweat, body oils or food—and check stored or rarely-worn pieces most carefully, since moths favor clothes left undisturbed.

If an item is beyond repair with your needle-and-thread skills, seal it in a trash bag, tie or knot it shut and dispose of it immediately in an outdoor bin.

3. Thoroughly clean the clothes you keep

You have two choices in this matter: hot or cold.

If you plan to kill these moths using heat, you’ll need to choose one of these three methods:

• Wash your clothes in hot water (at least 120°F). You may need to turn up your water heater, as some heat is lost in transit. Standard water heater settings range from 120°F to 125°F.
• Dry clean your clothes. This is the most effective (though more expensive) method, especially for delicate items that may be damaged by water or steam.
• Steam your clothes. Steam must fully penetrate the garment’s fibers to be effective. This requires precise control of duration and temperature—something best left to steam-cleaning experts, especially if the garments are delicate or valuable.

If you plan to kill these moths using cold, you’ll need to:

• Identify and isolate infested clothing items. Focus on pieces that show signs of larvae or damage. 
• Place the items in a sealed, airtight bag. Do not overstuff the bag—leave space for cold air to circulate.
• Seal the bag tightly. This prevents condensation and frost from damaging your clothes.
• Freeze the items for at least 72 hours—ideally, a full week. Your freezer should maintain a consistent temperature of 0°F or colder for the treatment to be effective.

4. Clean your closet

Vacuum thoroughly where the affected items were stored, paying special attention to corners, edges, baseboards, storage bins, wool rugs and upholstery seams. Use a vacuum with strong suction and crevice attachments to remove pet hair, lint or debris. While clothing moths don’t feed on synthetic carpet fibers, accumulated organic matter—like pet hair—can sustain their larvae and serve as a site for egg-laying.

Once vacuumed, spray a light dusting of Six Feet Under on your carpet. This plant-powered kill-on-contact solution will kill any remaining larvae that may have gone unnoticed.  (We recommend choosing a small, inconspicuous spot of your floor covering to test on before committing.) As a final step, wipe down all shelves, walls, storage bins and other surfaces in your closet with Six Feet Under to ensure no moths—or their offspring—are left behind.

5. Place traps

Place one trap on your clothing rod and one low to the ground in your closet. Because clothing moths are poor fliers, positioning a trap near the floor can be especially effective. For added coverage, place a third trap about 8–10 feet away on the opposite side of the room—this helps lure moths away from your closet. 

The trap's pheromone attractant can permeate up to 25 ft. if there is constant airflow, which will help draw out any moths in the vicinity.

Dr. Killigan's Clothing Moth Traps are designed to attract and trap fabric-damaging clothes moths, including the webbing moth (Tineola bisselliella) and the casemaking moth (Tinea pellionella). 

6. Be patient

Even after you’ve treated your clothes and cleaned your closet, give the process time to finish. Clothing moths move through their life cycle over weeks, not days. Eggs can hatch in as little as 4 to 10 days in warmer conditions, while cooler temperatures can extend hatching to as long as 30 days. 

That’s why patience is part of the plan, not a sign anything went wrong. Leave your traps out and let them continue catching newly emerged adult males before they can mate. Over time, this helps interrupt the reproductive cycle and reduce the moth population.

Do mothballs work to get rid of clothes moths?

Not well—and not safely. Traditional mothballs rely on naphthalene or paradichlorobenzene—both toxic chemicals—that release fumes as they dissolve. That’s a real concern in any home, and more so around children or pets. Plant-based repellents and pheromone traps give you a safer, more targeted way to deal with clothing moths—without filling your closet with something you wouldn’t want to breathe.

How to keep clothing moths a nuisance of the past

You must be proactive. Here are some tips and tricks:

• Place Dr. Killigan’s Cedar Chips Canisters in drawers, storage bins and closet corners, and tuck Cedar Planks among hanging clothes and on shelves. Cedar’s natural aroma helps repel clothing moths and protect the wool, cashmere and silk they feed on—refresh the scent periodically (a light sanding revives the planks, or a spritz of Cedar Ward restores their cedar oil) so it keeps working.
• Take out, shake and wear all of your clothes.
  
  
• Keep clothing-moth-loving attire that you don’t wear frequently in sealed clothing bags. If storing for a long period of time, use vacuum-sealed plastic bags, placing a Cedar Plank in each one. 
• Have your wool carpets or rugs professionally cleaned twice a year. In the meantime, lift furniture and vacuum every square inch of these carpets and rugs.
• Wash your clothes regularly. Moths are spellbound by the scent of urine, sweat or food stains.
• Purchase a freezer for those cashmere sweaters.
• Keep one Clothing Moth Trap out at all times to make you aware of a potential issue. Once opened, the trap is good for three months; unopened, it is good for three years from the date of manufacture.
• It may seem that clothing issues are on the rise. Together, let’s be prepared.
• Air out and brighten storage spaces—moths favor dark, undisturbed, poorly ventilated closets and drawers.

What it really takes to win the war against clothing moths

Having a clothing moth infestation is no joke. It takes extreme diligence, patience and hard work to get rid of these wool-eating, pet-hair-munching, food-stain-loving pests. Have you had a clothing moth issue? How did you get rid of those winged invaders? Share your tips and tricks by contacting our wonderful customer service team.

Explore more

• Clothes moth life cycle: how they ruin fabrics and how to stop them
  (See how clothes moths develop from egg to adult—and where that cycle is easiest to break.)
• Carpet beetles vs clothes moths: what’s eating your wool?
  (Not sure moths are the culprit? How to tell clothes moths from carpet beetles before you treat.)
  
• Say goodbye to moth holes: the best clothes moth traps
  (What to look for in a clothes moth trap and how to get the most out of it.)