It’s critical that you take immediate action when faced with moths. These pests breed quickly and lay about 40-50 eggs at a time. The eggs soon hatch into larvae, which then begin eating your household fabrics. This fast infestation growth cycle is why it’s so important that you act quickly. But how do you do this? Customers often ask us if there is a quick, easy and effective way to kill moth larvae and eggs on their belongings while waiting for their professional moth treatment appointment date.
How to kill moth larvae with your washing machine
One way that is said to kill moth larvae and eggs on clothing is to wash it. However, something to note here, is that the washing process must be done in a specific way. One problem is that putting your clothing on a regular wash isn’t enough to kill moth eggs. Their eggs have a tough, durable casing which are made to withstand outside forces. Moths also use strong “glue” which bonds their eggs to whatever surface they are laid on.
What this means is that you have to kill what’s inside the egg casing. The way you do this is by washing your clothes at a certain temperature. What scientists have discovered is that death comes to all stages of life for most pests at a certain temperature. In the case of moths, they die when exposed to temperatures of 50°C. If you wash and tumble dry your clothing at above temperature, then the moth eggs and larvae are likely to die.
Clear limitations to the washing machine method
The only problem is that not everything can be washed. Moths eat other things as well as clothes. They lay their eggs anywhere that will provide the larvae with fabric food once the eggs have hatched. This can include inside furniture such as sofas, on curtains, in and underneath carpets and rugs, and on upholstery of all kinds.
Moths are also interested in natural materials such as wool, fur and leather. Not all of these items can be thrown in your washing machine. For example, you may have something like a fur coat, or leather jacket. The solution here is to have these items dry cleaned. This also works. Dry cleaning machines heat up to about 60°C, which is more than hot enough to kill moth larvae and eggs.
Once your clothes are washed, you’ll also need to take further steps to prevent moths. To do this, place your freshly laundered garments into plastic clothing bags. You should also place pheromone moth traps around your cupboards. These are highly effective and will help prevent further moth infestations.