Does Steaming Clothes Kill Moths?
Does Steaming Clothes Kill Moths? Steaming clothes is not only great for getting creasing out of your clothes, but it is also fantastic for dealing with clothes moths. Steamer of a good company can be a great tool in your armory against moths.
It is quite heartbreaking to open your bedroom closet and discover that your favorite and super expensive cashmere sweater looks like you were out last night dodging shotgun blasts, tragically peppered with several tiny holes that have you scratching your head as to what could have caused it. The dread when you see a small brown-colored moth flittering near your wardrobe realising what has happened and the possible magnitude of the situation at hand.
Clothing moths can cause thousands and thousands worth of damage, particularly if you are balling and you have some mad swag hanging on your racks. Moths have expensive taste. They will totally ruin your day if their presence is detected too late. They don’t care about your Gucci or your Louis. They will chomp into your hard-earned rags like there is no tomorrow. They eat natural fibers including leather, so that’s going to include shoes and handbags too. If the infestation gets really out of hand you may be left with no alternative than to call some real professionals with the big guns.
The key to eliminating the clothing moths is to understand their lifecycle and the proven methods to get rid of them before they ruin your wardrobe and have you dressing in only polyester. They hate that, so if athleisure is your thing you can turn away now. So first let’s look at what moths eat and how they eat before checking does steaming clothes kill moths
WHAT DO MOTHS EAT?
There are two types of clothes moths that are distributed all around the world: the webbing clothes moth and casemaking clothes moth. Both of them feed on natural fibers found in clothing. They will eat wool, silk, cotton, or any other type of natural fiber they can find easily.
Once they run out of clothing fibers, they will start chomping through synthetic materials to find natural fibers underneath them.
LIFECYCLE OF A CLOTHES MOTH
The adult moth usually mates and lays its eggs near a food source. Once they mate, the females lay their eggs on wool, fur, or silk fabrics. The eggs are attached to clothing fibers with a special kind of adhesive created by female moths.
Now many people may not know that it is their babies who eat and damage your clothes. Once they hatch from the eggs, they start munching on the clothing found next to them. These babies, however, do have a refined taste. They will only eat animal-based fabrics such as wool and cashmere because they need animal proteins to grow and develop.
SO DOES STEAMING CLOTHES KILL MOTHS?
Moths can be highly destructive if not taken care of immediately. These closet-squatting housemates can make your life quite miserable by making several holes in all your finer garments. Nobody wants their favorite cashmere sweater or silk blouse to become a protein source for clothes moths.
Steaming clothes is not only great for getting creasing out of your clothes, but it is also fantastic for dealing with clothes moths. Steamer of a good company can be a great tool in your armory against moths.
Steaming clothes will kill moth larvae and eggs successfully because they are pretty susceptible to extreme temperatures. Anything above 55°C will cause their proteins to denature, so steam that is greater than boiling point will do the job perfectly.
If you are looking for a good steamer then take a look at this one. There are lots of other ones out there but have yet to encounter any issues with this one.
HOW TO KILL MOTHS WITH STEAM?
While steaming the clothes, make sure the steamer is filled with water and heated to the right temperature. Glide the steamer carefully up and down the garment focusing more on areas where clothes moths hide the most such as pockets, cuffs, underarms, and collars.
The steam cools quickly, so make sure to hold the head close to the material to do the job perfectly. To avoid getting watermarks on the clothes, you need to allow the steam to escape from the clothes rather than putting the steam directly on the clothes.
After steaming the clothes, allow the clothes to dry completely before putting them back into your wardrobe.
BENEFITS OF STEAMING CLOTHES REGULARLY
Steaming clothes regularly can help you keep your clothes away from the moths. It also helps to iron out the creases without the damage a regular iron can cause. By steaming your clothes regularly, you will be able to kill bacteria and viruses, reducing the number of times you need to wash or dry clean your clothes.
Dry cleaning your clothes is also an effective method to kill clothes moths, but many people may not find it a cost-effective option. It will cost a lot of money to dry clean your clothes regularly. Dry cleaning may also damage the fabric, and over time, you may notice the colors fading away. Using a steamer can help you prolong your clothes’ life and keep them safe from the moths.
5 TIPS TO PREVENT GETTING CLOTHING MOTHS
Steaming clothes to get rid of clothes moths is an effective solution but not permanent if you do not deal with the root of the problems. Clearly, you will need to take some precautionary steps to avoid facing the dilemma of dealing with clothes moths over and over again.
However, these precautionary steps will not kill any existing moth eggs, so make sure to eliminate the pest first by steaming your natural-fiber garments. Some of the clothes moths prevention tips are:
Deep clean your closet:
Steaming clothes will not work if there are active larvae in your wardrobe. Mostly clothes moths like corners that are warm and dark. Remove everything from your wardrobe and clean inside the drawers and wardrobe thoroughly.
Wipe all the surfaces of your wardrobe with a detergent-soaked cloth to get rid of any active clothes moths in your closet. Deep cleaning your wardrobe weekly is quite essential in the summer months to protect your clothes from moths.
Keep your clothes clean:
Moths like to feast on human sweat and food particles. It is better to avoid putting any dirty clothes, especially knitwear, in your wardrobe with steamed clothes. Even if you have worn any shirt or sweater only once for an hour or two, it counts as dirty.
Store your knitwear in airtight containers:
Once your finer garments are moth-free after steaming them, it is better to place them in airtight plastic containers or zippered garment bags to protect them from any future infestation. Don’t leave any natural-fiber clothes such as wool, silk, or cotton exposed to the air.
Keep your storage area dry:
Moths love moist and humid surroundings. Storing your steamed knitwear or other finer garments in the basement, garages, or other damp areas can greatly expose them to clothes moths. Moist corners in your wardrobe can lead to a reintroduction of clothes moths.
It is better to store them in an indoor closet or in the attic of your home to keep them protected from clothes moths infestation.
Use scented sachets or essential oils:
In order to protect your closet from the female moths laying their eggs, it is better to place scented sachets, bunches of lavender or herbs, or essentials oils in your closet as female moths don’t like fragrant closets.
SO DOES STEAMING CLOTHES KILL MOTHS?
Clothes moths not only damage your expensive clothes but can also cause allergic reactions. For all people with respiratory or skin allergies, wearing clothes filled with moths can worsen their symptoms. These cloth-eating bugs can cause several red spots on your skin upon making contact with the skin. The key to preventing the clothes moths is to make your storage spaces as unfriendly to moth infestations as possible. Steaming clothes regularly and taking all the preventive measures afterward will help you defend your Gucci, guard your Dolce, and secure your Prada.
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