Clothes Moths – Where Do They Come From?

The moth species has been probably around before humans roamed the earth. Being part of the natural world, these moths do provide value, albeit not directly to humans. They are part of the food chain, and as such, are part of the diet of other animals we deem useful, such as birds.

That said, these moths’ natural habitat is in the diverse outdoors where they can seek refuge and food on birds’ nests and in the burrowing holes of furred animals. Their habitat also includes wetlands, grasslands, mountain zones, forest, bushes, rocks, and even sand dunes. However, as more and more homes and apartments are built within the habitat of these insects, it’s inevitable that a lot of residential areas have also been among the favorite playing grounds of these clothing moths.

Of the thousands of native moth species in North America, only two have been known to be fabric eaters – the webbing clothes moth (the common closet moth) and the case-making clothes moth. Generally, these two are the types of moths that live in closets and other similar places. Most moths are attracted to light sources – both natural and artificial, but these two moth species aren’t, and they commonly like to stay in dark places, away from any light source. Stains and sweat are the common bait that attracts the adult moth. Most people may not be aware that some clothes, even if already washed, do leave some patches of stain and sweat, especially on the neck area and the armpit areas.

Life Cycle of the Closet Moth

1.  Egg – Lain by the adult female moth usually on the clothes, these eggs attach to cloths with a very sticky compound which the female moth secretes together with the eggs.

2.  Larva – these are voracious-eating creatures that feeds on wool, silk, feather, fur, hair, cashmere, and other organic fibers. What these larvae are really after are the keratin ( a form of protein) substances. One of the biggest misconceptions about closet moths is that the adults are the ones inflicting , to clothing, when in fact, it is the larva that does as it eats through the clothing fibers. These creatures are highly voracious eaters, as they need a lot of food intake to nurture their rapidly growing body in preparation for the next stage of their metamorphosis.

3.  Pupa – the casing of the larva is a silken substance that looks like a thick bunch of spider webbing

4.  Adult – they have one goal, that is to survive and propagate the species by finding a mate to begin its life cycle again, although the adult moth only has until 12 days to live at most.
For a habitat to support the closet moth species, it must have the conditions needed to support the life cycle of the moth, which some closets can provide.

Means and Ways Closet Moths Get Inside the Closet

Why do they seek refuge in our closets? Clothes moths are living things and as such, much like us humans, they need food and shelter in order to survive and propagate, and they’ll keep roaming around looking for these two basic needs until they find it via their sense of smell, and then settle down without us even noticing it. Unfortunately, most closets in homes and apartment buildings have the ideal settings for these creatures – dark and abundance of food, and safe from predators, and when these creatures happen to find it as they roam around, they’ll find a way and opportunity to get in stealthily such as through open windows, ajar front and back doors, or may just simply cling to something that you take inside. Many of us underestimate the intelligence of insects. While insects are generally dumb, their inherent survival instinct and the actions that go with it, in the case of closet moths, may seem to make them appear that they are intelligent, when in fact, they’re not.

Other Ways They Get In

1.   Infested clothing item bought from thrift stores

2.  Infested clothing items bought from garage sales

As a best practice to prevent any closet moth problem, always have used clothes dry-cleaned before putting them inside your closet. Cleaning agents used in the dry-cleaning process will kill any adult moth, moth larvae, pupa, and the eggs. Moreover, dry-cleaning also ensures that all traces of oils and stains that attract the adult clothes moths are removed.

How to Spot a Closet Moth Infestation

Because these moths generally avoid any light, it may be difficult to spot them inside the closet, as they may hide under the dark crevices or portions of your closet area, even under your clothes, unless you happen to rattle the adult moth out from their hiding place and fly out for you to see. Nonetheless, below are some tell-tale signs that a closet has been infested:

1.  Damaged clothing (moth holes)

2.  If you see an adult moth inside the closet, it is best to always assume that your closet is already infested. Oftentimes, the adult moth has already laid its eggs on the clothes before flying out for you to see. In such cases, getting rid of the egg, pupa, larvae, and adult moth should already be your first priority the soonest possible time.

3.  One of the best ways to provide an early moth detection system is to use moth traps.

Getting Rid of Clothes Moths

Getting rid of moths in closet is a reactive measure as a response to an infestation. Keep in mind that the best approach usually anchors on the goal to completely eradicate any traces of moth eggs, larvae, pupa, and adult moth. Below are the things you can do to achieve this with the highest percentage of success:

1.  Empty the closet and have all the clothes dry-cleaned. Dry-cleaning chemicals will kill any larva, eggs, and pupa (basically all stages of the moth metamorphosis). Keep in mind that dry-cleaning will involve some costs, but at least, you can almost be sure that there will be no moth traces left from your clothing after the dry-cleaning process.

2.  Vacuum all nooks, crevices, wood joints, and cracks to remove traces of moth eggs, larvae, and pupa. It’s important to not skip this step. The adult female moth may have already lain hundreds of eggs in those areas.

3.  Whatever you do, do not be tempted to use any kind of pesticide to get rid of the closet moth infestation. Don’t forget that pesticides can also be harmful to humans and pets.

Note:

If you think that you have already been heavily infested and do not have the time to do it all or do not know how to do it at all, you can always call a competent pest control company and have them take care of the situation.

Preventive Measures

The best practices usually anchor on proactive measures that keep your closet from being infested in the first place. It is always cheaper and easier to prevent an infestation than dealing with an already infested closet.
This is where proper housekeeping and closet organization habits do come in very beneficial. Although, closet moth infestation do happen rarely, it doesn’t follow that such won’t happen to you. Most victims of clothing moth infestation did not expect it to happen to them.

As always, good closet housekeeping practices play an important role in having a high degree of protection from these species of moths. While those may not render your closet 100% moth-free, such things will greatly increase your closet’s chances from becoming a haven for these pesky closet moths.

Below are the solutions that have been tested and proven to be effective:

1.   Using window or door screens. These may involve some costs, but at least, these add another layer of protection not only from moths, but from other home-invading insects as well.

2.  Storing moth-bait clothing items, such as wool, cashmere, feather, and fur clothes, in air-tight containers or in garment bags. This should be part and parcel of your closet organizing chore.

3.  Don’t store unwashed clothing items in the closet. Make sure that everything you put in the closet, especially clothing with organic fibers, have already been laundered. Don’t forget that body oils, traces of urine, food stains, and sweat are among scents that attract the adult clothes moth.

Some Useful Notes:

1.   The use of moth balls or moth crystals is not advised. Naphthalene vapors are dangerous when inhaled continuously, especially for kids. Moreover, naphthalene won’t be that effective inside the closet contrary to what many people have thought. For naphthalene to have some moth-repelling and moth-killing effect, it should be placed in airtight spaces such as in an airtight container. Moreover, do you want your clothes to be reeking of naphthalene?

2.   The moth-repelling effect of cedar oils or cedar linings are not really that effective when used in the closets. Even though the scent of cedar is a natural repellent against the adult clothes moth, such scent will only be effective in very large concentrations in airtight areas, which most closets are not.

Photo Credit: Closet America

With the award, Closet America has strongly manifested its sincere commitment in living up to its promises in delivering high-quality custom closets and customer-satisfying services all over the United States. To recall, Closet America has also earned other major accolades from reputed organizations and institutions in the US, most notably the following:

1.  Guildmaster Award for Outstanding Customer Service – May 19, 2011

2.  Listed at No. 10 in the 22nd Annual Wood 100 Report – September 30, 2011

3.  Included in the Remodeling 550 List of Top Replacement Contractors – September 15, 2011

4.  Super Service Award by Angie’s List – January 18, 2012

You can check out more of this news here: prweb.com

Author’s Note:

I came across the name Closet America at a local free homeshow convention in San Diego last 2009, and found that their custom closets looked very classy and had a unique accent, albeit costing much more than both me and my husband could afford. Nonetheless, with all the high-profile awards already under its heels, Closet America, LLC, is appearing to be a force to be reckoned with in the custom closet market; which probably gives its major competitors a big run for their money.

If you have been a customer of Closet America, please share your experience with their services and their closet products as well. It will be much appreciated and will also benefit others. You can submit your experience through the Contact page.

The principle behind this patent-pending design basically makes it possible for shirts to be hanged in a folded wrinkle-free state, thereby creating free spaces below the hanging rod sections, and utilize those free spaces for other closet items, such as: another layer of closet rod, additional shelf units, storage bins and additional drawers.

Hereunder is a video that demonstrates the capability of this hanger:

In my opinion, it looks that this product will be something to look forward to. But until this hanger can prove its worth, I will have my reservations about it, more particularly in the aspects below:

1. Price – I can’t seem to find more about Lobster Hawk, LLC to date, so that leaves me still pondering on its credibility factor. Setting that aside, Lobster Hawk, LLC, hasn’t announced what price tag this hanger will be carrying. Maybe it’s still shopping around or still in negotiations for a marketing avenue for this product just like Joy Mangano did with HSN. In any case, I hope it will be priced competitively.

2. Durability – Durability plays a big role when it comes to plastic hangers, and should be one of the most important things to consider. Some plastic hangers do break easily when accidentally stepped upon or pulled out hastily from the hang rods. Keep in mind that some hangers, for some reasons, may also end up on the closet floor and get stepped upon, and if that plastic hanger is a weakling, then it would surely break under your weight.

3. Versatility – A hanger’s versatility is one big factor to consider. You can take a look at other brands of plastic hangers. For example, the Slimline and the Joy Mangano Huggable Hangers, by their design, have been appropriate for use with many types of clothing and other wardrobe items.

While the Hold Fast Hanger’s design certainly looks like it could free up more space, I’m already thinking that it would be best suited only for men’s closets. Keep in mind that in women’s closets, the hanging rod items will mostly be long dresses, gowns, and coats. I don’t think it would be appropriate to hang these items in a folded manner.

Nonetheless, this is a product worth trying out when it becomes available this summer. So if you are one of those who are thinking of buying once it becomes available for purchase, please share your experience so others may benefit from it. You can send your review or experience at the Contact page.

And oh, if you want to read more about this product announcement, you can visit this news article in the San Francisco Chronicle.

Features

Pros & Cons

Cons
• frame needs reinforcement for added stability and balance

Gallery

Whitmor has been in the organization, laundry accessories, and storage solutions business since 1945. I have come across a few of its products, mostly laundry accessories, since 5 years ago, the latest of which is the Double Rod organizer kit for which I would like to share my experience.

Around two years ago, as I was looking for a storage and organization system for the tiny laundry area at the apartment we were staying at Lakeland, Florida, I was keen on getting something that would just be lightweight and movable. Since my family was always moving, I was itching to get something that I could take along whenever we move into another apartment in another state. This Whitmor product caught my eye as I found it online because of its less than a hundred bucks price tag considering its size which I find more than adequate for my intended use of it. To make the long story short, I managed to buy one at the local Big Kmart store located just around three blocks from our apartment.

At the first look at the package and the installation guide that came with it, I instantly knew that I can handle the assembly singlehandedly. Though Randolf, my husband, obliged to lend a helping hand, I turned him down this time despite his insistence to help me with it. Well, he gave a grinning look at me. By that grin, I can already discern that he was thinking that I would eventually ask for his help. Hah, he was wrong this time. Without wasting any time, I read the installation guide for 10 minutes, looked at the pieces of the closet organizer package, and then commenced with the assembly. Believe it or not, I was done in 28 minutes flat (yes, I used a timer for this). However though, I didn’t realize that I had assembled the product outside of the laundry room. I was caught in utter surprise that it wouldn’t fit right through the laundry room’s doorway when I tried to slide it in. What happened next? I felt like a stupid dolt disassembling the product and reassembling it again only this time, I’ve done the assembling inside the laundry room where it is to be used in the first place. That was a lesson well learned during a practical exercise so to speak. I could never forget that moment. Nonetheless, after sliding it in place between our washing machine and dryer, it looked like it really was meant to be in that place. The entire assembly felt stable and balanced. Seems like it was made for my intended purpose.

Fast forward from that day up to now, it’s been more than two years already, and this Whitmor is still standing and serving its end of the bargain. Although the end connectors are a little bit slackened up right now due to wear and tear, the entire assembly is still fairly stable even if in full capacity. If I were to rate this product based on my experience with it, I’d give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Features

Pros and Cons

Cons
• Much better if it had wheels for easy moving
• Center hang rod usually stands in the way of long dresses

Gallery

What’s more appealing with this closet organizer is its high-quality hand-stained finish available in cherry, espresso, and maple. An all nickel hardware that comes packaged with the system enhances the overall elegant and classy looks of this system.

Features

Editorial Review Summary

Cons
• Extra assembly hardware will be needed for a more stable system

Image Gallery

With the center tower made from solid wood, this Lancaster closet organizer system is noted for its aesthetically pleasing style well-suited to those who prefers traditional-looking designs. Even with its solid construction and the close attention to design details, this product is still comfortably priced within the mid-range. Although mainly intended for use as a stand alone system, this product can be fitted together with the Sauder Lancaster Narrow Wood Closet Organizer system for a much bigger closet storage capacity and a more functional system perfect for larger bedrooms and master closets.

Features

• Fits closets up to 10 ft.

• Coach cherry finish

• Antique brass hardware

• Three hanging rods adjustable up to 48″

• Three fully extending drawers

• Three adjustable shelving units

• Frosted and tempered glass doors

• Two angled shoe shelving units with banded edge

• Two 48″ top shelves

• Assembly required

• Dimensions: 79″ width x 15″ depth x 83″ height

• Weight: 177 lbs.

Editorial Review Summary

Pros

• good value for money

• made from durable wood

• elegant appearance

• sturdy and stable

• can be fitted with the Lancaster Narrow for larger storage needs

Cons

• very heavy

• needs heavy duty anchors for more stability

Image Gallery

]]> http://closetorganizershowroom.net/748/sauder-lancaster-wood-closet-organizer-wide/feed/ 0 http://closetorganizershowroom.net/711/premier-wood-closet-organizer-system-jlh-529/ http://closetorganizershowroom.net/711/premier-wood-closet-organizer-system-jlh-529/#comments Tue, 21 Jun 2011 07:11:00 +0000 Lani McMarsh http://closetorganizershowroom.net/?p=711

Product Highlights

• 100% crafted from solid wood (pine)
• fits closets up to 10 Ft wide
• suitable for reach-in and walk-in closets
• 12 inches shelf depth
• up to 22 Ft of shelf space
• up to 16 Ft of hanging space
• ventilated adjustable shelves
• configurable up to 8 options
• cut to fit
• with integrated 6 Ft shelf tower
• metal hanging bars
• assembly required
• satin nickel finishe all metal hardware
• ready for addon accessories (sold separately)

Our Experience

We’ve been quite skeptical with the quality of this solid wood closet organizer system at first because of its low pricing as compared to other wood closet systems of comparable features and dimensions. As per our experience, comparable solid wood systems of this size and dimension would usually cost beyond the $700 mark though these expensive systems are usually heavily customized in accordance to the customer’s desires, needs and wants.

Being so, our good friend, Roger, who lives with his wife and two children at Oregon, knowing that we are closet enthusiasts, gave us a call and asked for our comments regarding the JLH-529 in red mahogany finish before he pulls out his credit card. His wife, Becky, after sifting through other comparable solid wood closet sytems for two days, finally wanted to try this closet our for their newly renovated kids room. Now we didn’t had any first hand info for this product then, but after scouring through several online reviews and doing some asking to friends and relatives, we finally gave Roger a green light, provided that he won’t mind us helping in the installation so we could acquire a first hand experience with the product. Long story short, we ended up at his house a couple of days after he gave a text message informing us that the JLH-529 package he ordered has arrived.

At first, when we opened up the package, everything seemed to be in order. Components and mounting hardware were intact to include the assembly manual. We then prepped up the necessary tools for the installation and then promptly jumped to work. All in all, there were three of us doing the installation including Roger himself. After some minor glitches, especially during the cutting, the closet organizer system was finally up after 5 grueling hours of doing measurements, cutting, drilling holes and a few misunderstandings relative to the interpretation of the assembly instructions.

Here’s what we have to say in a few words:

Pros
- overall elegant design and looks with its red mahogany finish
- reasonable price for a solid wood closet organizer system
- very stable system
- expandable to accommodate more addon accessories

Cons
- amateur DIYers may find it hard to assemble

Product Highlights

• up to 8 configuration options (cutting required)
• wood hang bar
• fits closets up to 10′ wide (cut to fit)
• up to 18′ hanging space
• up to 24′ shelf space
• 100% solid wood
• ventilated shelves
• assembly required
• 12″ deep shelves (non-adjustable)
• open-sided tower shelf
• red mahogany stain finish
• satin nickel hardware
• Online User Reviews: Amazon, Google Products

While the JLH-523 Standard closet organizer may look good and elegant, getting it up really requires a lot of patience and effort. In our case, it literally took us the whole day getting this system assembled. Some people have stated that this is very easy to install. Well, for us, that is just overrated. In our opinion, this is something that isn’t that easy to assemble unless you are already an experienced DIYer. The assembly instructions are just overwhelmingly technical though they could be deciphered. Before doing any cutting, it is highly imperative that you already have your chosen configuration in place before proceeding with the measurements. Once that is done, you have to carefully do the measurements and then do it again just to be very sure. Then you can already commence cutting the components into pieces. There are 8 configurations that are included in the assembly instruction manual.

Most negative statements that we got, aside from our own, usually revolves around the difficulty level relative to the installation. There are just many people (like us) that are not so technically savvy enough to get to understand the assembly instructions and the diagrams in a layman’s view. But at the end of the day, the finished product was well worth it despite the hassles in getting it up.

Pros
- stable and sturdy
- elegant finish
- wholesome looks
- does a good job organizing clothes and stuff

Cons
- type of wood not known (our best guess – North American pine)
- hard to assemble by a single individual
- installation instructions quite hard to understand

Product Highlights

• 2-door junior sized wardrobe closet doors
• contemporary white finish
• Medium Density Fiberboard with melamine laminate
• nylon glides and built-in safety stops for drawers
• drawers can be removed for cleaning
• assembly needed (screw dowel and cam lock included)
• removable hanging rod
• weight: 109 lbs
• dimensions: 30″ width x 60″ height x 20.5″ depth
• brand: Prepac
• origin: Canada

The Prepac Model JWD-3060 Juvenile wardrobe closet is designed for use as an added closet storage system in small bedrooms or a stand alone closet unit for a small child. This product’s design makes it versatile enough to be also used as a TV armoire or a storage unit for other bedroom accessories such as reading materials or kids’ toys.

During one of our Thanksgiving gatherings, our aunt Rosie, who lives just about 30 minutes away, happened to tell us that she’s going to have one delivered by the guys from the nearby Kmart store. With that, we then jumped at the opportunity to get a first-hand look and feel of the Prepac unit as it got delivered. The installation guide was quite straightforward and easy to decipher. After all, it was just a plain and simple rectangular armoire that is easy to get into one piece. All in all, it took us just one hour to get everything up. Though we pointed out some negatives about the unit and hinted that we were not pleased with the product, our aunt Rosie, nevertheless, was quite satisfied with her purchase.

Pros
- 3 drawers can easily be lifted out ( a good configuration especially when cleaning up the drawers)
- overall appearance is quite pleasing

Cons
- very heavy for its size
- MDF isn’t as sturdy as expected
- storage capacity not as big as expected
- easily dented
- paper laminate finish easily gets scratched