Addison's 3-in-1 Toronto Clothing Moth Extermination

You want…

• To quickly eliminate a clothing moth infestation, stop the destruction of your clothing, linens and fabrics...

• An affordable, professional, honest and warrantied moth exterminator...

• An environmentally conscious treatment that is safe for the whole family, including your pets.

Here’s what to expect:

• Answers to all of your questions

• A no-obligation quote over the phone in seconds

• Flexible scheduling with 24/7 same-day service throughout the GTA.

• No hidden service fees or follow up costs.

Addison has...

• Decades of experience

• A trusted track record

• All-inclusive warranty

• Comprehensive customer service

• Rigorously trained technicians

• Tried and tested extermination methods

• The safest, most effective insecticides

Key Facts about Clothing Moths

• most common clothing moth is the webbing clothes moth, other types of clothing moths common in Canada are the casemaking clothing moth and the carpet moth

• active at night time prefer dark undisturbed areas such as closets or storage cellars

• attracted to light sources

• may be seen flying against lights, lamps, window panes

• only the moth larvae are damaging pests

• larvae can be highly destructive to fabrics, linens, and clothing

• feed on animal-based textiles such as wool, fur, and feathers

• also feed on any natural fibres such as cotton, linen, silk

• will even feed on synthetic fabrics if contaminated by perspiration, urine, milk, beer, fruit juice, or other sugar or protein

• attracted to sweat stains on clothing and the protein in dead skin cells left on fabrics

Step 1: Moth Heat Treatment

Category:

• Physical

Equipment:

• Handheld heat treatment gun.

Method:

• Direct heat applied locally to areas of elevated moth activity

Strengths:

• Heat kills moth eggs.

• No damage to furniture.

• Instantly kills all bugs and eggs treated.

• Avoids pesticide resistance.

Weakness

• No residual protection.

• Only kills the bugs and eggs that are visible and accessible to technicians.

• Not sufficient without other complementary bed bug extermination techniques.

Step 2: Moth Powder Treatment

Category:

• Physical + Chemical

Equipment:

• Power duster

Method:

• A fine silica dust insecticide is injected into all crevices and wall cavities through electrical sockets and gaps underneath baseboards.

• Electrical items, such as a power bars, are also treated with powder.

Strengths:

• Cuts up the abdomen of bugs that pass through the powder

• Coats the insides of the wall cavities to create a protective powder barrier around your home

• No moths can spread to or from attached houses, adjacent apartments or condo units.

• Essential lasting protection.

• Fully approved by the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, safe and non-toxic for humans and animals of all shapes and sizes.

Weakness

• Only suitable for crack and crevice treatment.

Step 3: Moth Spray treatment

Category:

• Chemical + Residual

Equipment:

• Precision surface sprayer

Method:

• A fine mist of residual spray is applied light fixtures, windowsills, door jambs, walls, baseboards, and other surfaces in areas of elevated moth activity throughout the home.

Strengths:

• Kills moths on contact and remains active as a protective surface treatment to continue to kill moths as they come out of hiding.

• Keeps your home and furniture protected for up to 6 months.

• Fully approved by Ontario Ministry of Environment, safe and non-toxic for humans and animals of all shapes and sizes.

• Fully approved by the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, safe and non-toxic for humans and animals of all shapes and sizes.

Weakness

•  If used improperly, may promote pesticide resistance

Beware of Discount Pest Control

These companies use low quality or low concentration surface sprays with only 10 to 14 days of protection.

• The tip off is when they offer to do a “follow-up spray” two weeks after the first treatment. While this may seem extra thorough, moths may remain hidden without feeding for extended periods of time and new eggs can hatch up to two weeks after that point.

• By this time the budget treatment will have long worn off and the new population of moths will be free to re-infest your home. These budget services can breed pesticide resistance in the pests in your home, making future treatments increasingly challenging.

What you need to know for an effective clothing moth treatment

If you suspect you have a clothing moth infestation clear and complete information is the first step to getting rid of them. Here are a few facts, myths, and tips that will help you to make a well informed decision about what to do next.

How to identify Clothing Moths

Adults

• 90mm wingspan

• 12 mm in length

• silvery brown wings during flight 

• pale yellow-brown coloured while resting

• tuft of red hairs on the head

Larva

• 12 mm in length

• creamy white caterpillar shape

• a brown head with no ocelli

• Like other moths, all damage is done by the Larvae.

• Look for them in the cuffs and folds of upholstery found on clothing and furniture

Recognition

• easily mistaken for pantry moths, also known as Indian meal moths.

• One quick distinguisher:

  • clothing moths fly in a straight line

  • Indian meal moths have an oscillating flight path

Can I get rid of clothing moths on my own?

If you catch a clothing moth infestation in its earliest stages it is possible to eliminate it without a professional pest control company.

Unfortunately, going this route does take more time than professional extermination and the infesting moths may have time to do serious damage to precious fabrics, expensive clothing, drapes, and furniture before you can successfully eliminate them.

Here are some tips for getting rid of clothing moths on your own:

• launder your entire clothing wardrobe and linen closet on a hot wash and a hot dry setting

• after laundering, store all fabrics in airtight bags or bins and bring them out only when they will be used or worn

• Use high heat steam to thoroughly steam couches, chairs, carpets, drapes, mattresses, and box springs

• Clothing in -40ºC storage will eliminate larvae. Most freezers will only cause larvae to hibernate

• use pheromone baited sticky traps in your clothing and linen storage to gauge the severity of an infestation

Clothing moth larva are voracious eaters and can do significant damage to your fabrics in a short period of time. If you are cannot successfully eliminate an infestation with these do-it-yourself steps call us to get a no-obligation quote in seconds, and schedule a treatment.

How do I know if I have a clothing moth infestation?

Spotting a single clothing moth does not mean you have a full blown infestation, these moths can multiply quickly and do significant damage to clothing and fabrics in a short period of time.

If you begin to see moths on a regular basis it is time consider implementing a professional pest control program.

Be on the lookout for these signs of a clothing moth infestation:

Sightings

• Small worm-like larvae on clothing, linens, blankets, carpets or any other natural or synthetic fabric

• Shed larval skins larval webbing on fabrics

• Adult moths flying around your home

Damage

• Tracks or holes chewed in sweaters, linens etc.

• larvae eat fabrics voraciously during their development

• particularly attracted protein or carbohydrate deposits on soiled clothing

Where to look for clothing moths

• closets

• wardrobes

• linen chests

• storage cellars

• carpets

• seams of couches and chairs

• cuffs of shirts and pants

Give us a call to get a for a no-obligation moth extermination quote for in seconds.

How did clothing moths get into my home?

• adults are able flyers

• gain entry through open windows and open doors

• insecure window screens, weather stripping or door sweeps

• eggs, larvae or adults may enter home on thrift clothing

• some retail warehouses are infested by moths, so even new clothing may carry clothing moths

• used furniture and fabrics

• Laundering used and new items when you bring them into the home will eliminate any moth larvae, or eggs that may be attached to these items.

What do clothing moths eat?

• adult clothing moths do not eat fabrics

• moth larvae are damaging pests that eat a variety of textiles and fabrics

• larvae can be highly destructive to fabrics, linens, and clothing

• feed on animal based textiles such as wool, fur, and feathers

• also feed on any natural fibres such as cotton, linen, silk

• will even feed on synthetic fabrics if contaminated by perspiration, urine, milk, beer, fruit juice or other sugar or protein

• attracted to sweat stains on clothing and the protein in dead skin cells left on fabrics

How serious are clothing moths?

• cause significant damage to treasured clothing, linens and fabrics

• damage may be in concealed areas on garments

• check areas beneath collars or cuffs of clothing, in folds of material on furniture and carpeted areas beneath undisturbed furniture

How can Addison help eliminate and prevent a clothing moth infestation?

• At Addison, we use professional grade pheromone baited sticky traps to monitor the severity of a moth infestation and locate the areas of increased activity

• As part of our service, we conduct a 360º home inspection to offer precise insights on how to cut off moth entry points

• Inspect all screens, exhaust vents, weather stripping, door sweeps

• 3-step residual insecticide, heat and powder treatment eliminates moths, larvae and eggs efficiently and safely