Question from Maggie Heyward

We have had a lot of moths in our house for a couple of years. Our wool clothes are kept in plastic bags during the warm months (after being cleaned). What is a good alternative to mothballs? Also, any suggestions about how to really get rid of the root problem (moth larvae)? Many thanks, Maggie from D.C.

Debra’s Answer

Here’s an excerpt from my out-of-print book Home Safe Home on the subject.

MOTHBALLS

CAUTION: May be harmful if swallowed. Avoid prolonged breathing of vapor or repeated contact with skin. Keep out of reach of children.

Mothballs are made from 100 percent paradichlorobenzene, avolatile chemical that can cause headache; swollen eyes; loss of appetite; nausea; severe irritation to your nose, throat, and lungs; depression; and injury to your liver and kidneys when you are exposed to it over a long period of time. It is harmful if swallowed, and because mothballs look so much like candy, they are very attractive to children. If a two-year-old child were to eat even one mothball accidentally, he or she could develop seizures in less than an hour.

I have always found: the warning label on mothballs amusing. It clearly states “Avoid prolonged breathing of vapor,” yet by the very design of the mothballs, you must be constantly exposed to these fumes. The odor of mothballs hidden in a closet can permeate your entire home; certainly, mothballs in the bedroom closet can infiltrate the room and increase to very high levels if the room is not ventilated adequately. The vapors from mothballs also are absorbed by clothing and blankets, making your exposure very direct when you are around these items.

SAFE SOLUTIONS

Instead of buying paradichlorobenzene, look in natural-food stores, closet shops, and on the Internet for herbal products that act as repellents. They might contain lavender or other herbs, or cedar oil, chips, or needles. Not only are these products safer and equally effective, their scent is far more pleasant than the must smell of mothballs. Make sure the product is of natural origin, as you may find synthetic imitations. You also can make your own herbal moth repellents. Make sachets of any of the following:

• dried lavender
• equal parts dried rosemary and mint
• dried tobacco
• whole peppercorns
• cedar chips or other wood soaked in real cedar oil

Your natural-food store should carry most of these items; pet stores will have cedar chips. It may be difficult to find cotton sachet bags; if so, try cotton baby socks, or sew your own. The moths you see flying around are not the moths that eat your woolens. Two varieties of clothes moths cause damage. They are too small to notice and are not drawn to light like other varieties. It is the larvae of these moths that eat fabric, not the moths themselves.

Your best protection is to store and maintain your woolens correctly to prevent larvae from hatching. Simply wearing all your clothes at regular intervals will cause any larvae to fall off. Or you can occasionally air items in the sun, then brush them to crush larvae and remove dried-up pests. Washing will kill clothes moths in all stages of development, as will pressing with a steam iron, running through a hot dryer, or placing items in a warm (140 F) oven for an hour. You could also place small items in the freezer for several days. When you buy new woolens, it is a good idea to put them through one of these treatments before storing them with your other items to kill any larvae that might be present at the time of purchase. This is especially important if you make a point of buying unmothproofed woolens. Once you know your woolens are free from moths, store them properly. Place them in drawers or boxes containing natural repellents, or, if you are storing them over the summer, protect them in airtight containers, such as paper packages or cardboard boxes with all edges carefully sealed with paper tape. You will have secured your woolens against the munching of’ moth larvae, and your home will be free of dangerous fumes.

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