Blog Post

Seven Easy Steps for Preventing Closet Pests

Marielle Robie • Jan 28, 2021

Custom closets provide ample space for displaying and storing an array of clothing, shoes and so much more. Unfortunately, without preventative measures, they can also become home to closet critters such as moths, carpet beetles, cockroaches, crickets, silverfish, and termites.

The good news is that with a bit of prevention, your closets can stay bug-free. Follow these seven easy steps:

Clean and Vacuum Your Closets
Don’t Keep Dirty Clothes in Your Closet
Choose Lavender Over Mothballs
Allow Some Breathing Room
Use Cedar Chips
Re-Launder Your Clothing
Check Your Clothing That Dries Outdoors

Read on to learn how you can prevent closet pests from turning your clothes into swiss cheese!

Clean and Vacuum Your Closets

According to Bob Vila, one of the best ways to prevent a pest problem is to take charge of your closet cleanliness. Are your closets overflowing? Time to sort through and donate items that you haven’t worn in years and likely aren’t going to wear again.

Take everything out of your closet and wipe the walls and shelves down with a damp cloth and a vinegar and water solution. A weekly vacuuming of every nook and cranny of your closet is also needed. Carpet beetles like to make their home in your carpeting, and other closet pests like moths may have laid their eggs in inconspicuous places.

Don’t Keep Dirty Clothes in Your Closet

Do you keep your dirty clothes hamper inside of your closet? While you may find this to be a convenient place for it, moths and roaches are attracted to the smell of your body odor and any food that has been spilled on your clothing. For this reason, it may be a good idea to avoid wearing a garment more than one time and then hanging it back in your closet amongst your clean clothes.

Choose Lavender Over Mothballs

Though mothballs can do the trick to get rid of moths, they contain pesticides that are dangerous to both children and pets. They are packed with strong chemicals and make your clothes smell terrible. This means that they are not an all-around ideal solution for getting rid of moths.

As a natural alternative, Martha Stewart recommends using lavender. You can make your own sachets filled with dried lavender and place them in different areas of your closet. To give them an extra punch, you can dab essential oil of lavender on the outside of them. Your sachets will also double as a lovely air freshener.

Allow Some Breathing Room

Moths are attracted to dark, dusty, and cramped areas. It is a good idea to have a little space between each hanging item of clothing so that air can flow between them. Keeping your closet doors open so that light can flow in is also helpful. Move your clothes around from time to time so that you can easily monitor the situation.

Use Cedar Chips

Many people find that cedar is a best friend when it comes to pest prevention. Some people enjoy storing away their clothing in cedar chests. Thus, it should be no surprise that cedar chips can be particularly helpful in warding off closet critters.

TheSpruce.com recommends filling up a bag with some cedar chips and placing it in your closet. Just be aware that your cedar chips will need to be refreshed every so often with cedar oil, or simply replaced as an alternative. Also, keep the cedar from directly touching your fabrics as it can deposit oils onto them.

Re-Launder Your Clothing

Do you enjoy thrift store shopping? Buying clothes second-hand certainly has its advantages. However, whatever you do, be certain that you wash your charming vintage items in hot water and dry them on high heat before you wear them, to kill any potential pests.

Check Your Clothing That Dries Outdoors

Drying your clothing outdoors in the fresh air and sunshine is a great way to save energy. However, Bugwiz.com warns that you need to be sure to check your clothing carefully before bringing it indoors and hanging it into your closet. All it takes is one bug to make a home in your sweater.

Conclusion

Your wardrobe is an investment that deserves to stay protected. There is no reason you should have to worry about moths and other critters coming into your custom closets and chewing holes in your favorite wool sweater. Keeping your closets clean and vacuumed will help prevent an infestation, as will strategically placing lavender and cedar throughout those areas.