PEST CONTROL
Clothes Moth Control in Toronto, Oakville & the GTA
Clothes moths hide when disturbed, so the damage to wool, fur and felt is often found before the moths are. We find what the larvae are feeding on, clean out the closet and the hiding spots, and set traps to check they're gone.
SPECIES
Species We Treat
- Webbing Clothes Moths
- Casemaking Clothes Moths
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
Signs You Have Clothes Moths
If you’ve noticed any of these, call and a licensed technician will tell you what it points to.
Call (905) 739-7888- Holes or grazed patches in wool sweaters, coats, blankets or rugs
- Silk tubes or patches under collars and cuffs, or in the folds of stored clothes
- Small gold or light brown moths fluttering near a closet or rug, not around lights
- Loose fur and bare patches on fur coats or trim
- Small white larvae, or small cases the same colour as the fabric, on stored wool
OUR APPROACH
How We Treat Clothes Moths
Step 1
Confirm It's a Clothes Moth
Pantry moths, clothes moths and carpet beetles all turn up in closets, and each needs a different fix. At rest a clothes moth is about half the length of a pantry moth and has a hairy-looking head. Moth damage is usually scattered holes with webbing, where carpet beetles leave one larger damaged patch and bristly shed skins.
Step 2
Find the Source
Damage starts on wool, fur or felt that sits undisturbed for a long time: a coat at the back of the closet, a rug under heavy furniture, stored blankets. We check under collars and cuffs, along carpet edges and in the crevices of upholstered furniture, where the larvae feed out of sight.
Step 3
Clean, Treat and Monitor
Infested items are washed hot, dry-cleaned or frozen, and the closet is emptied and vacuumed. We treat the cracks and crevices with a product labelled for clothes moths and set pheromone traps to show whether any are left. We don't spray clothing or bedding.
How to Identify Clothes Moths
The webbing clothes moth is gold, with reddish-golden hair on top of its head, and only about 6 mm long at rest. The casemaking clothes moth is browner, with faint dark spots on its wings. Both flutter rather than fly straight, avoid light and stay close to what they are feeding on. The larvae are shiny white with dark heads, and casemaking larvae carry a silk case the same colour as the fabric they are eating.
Seasonal Behaviour in Ontario
Clothes moths keep developing through the winter in a heated home, and there are usually two generations a year. Each female lays 40 to 50 eggs, and the larvae can feed for anywhere from five weeks to two and a half years before turning into moths, so a closet can be infested for a long time before anyone notices.
DIY or Call a Professional?
A small problem in one closet is often something you can handle: take everything out, wash woollens for 20 to 30 minutes in water of at least 49°C or have them dry-cleaned, vacuum the closet, its cracks and the floor under heavy furniture, and store clean wool in airtight containers. Call us when damage keeps appearing, shows up in several rooms or is in rugs and upholstered furniture. Widespread or heavy infestations usually need a professional.
Clothes Moth or Carpet Beetle?
Carpet beetle larvae eat the same wool, fur and feathers, so check which one you have before treating:
- Clothes moths: scattered holes, silk webbing or cases, and small moths fluttering close to the damage.
- Carpet beetles: a larger damaged area in one spot, bristly brown shed skins and no webbing. The small, round adults often show up at windows in spring and early summer.
- Pantry moths: about twice as long as a clothes moth, flying around the kitchen, with webbing in food rather than fabric.
Where the Damage Hides
Clothes moths hide when disturbed, so damage is often found late. Check:
- Under collars and cuffs, and inside folds and pockets
- Along carpet edges and under heavy furniture
- In the crevices of upholstered furniture
- Along baseboards and inside vents, where hair and lint collect
WHY CHOOSE US
Why Ontario Homeowners Choose Sting Out
No Binding Contracts
Cancel anytime, with no lock-in and no pressure. If you keep us on, it should be because the work is getting results.
Integrated Pest Management
Inspection first, then targeted treatment with registered products used as the label directs. Your technician will advise on any precautions.
Ontario-Licensed Exterminators
Treatments are applied by technicians licensed under Ontario pesticide rules.
5 Star Google Rating
Read what GTA homeowners and businesses say about us on Google Maps.
COMMON QUESTIONS
Clothes Moth Control: Questions We Get
What do clothes moths eat?
Wool above all: clothing, carpets, rugs, upholstered furniture, blankets and felt, plus fur, feathers and natural-bristle brushes. They will eat cotton or synthetic blends that contain some wool, and stained fabric is more at risk than clean. Fabric made entirely of synthetic fibres, which includes most wall-to-wall carpet, isn't affected.
Is it clothes moths or carpet beetles?
Both feed on wool and fur, so the damage can look alike. Clothes moths more often leave scattered holes with silk webbing or cases. Carpet beetles tend to eat a larger area in one spot and leave bristly brown shed skins and no webbing. Treatment overlaps, but knowing which one you have tells us where to look.
Do mothballs work?
Only in an airtight container. The vapour has to build up to work, and in an open closet it only partly repels the adults while larvae already on the clothes keep feeding. Health Canada's label rules limit naphthalene mothballs to indoor use in airtight containers, kept out of reach of children and pets, and the vapour can cause headaches, nausea, dizziness and vomiting. Items stored with them need several days of airing out to lose the smell.
Does a cedar closet keep moths away?
Not reliably. Cedar oil can kill small larvae but not large ones, and the wood loses that effect after a few years. Store wool clean and in an airtight container instead.
Will freezing kill clothes moths?
Yes, if it is cold enough for long enough. The Canadian Conservation Institute recommends -20°C for one week, which a household deep freezer running at -20°C to -25°C can manage. Seal the item in a plastic bag first, and give it a day to come back to room temperature before you take it out.
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- No contracts, most calls returned within 1 hour
SERVICE AREAS
Clothes Moth Control Across Toronto, Oakville & the GTA
We treat clothes moths in homes and businesses throughout Toronto and Southern Ontario.
We Also Treat
- BeetlesBeetle control for stored products, wood, and fabric pests.
- Bed BugsInspection first, then targeted treatment where bed bugs hide.
- Pantry PestsPantry moths, flour beetles and weevils in stored food.
- SilverfishStop silverfish from damaging your home and belongings.
- Mice & RatsRodent removal with full exclusion work.
- CockroachesGel baiting and growth regulators for homes and businesses.
See our residential pest control and commercial pest control services, or go back to the Sting Out home page.