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Apartment Therapy senior editor Lizzy Francis reported finding clothes moths in her New York City apartment, where they damaged a vintage wool rug. After household remedies failed, pest-control specialist Eric Braun and moth researcher Isabel Novick advised identifying the infestation’s source, treating affected items and consulting an experienced exterminator. The report does not establish how the moths entered the apartment or give a confirmed outcome from professional treatment.
Apartment Therapy senior editor Lizzy Francis said she found clothes moths in her New York City apartment, including damage to a vintage wool rug, and turned to pest-control specialist Eric Braun and researcher Isabel Novick after vacuuming and using traps failed to solve the problem. Their advice centers on finding the infestation’s source, treating vulnerable fabrics and seeking help from an exterminator experienced with clothes moths.
Francis reported seeing flying insects for several weeks before identifying them as clothes moths. She said they were feeding on her orange and yellow vintage wool shag rug. Her initial efforts included a thorough vacuum, traps and deterrents, but she said those measures did not work. The report does not say that these methods are ineffective in every case; it describes Francis’s experience.
Braun, a technical services manager at Terminix, and Novick, an evolutionary biology PhD candidate who studies moths, advised starting by locating where the insects are feeding and where eggs or cocoons may be present. Francis said she found eggs and moths near the affected area. The experts’ recommended response includes treating affected garments and household items, cleaning or vacuuming infested carpets and arranging professional inspection and treatment.
For clothing and other goods made from animal fibers, the report recommends professional dry cleaning, heat treatment or freezing. It also advises hot washing and drying or freezing suitable items. After treatment, clean clothing can be stored in water-tight, hard plastic bins. Novick cautioned that some moths may chew through softer plastic, including vacuum-sealed bags, so those should not be treated as reliable protection.
Protecting Wool, Silk and Other Fabrics
Clothes moths matter to households because their larvae can damage materials made from animal fibers, including wool, cashmere, silk and leather. The source report says the larvae do most of the damage as they feed and later become adult moths. Seeing flying moths may be a reason to check nearby rugs, closets and stored garments rather than focusing only on the insects themselves.
The recommendations also show why a single household fix may not address an infestation. Eggs, larvae and cocoons can be located away from the adult moths that people notice, and affected items may require different treatment. The experts recommend locating the infestation’s source, while exterminators can inspect and treat affected areas. The report does not provide a cost estimate or guarantee that any particular method will eliminate an infestation.
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How the Infestation May Have Started
The experts differed on how clothes moths commonly enter a home. Braun said they can sometimes fly in through a window and settle where food is available. Novick said she had not found evidence that clothes moths fly in through windows and suggested that moths are often brought inside on animal-fiber goods, such as rugs, sweaters or leather jackets. She acknowledged that people in dense cities may be more exposed to moths flying in from outdoors. The report does not determine how Francis’s infestation began.
Braun said soiled items can be more attractive to moths than clean ones because body oils on frequently worn clothing smell good to moths and provide nutrients they cannot get otherwise. The source says regular cleaning is important to eradicate bugs and help prevent them from coming in, but does not present cleaning as a guaranteed treatment for an established infestation.
“I tried every remedy I could find on the internet — from giving my home a really thorough vacuum to setting up traps and deterrents — but nothing worked.”
— Lizzy Francis, Apartment Therapy senior editor
The Entry Point and Treatment Outcome
The report does not establish how moths entered Francis’s apartment, whether an exterminator subsequently treated it, or whether the infestation was eliminated. Braun and Novick also offer different views about how often moths arrive by flying indoors rather than on infested belongings. Their advice describes possible routes and recommended steps, but does not identify a confirmed cause in this case.
There are no details about the size of the infestation, the full extent of rug or clothing damage, the treatment used by a professional, its cost or its results. The source also does not provide a timeline for eliminating moths, which can depend on locating and treating affected items and areas.
Inspect, Treat and Monitor Affected Areas
For a household facing a similar problem, the source report’s next steps are to inspect the areas where moths or damage appear, look for feeding sites and signs such as eggs or cocoons, and contact an exterminator with experience treating clothes moths. The experts recommend treating affected items and cleaning infested carpets or vacuuming them thoroughly before treatment.
The report recommends storing clean items in water-tight, hard plastic bins to protect them from clothes moths. It also advises regular vacuuming and cleaning. The report offers no scheduled follow-up or confirmed resolution for Francis’s apartment, so the outcome of her case remains unknown.
Key Questions
What did Francis find in her apartment?
She said she found clothes moths and discovered that they were feeding on a vintage wool shag rug. She reported seeing flying insects for several weeks before identifying them.
What should someone do first if they suspect clothes moths?
The experts advised locating where the moths are feeding and checking for signs such as eggs or cocoons. They recommended consulting an exterminator experienced with clothes moths rather than relying on a quick spray alone.
How can affected clothes and textiles be treated?
The report lists professional dry cleaning, heat treatment or freezing for vulnerable items. It also recommends hot washing and drying or freezing suitable garments; the appropriate method depends on the item.
How should cleaned clothing be stored?
Novick recommends water-tight, hard plastic bins. She cautioned that some moths can chew through softer plastic, including vacuum-sealed bags.
Is it known how the moths got into Francis’s home?
No. Braun said moths can sometimes fly in through a window, while Novick questioned how much evidence supports that as a common route and pointed to infested animal-fiber goods as another likely source. The report does not identify the cause in Francis’s apartment.
Source: apartmenttherapy.com
