Clothes Moths: How to Identify Them, Find the Source, and Get Rid of Them

What are clothes moths?

Clothes moths are small, plain beige moths, about 1/4 inch (6 to 8 mm) long, whose caterpillars eat fabric made from animal fibers. Two species are common in North American homes, the University of Kentucky says: the webbing clothes moth, Tineola bisselliella, and the casemaking clothes moth, Tinea pellionella.

Both belong to the family Tineidae. The adult measures about 1/4 inch when it rests with its wings folded, and about 1/2 inch (12 to 13 mm) from wing tip to wing tip. UC IPM, Rutgers and Penn State all give close to these figures. Pantry moths, which people often mistake them for, are a little larger, at 1/3 to 2/5 inch long.

The moth itself does no harm, because the adults do not eat at all. All of the damage comes from the larvae. So if you are seeing moths, the real question is where their larvae are feeding. The rest of this page is built around answering it.

Webbing clothes moth or casemaking clothes moth?

Look at the larva first, because that is the easiest way to tell them apart. A casemaking larva always carries a small silk case and never leaves it, while a webbing larva spins loose tubes and patches and leaves them behind. The webbing clothes moth is the common one. UC IPM calls the casemaking species less common and far less damaging.

Sources: UC IPM, Penn State Extension, Rutgers NJAES and the Natural History Museum. The spots on casemaking moths often rub off on older adults, Penn State notes, so check the larva too.

You may also see the names “carpet moth” and “wool moth”. In most homes these are the same two species, named after where they turned up. Moths eating a wool rug are almost always one of these two. Still, rugs have a second common pest, the carpet beetle, which is covered below.

Moths in the house: clothes moth or pantry moth?

Most moths people see flying around a house are not clothes moths. Pantry moths, mainly the Indianmeal moth, are larger, have two-tone wings, and fly openly through the kitchen and toward lights. Clothes moths stay hidden in dark closets. UC IPM puts the Indianmeal moth at 1/3 to 2/5 inch long, against about 1/4 inch for a clothes moth, and Utah State rounds the pantry moth up to 1/2 inch.

Getting this right saves a lot of wasted effort. A pantry moth problem lives in your cereal, flour, nuts or pet food, while a clothes moth problem lives in your wool. The two even need different traps. UC IPM points out that a trap baited for grain moths will not attract clothes moths, and the reverse is also true.

Clothes moth details from UC IPM and Rutgers. Indianmeal moth size, wings and larva from UC IPM Pest Notes: Pantry Pests. Rutgers notes that grain moths come to lights and fly by day, while clothes moths avoid light.

Still not sure? Catch one in a clear glass, look at the head with a magnifier for the reddish tuft, and take a sharp photo. Our free insect identifier can name it from that picture.

Clothes moth larvae and eggs

Clothes moth larvae are small, creamy white caterpillars with a brown or dark head, and they grow up to about 1/2 inch (12 to 13 mm) long. They are the only stage that eats fabric. People often call them moth worms. They feed in dark, hidden places, so you usually find them by turning over a collar, a fold or the edge of a rug.

When they first hatch they are tiny. English Heritage measures newly hatched larvae at under 0.5 mm, small enough to pass for a speck of lint. They grow through many molts. UC IPM says a larva molts 5 to 45 times, depending on temperature and food, and can stay a larva for anything from 35 days to 2 1/2 years.

Each kind leaves its own mark. A webbing larva spins silk tubes and patches over the fabric and hides under them. Those mats collect its droppings and bits of fiber, as UC IPM describes. A casemaking larva drags a small tube-shaped case wherever it goes, and the case takes on the colour of the fabric it is eating. Fully grown, that case is cigar-shaped and about 3/8 inch long.

Pale worms in a closet are not always moth larvae. If they are bristly or fuzzy and you find empty, hairy skins nearby, they are probably carpet beetle larvae. If they are tiny and white in a damp spot, see our guide to tiny white bugs in the house. And a moth larva is not a maggot, which is a fly larva. Clothes moth larvae are true caterpillars, with a hard brown head and legs near the front. Rutgers describes a casemaking larva poking just its head and legs out of its case.

What do clothes moth eggs look like?

Clothes moth eggs are white and about the size of a pinhead, according to the University of Kentucky and the Museum Pests working group, so most people never notice them. A female lays an average of 40 to 50 over two to three weeks and then dies. A sticky coating glues each egg to the threads, so a shake will not get them off, according to UC IPM and Rutgers.

The eggs hatch in 4 to 10 days in warm weather, and Penn State says they can take three weeks or more in winter. The Museum Pests working group gives a clearer picture of the temperature effect. At room temperature, eggs hatch in 7 to 10 days. At 55°F (13°C) they take 37 days, and at 90°F (32°C) just 4.

Clothes moths lay their eggs on the food the larvae will eat: the wool, fur, feathers or felt itself. So small tubes high on a closet wall are more likely casemaking cocoons, covered next, than eggs. Fortunately, the steps that kill larvae kill the eggs too. Hot washing, dry cleaning and a long enough freeze all work, and UC IPM says brushing woolens hard destroys eggs.

Clothes moth cocoons and cases

A webbing larva that is ready to change spins a silk cocoon, usually right on the fabric. Rutgers measures these pupal cases at 1/6 to 1/4 inch (4 to 6 mm). Casemaking larvae often wander off instead, to a crack in a shelf or the corner where a wall meets the ceiling. So small, fabric-coloured tubes stuck high on a closet wall are a sign worth checking.

The pupal stage lasts 8 to 10 days in summer and 3 to 4 weeks in winter, UC IPM says. Then the adult crawls out, and within a day or two it mates and starts laying eggs.

Signs of clothes moths

The first sign of clothes moths is usually damage, not moths. Look for small, scattered holes or thin, grazed patches in wool, often in hidden spots such as under collars, inside cuffs and along seams. Then look for what the larvae leave behind: silk tubes or webbing, small fabric-coloured cases, and gritty droppings the same colour as the cloth.

• Holes and grazed patches. Larvae graze along the surface first. Penn State says damaged wool shows furrows on the surface, and holes show up mostly in heavy infestations.
• Silk tubes, mats or webbing on the fabric, often with fibers and droppings woven in. These are the work of webbing clothes moth larvae.
• Small silk cases stuck to the fabric or to nearby walls. These mean casemaking clothes moth larvae.
• Frass, which is the larvae’s droppings: tiny gritty pellets that often match the fabric’s colour, because they carry its dye.
• Loose fur or bald patches on a fur coat or a taxidermy mount, where larvae clip hairs at the base.
• Adults in dark places, fluttering low in a closet or running across a shelf when you move the clothes.
• The larvae themselves, creamy white with a brown head, under the edges of a rug or in a folded sweater.

Damage shows up in particular places. UC IPM lists the undersides of collars and cuffs, the crevices of upholstered furniture, and carpet under furniture. The University of Kentucky adds rug edges and undersides, and notes that clothing in regular use and rugs that get normal foot traffic are seldom attacked. The problem nearly always starts in something left alone.

Clothes moth damage or carpet beetle damage?

Look for silk. Clothes moth larvae leave webbing, tubes or cases. Carpet beetle larvae leave none. Instead, they leave behind their shed skins, which are bristly and hairy and look like tiny empty larvae. The University of Kentucky warns that damage blamed on clothes moths may in fact come from carpet beetles, which eat the same materials.

This matters because carpet beetles are the more common fabric pest. The University of Maryland says carpet beetles and Indianmeal moths are generally more common household pests than clothes moths. Our carpet beetle guide covers them in detail, including the itchy rash their bristles can cause.

Carpet beetle details from University of Kentucky Entfact-601. Clothes moth details from UC IPM and Penn State.

Do moths eat clothes? What clothes moths eat

Yes, but only the larvae of a few species, and only fabric made from animal fibers. Clothes moth larvae can digest keratin, the protein in hair, wool and feathers, the University of Kentucky explains. So they eat wool, cashmere, mohair, fur, silk, felt, feathers and leather. Adult moths never eat clothes, or anything else.

The list of what they will eat is longer than most people expect. UC IPM includes wool carpets and rugs, upholstered furniture, animal bristles in brushes, the wool felt pads inside pianos, and even fish meal in fish food. The Museum Pests working group adds milk powder, lint and dust that contains hair. Casemaking larvae also eat some plant material, such as dried herbs, spices and tobacco, according to Penn State and Texas A&M.

Sources: University of Kentucky, UC IPM, Penn State Extension and Museum Pests. One extension sheet, Utah State’s, does list cotton and synthetic fibers among the foods. Most others say those are damaged only when blended with wool or soiled, so treat a cotton-only shirt with holes as a sign of something else first.

Why do moths eat dirty clothes first?

Because stains are part of their diet. Clean wool alone is a poor food for clothes moth larvae. The University of Maryland says they cannot complete development on clean wool, because they need vitamins found in soiled or stained fabric. Food, sweat and urine stains make fabric more likely to be damaged, UC IPM notes, and Penn State adds body oils.

A Los Angeles County Public Health guide goes further. It says larvae fed only clean woolens die of apparent starvation in about two weeks. That is why the most useful single habit is to clean wool before you put it away. It also explains why a sweater worn once and stored is at more risk than one washed and stored.

What do moths eat in general?

Most moths never touch fabric. Butterfly Conservation explains that some adult moths sip nectar from flowers, as butterflies do, while others do not feed at all because they have no working mouthparts. The caterpillars of different species eat plants, fungi, lichens and, in a few cases, natural fibers like wool and fur.

So when you search “what do moths eat”, the answer for the moth at your porch light is plants or nectar. The answer for the small beige one in your closet is nothing at all, because its larva did the eating before it ever grew wings.

Are clothes moths harmful? Do they bite?

No. Clothes moths do not bite, sting or spread disease, and Texas A&M AgriLife describes the casemaking species as medically harmless. The adults do not feed at all, so they do not bite. Searches for “moth bites on clothes” are really about the holes, which the larvae chew while feeding.

The real risks are to your belongings and from the wrong treatment. A long infestation can ruin a wool rug, a fur coat, a stored wedding dress or a piano. Mothballs, on the other hand, can poison children and pets if they are left where someone can reach them. If something is biting you in bed, it is a different insect, and our bug bite identification guide can help you work out which one.

Why do I suddenly have clothes moths? Where they come from

You have clothes moths because something made of wool, fur, feathers or silk has been sitting undisturbed long enough for larvae to grow in it. It only feels sudden. A larva can feed for up to 2 1/2 years before it turns into a moth, UC IPM says, so by the time you see adults, the infestation is often months old.

They usually arrive on wool brought into the house, such as secondhand clothing, rugs or furniture. Colorado State advises keeping newly acquired woolens apart until you have treated them. The University of Kentucky also points to bird nests and dead animals in attics, chimneys and wall cavities as a starting point. What attracts them, once inside, is a mix of things:

• Animal fibers left alone. A wool scarf at the back of a closet, an old rug in the basement, a box of yarn or a down comforter in storage.
• Stains and body oils. Worn and unwashed wool is better food than clean wool.
• Dark, quiet places. Closets, chests, the floor under a bed or a sofa, and carpet edges under heavy furniture.
• Lint and pet hair. Kentucky and Penn State both mention larvae feeding on shed pet hair in heat vents, ducts and under baseboards.
• Humidity. Colorado State University puts their ideal relative humidity at about 75%, and says they will not survive below 20 to 30%.

Light does not attract them. In fact, they avoid it, which is why you rarely see them unless you move the clothes they live in.

How to find where clothes moths are coming from

Search the dark, untouched places first, with a flashlight. Kentucky suggests the primary source may be one wool scarf or felt hat at the back of a closet, an old rug in the basement, or an abandoned nest in the attic. Pull everything out of the closet where you saw the moths, and check each animal-fiber item along its seams, folds, collars and cuffs.

• Closets and dressers: stored sweaters, coats, scarves, hats, blankets and anything in a garment bag that is not airtight.
• Rugs: flip the edges, and look under heavy furniture. Kentucky suggests needle-nose pliers to lift wall-to-wall carpet off the tack strip.
• Upholstered furniture: under the cushions and along the seams of anything stuffed with wool, hair or feathers.
• Vents and ducts: floor vents and cold-air returns where lint and pet hair build up.
• Storage: boxes of yarn, wool felt craft supplies, old fur, taxidermy, down pillows and a piano.
• Attic and chimney: old bird or rodent nests, if nothing else turns up.

Pheromone traps can narrow the search. The University of Kentucky suggests setting several in a grid, because the traps that catch the most moths tend to be nearest the source. Rutgers notes that male moths can find a trap from 16 to 24 feet (about 5 to 7 m) away.

Clothes moth life cycle and how long they live

A clothes moth goes through four stages: egg, larva, pupa and adult. In a warm home the whole cycle takes one to three months, Penn State says, but in cooler or drier conditions it can stretch to years. UC IPM gives four to six months from egg to egg and about two generations a year. Adult males live about 28 days and females about 16, according to Rutgers.

Durations from UC IPM, Penn State Extension and Rutgers NJAES. All stages run faster in warm, humid rooms.

Two numbers in that table explain most of the frustration people feel. First, the long larval stage is why moths seem to appear from nowhere: they were feeding unseen for months. Second, the same long larval stage is why you keep checking for months after a clean-out. A single missed sweater can produce a new round of moths weeks after you thought the problem was solved.

How to get rid of clothes moths

To get rid of clothes moths, find every item the larvae are feeding in and kill all the stages in it. Wash it in 120°F (49°C) water, dry-clean it, or freeze it for a week at 0°F (-18°C). Then vacuum the area and store clean items sealed. Killing the moths you see does almost nothing, because the larvae and eggs stay behind.

Most people can do this themselves, and most of it costs little or nothing. UC IPM says that although most people can manage the problem on their own, some heavy infestations are best left to a professional. Work through the steps below in order, and treat everything in the affected area on the same day so that nothing reinfests what you just cleaned.

1. Inspect, bag and vacuum (free)

Take everything out of the affected closet or room. Check each piece made of animal fibers, and bag anything with webbing, cases, larvae or fresh holes. Then vacuum the empty space thoroughly. UC IPM calls the vacuum the best tool for this cleaning, and Penn State says that in many cases vacuuming alone can prevent or control clothes moths.

Pay attention to the spots where hair and lint gather: closet corners, baseboards, cracks in shelves, the floor under heavy furniture, and the inside of heat vents. Use the crevice tool, and empty the bag or bin outdoors as soon as you finish.

2. Wash and dry with heat (cheap)

Hot washing is the most common and effective way to kill every stage in washable items, according to UC IPM. The water needs to be at least 120°F (49°C), and the item should wash for 20 to 30 minutes. A hot dryer helps too. The University of Kentucky says the heat of a clothes dryer kills the larvae and eggs. Colorado State adds that 110 to 120°F (43 to 49°C) held for 30 minutes or more kills insects in general.

The catch is that many woolens cannot go in hot water, as UC IPM points out. So read the care label first. If the label says cold wash or dry clean only, use the freezer or the dry cleaner instead.

3. Freeze what you cannot wash (free)

Freezing works for wool, cashmere, silk, fur, down and other things that cannot take heat. Seal the item in a plastic bag and put it straight into a freezer that holds 0°F (-18°C) or colder. Leave it for at least 7 days. The University of Kentucky says items need at least one week at 0°F to kill every stage.

Put the bag into a freezer that is already cold, rather than cooling it slowly. Colorado State warns that insects cooled slowly can build up resistance to freezing. When the week is up, leave the bag sealed while it warms to room temperature, for about 24 hours. That stops condensation from soaking the fabric, as Kentucky advises.

4. Dry-clean what cannot be washed or frozen

Dry cleaning kills every stage, both Kentucky and Maryland agree. It does not protect the item afterward, though, so bring it home and store it sealed. Valuable furs can go to a furrier for cold storage, which UC IPM and Kentucky both recommend for long-term protection.

5. Sun and brush rugs and heavy woolens (free)

For wool rugs, blankets and coats, hang them in the sun and brush them hard, especially along seams, folds and pockets. UC IPM says brushing destroys eggs and exposes the larvae, which dislike bright light and drop off when they cannot find cover. Then vacuum both sides of the rug, along with the floor beneath it.

6. Use pheromone traps to check, not to cure

Pheromone traps use the scent of a female moth to lure males onto a sticky card. They are excellent for telling you whether you still have moths, and where. However, they catch only males, so they cannot end an infestation on their own. UC IPM says trapping gives some control, but you still need to clean the infested items.

Buy a trap made for clothes moths, not pantry moths. The University of Kentucky notes the webbing and casemaking clothes moths each respond to their own pheromone, so match the lure to the moth if you know which you have. Put the traps in closets and storage areas, check them every one to two weeks as Rutgers suggests, and replace them when the card fills or the label says the lure is spent.

7. Stuffed items: dry ice or a professional

Pillows, cushions, stuffed toys and upholstered furniture filled with feathers or hair are hard to clean all the way through. UC IPM says the best way to clear them is to fumigate the item with dry ice, or to have a pest control or storage company treat it in a fumigation vault.

UC IPM’s home method uses a thick (4 mil) plastic bag of about 30 gallons with 1/2 to 1 pound of dry ice. The bag stays loosely closed until all the ice has turned to gas, then gets sealed for three or four days. Never touch dry ice with bare hands, and never seal it tight while it is still solid, or the bag can burst. Rutgers advises doing it in a ventilated space, so carbon dioxide cannot build up in the room.

8. Insecticides, last and only if needed

If cleaning and sealed storage are successful, insecticide treatments are not required. Where it is, use a product that lists clothes moths on its label, and apply it only where the label allows. The University of Kentucky suggests treating carpet edges, the line where floor meets wall, under furniture and closet floors, as a supplement to cleaning.

Do not spray clothing or bedding. Kentucky and Penn State both say infested clothing and bedding should not be treated with insecticide. If you treat carpet edges or closet floors, keep the spray off nearby fabric, because UC IPM warns that oil-based sprays can stain silk, rayon and other fabrics.

What kills clothes moths: the temperatures and times

Heat at 120°F (49°C) for 30 minutes, or a week in a 0°F (-18°C) freezer, kills every stage of clothes moths, eggs included. Those are the two numbers to remember. The sources disagree a lot on the freezing time, so the table below shows what each method needs and who says so.

How long do you freeze clothes to kill moths?

Freeze them for at least a week at 0°F (-18°C). That is the University of Kentucky’s figure, revised in 2026, and it is the safest one for a home freezer. When we read it on October 13, 2026, Google’s AI answer for “moth larvae” said to freeze items for at least 72 hours. However, Kentucky says 72 hours is enough only at -20°F (-29°C), which most kitchen freezers cannot reach.

A kitchen freezer that also gets opened often may not hold 0°F. A cheap freezer thermometer settles it. If you cannot check, give it two weeks, as Rutgers advises.

What does not work (or only half works)

Most clothes moth remedies that fail have one thing in common: they deal with the moths you can see, or try to repel new ones, while the larvae keep eating. Here is what the evidence says about the common ones.

• Myth 1

  “A cedar closet or cedar blocks will protect my wool.”

  Truth: UC IPM calls cedar's effect debatable. Its oil can kill small larvae but not large ones, and it fades after a few years. Kentucky says cedar closets and chests seldom work because they do not seal tightly enough. Maryland Extension is more positive about cedar, but UC IPM concludes a tight chest matters more than the wood.

• Myth 2

  “Lavender sachets keep moths away.”

  Truth: UC IPM says little is known about how well herbal oils work. An older Colorado State sheet notes that one registered lavandin oil product is lethal to clothes moths, but its label said to use it in closed storage. Lavandin is a lavender hybrid. No source we checked shows a sachet in an open closet protects wool, and it will not clear larvae already in the fabric.

• Myth 3

  “Mothballs in the closet will solve it.”

  Truth: UC IPM says mothball vapors only build up enough to kill moths inside an airtight container. In an open closet they only somewhat repel adults, and larvae already on the clothes keep feeding. The National Pesticide Information Center says labels limit mothballs to tightly closed containers.

• Myth 4

  “Pheromone traps will get rid of them.”

  Truth: Traps catch males only. UC IPM says that gives some control, because trapped males cannot mate, but the larvae already in your wool keep feeding. Use traps to find the source and to see whether numbers are falling.

• Myth 5

  “Killing the moths I see fixes the problem.”

  Truth: Adults are the end of the cycle, not the cause. The larvae in a forgotten sweater or a rug edge keep producing new moths until you find and treat that item.

• Myth 6

  “Spraying my clothes with insecticide will kill them.”

  Truth: Kentucky and Penn State say not to treat clothing or bedding with insecticide. Washing, freezing and dry cleaning kill every stage without leaving residue on what you wear.

• Myth 7

  “Clothes moths eat cotton and polyester too.”

  Truth: Rarely. They eat animal fibers. Cotton and synthetics are damaged mainly when they are blended with wool or stained with food or body oils, according to Kentucky and Penn State.

How to prevent clothes moths

The best prevention is clean wool in sealed storage. Clean everything made of animal fibers before you put it away for the season, then store it in an airtight bin or a heavy zip bag. The University of Kentucky says cleaning kills any eggs or larvae and removes the sweat odors that attract the moths.

• Wash or dry-clean before storing. Never put away wool that you have worn since it was last cleaned.
• Seal it. Airtight bins and heavy zip bags keep females out. Cardboard boxes and cloth garment bags do not.
• Treat secondhand wool first. Freeze or clean vintage clothing, used rugs and old blankets before they join the rest of your things.
• Wear and move things. Kentucky notes that clothes in regular use and rugs with normal foot traffic are seldom attacked.
• Vacuum the hidden spots. Under heavy furniture, rug edges, closet floors and vents, where lint and hair collect.
• Keep storage dry. Colorado State says the moths do best near 75% humidity. Drier air may slow them, but it will not stop them, so cleaning and sealed storage matter more.
• Check stored items at least once a year, as Colorado State advises. A quick look along seams and folds catches an infestation while it is still small.
• Keep a trap out. One clothes moth pheromone trap per closet tells you early if moths have come back.

When to call a professional

Call a licensed pest control company when the infestation is spread through several rooms, keeps coming back after a thorough clean-out, or is in things you cannot wash, freeze or move. UC IPM says widespread or heavy infestations often need a professional. Penn State recommends professional treatment for large area rugs and carpets.

• A pest control company for wall-to-wall wool carpet, several infested rooms, or moths still in the traps three months after you cleaned everything.
• Rug cleaners for valuable wool or silk rugs that are too big to freeze or wash at home.
• A furrier for fur coats. Commercial cold storage protects them, and UC IPM notes you can insure them against damage there.
• Piano technicians if the felts or hammers inside a piano are damaged, as UC IPM advises.
• Your landlord if you rent and the source is in a shared space, a wall, an attic nest or the building’s ducts.
• A conservator for heirlooms, quilts, wall hangings and museum-quality textiles.

Not sure the moth is a clothes moth? Take a clear photo and run it through our bug identifier by picture before you spend money on treatment.

Pest control disclaimer. Photo-based identification can help, but it is not always perfect. For dangerous spiders, large infestations, or anything you are unsure about, contact a licensed pest control professional.