Do moths eat clothes?

The short version: it is the larvae, not the moths

If you have found a hole in a favourite jumper, the moth you saw fluttering in the wardrobe did not make it. Adult clothes moths do not feed at all. Butterfly Conservation and MuseumPests both say the damage is done only by the larvae, the small, pale caterpillars that hatch from eggs laid on the fabric.

The adults have one job, which is to mate and lay eggs. A female lays around 40 to 50 eggs, and once they hatch the larvae spend weeks or months eating before they turn into moths. That feeding stage is where all the holes come from.

Do all moths eat clothes?

No. The UK has about 2,500 species of moth, and the BPCA says only a few are pests. The vast majority live outdoors and feed on plants as caterpillars. A large moth that blunders in at night and heads for the light is not a threat to your wardrobe.

The ones that do cause trouble indoors are mainly:

• Common (webbing) clothes moth. Small, plain pale gold with no markings. Its larvae spin silk webbing as they feed.
• Case-bearing clothes moth. Greyish brown with one to three dark spots. Its larvae live inside a portable silk case.
• Brown house moth and white-shouldered house moth. Occasional household pests whose larvae eat a wide range of dead plant and animal matter. The BPCA says the white-shouldered house moth can affect stored food as well as textiles.

There are a few others, such as the large pale clothes moth and the pale-backed clothes moth, but they turn up less often.

Why do moths eat clothes?

Clothes moth larvae feed on keratin. This is the tough protein that makes up hair, wool, feathers and fur, and it is what these larvae are built to digest.

So to a clothes moth larva, a wool jumper is not a garment. It is a meal that happens to be shaped like one. Old bird nests are full of feathers, which is why the BPCA suggests checking lofts and chimneys for nests that could be feeding moths unseen.

Sweat and stains make it worse

English Heritage and Lambeth Council both note that larvae prefer fabric that is soiled. Sweat and stains make fibres more attractive. That is why damage so often turns up under the arms, around collars and cuffs, or on a jumper that went into storage without being washed.

Which fabrics do moths eat?

Do moths eat cotton?

Not usually. English Heritage says clean cotton is not normally attacked, and Butterfly Conservation says the larvae do not eat cotton or man-made fibres. However, English Heritage also notes larvae can bore through cotton to reach something they do want, and cotton blended with wool is at risk. A stained cotton shirt sitting next to a wool coat may still end up with damage.

What about synthetics?

Polyester, nylon and acrylic are not food for clothes moth larvae. Dirt, hair or food left on them can still attract larvae, so cleaning before storage still matters.

Where you will see the damage

Larvae avoid light. English Heritage and Lambeth describe them feeding in hidden places: under collars and cuffs, in folds, on the backs of items at the back of the wardrobe, and on carpet under furniture. That is why the damage often shows up on things that sit undisturbed, like the cashmere jumper kept for special occasions.

Our post on the signs of clothes moths explains what webbing, frass and cases look like.

How to stop moths eating clothes

The BPCA and English Heritage give simple, practical advice:

1. Wash or clean before storing. This removes the sweat and stains larvae prefer.
2. Store in airtight bags or boxes. If moths cannot reach the fabric, they cannot lay eggs on it.
3. Brush wool and fur after wearing. The BPCA recommends this as a simple habit.
4. Shake out hanging items once a month. English Heritage suggests this for clothes left hanging.
5. Vacuum wardrobes, drawers and carpet edges. Then seal and bin the contents outside.
6. Freeze items you cannot wash hot. Seal and freeze at -18°C for at least two weeks.
7. Use pheromone traps to monitor. They show whether moths are present, but English Heritage says they will not control an infestation.

Skip the lavender bags. English Heritage says lavender does not affect the larvae. For a step-by-step plan, see how to get rid of moths in your home.

When the holes keep appearing

If you have cleaned, frozen and sealed everything and new damage still appears, the larvae are probably living somewhere you have not found, such as under carpets or in upholstery. That is when a professional is worth calling. Our clothes moth treatment page explains what is involved, and moth heat treatment is an option that kills every life stage, including the eggs. You can get a rough idea of price from the cost calculator.

We are a free matching service, not a pest control company, and we do not treat anything ourselves.

If the damage keeps coming back, ask for a free quote and we will find a specialist who covers your area.