Ep 165 - Getting Rid of Moths in Knitwear

The Shinybees Knitting and Yarn Podcast

Moth infestation in knitwear is every knitter's worst nightmare. In this episode I cover some of the background of which kinds of moths chew knitwear in the UK and how to get rid of them. There are only two, but they do a lot of damage and they're on the rise. You can tell you have an infestation usually when there has already been damage and you find little holes in the knitwear. It's common for these to be in areas like the sleeve and neck. Moth larvae are the culprit (adult moths don't have the mouth parts needed for knitwear decimation). The problem you have with larvae is they're very hard to see. They are around 1mm long which makes it easy for them to slip into the knitwear unnoticed. Unless you have go go gadget eyes, you're unlikely to see them. There are ways to deal with the pesky blighters. The best way is to prevent them in the first place, which may not always be possible, especially if you live in an older property. Cleanliness is key, so vacuum inside the wardrobe regularly and ensure clothes are spread out on the hangers and kept off the floor. Adding natural repellants such as lavender, eucalyptus, laurel, rosemary, patchouli and cedar will dissuade the adults from wanting to lay eggs in the wardrobe. Keep valuable and out of season clothes in storage bags to prevent access. If you have an infestation, step one is to remove all the items from the wardrobe and clean them all. Either launder at a high temperature (60 degrees), dry clean or steam clean them, or clean them and put them in a freezer for 48 hours, which will kill eggs and larvae. Clean the inside of the wardrobe by hoovering right into all the crannies and removing dust. Wipe's the surfaces with a damp cloth with detergent, anti-bacterial spray or diluted white vinegar to remove dirt and eggs. Full show notes are at www.shinybees.com/165 Music Credits: Adam and the Walter Boys, 'I Need A Drink' used with kind permission and available from iTunes.