How to Get Rid of Moths

Updated 2026-06-07

The first step with moths is figuring out which kind you have, because the fix is completely different. Pantry moths breed in dry food — flour, grains, cereal, pet food. Clothes moths eat natural fibers like wool, silk, cashmere and fur. For both, the winning combo is the same shape: remove and clean the source, then use pheromone traps to catch the breeding adults and break the cycle.

1. Pantry moths or clothes moths?

Pantry moths (like the Indian meal moth) are in the kitchen — you’ll see small moths flying near cupboards and fine webbing inside boxes of dry food. Clothes moths are in closets and drawers — you rarely see the moths themselves, but you’ll find holes in wool, larvae or tiny silken cases on fabric.

Figure out which one you have before you do anything else, because the treatment is different.

2. Pantry moths: clear and clean the source

Go through every dry good — flour, grains, cereal, rice, nuts, dried fruit, pet food, birdseed — and throw out anything infested. Check unopened packages too; larvae chew into sealed bags. Then vacuum the shelves and especially the cracks and corners where eggs hide, wipe down with a vinegar solution, and store everything going forward in airtight glass or hard-plastic containers.

3. Clothes moths: clean and protect fabrics

It’s the larvae, not the adults, that eat fabric — and they prefer soiled wool. Launder or dry-clean affected items, hot-wash or freeze (48 hours) what you can, and vacuum closets, carpets, baseboards and under furniture thoroughly to remove eggs and larvae. Store clean wool and other natural fibers sealed in bags or bins.

4. Trap the adults with pheromone traps

Pheromone traps are baited with the female moth’s scent to catch breeding males — which both reduces the next generation and tells you whether numbers are dropping. Use the pantry-moth type in the kitchen and the clothes-moth type in closets; they’re species-specific, so match the trap to your moth.

5. What about cedar and mothballs?

Cedar has only a limited, short-lived effect — it must be fresh and frequently re-sanded or re-oiled to do anything. Mothballs do work but are toxic, smelly, and only effective inside a sealed container where the vapor builds up. For most people, cleaning + pheromone traps + sealed storage beats both.

Prevent them coming back

Keep dry food in airtight containers, always clean wool before storing it, do a periodic check of the pantry and closets, and keep humidity down — moths thrive in still, undisturbed, slightly damp spots.

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Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to get rid of moths?

Once you’ve cleared and cleaned the source, pheromone traps and vacuuming usually bring it under control in a few weeks — long enough to catch the adults emerging from any eggs you missed.

What’s the difference between pantry moths and clothes moths?

Pantry moths breed in dry food in the kitchen; clothes moths eat natural fibers (wool, silk, fur) in closets. The treatment is different, so identify which you have first.

Do pheromone moth traps work?

They’re very effective at catching breeding males and monitoring numbers, which helps break the cycle — but pair them with removing and cleaning the source (food or fabric), since the traps alone don’t reach eggs and larvae.

Do cedar or mothballs really work?

Cedar is weak and short-lived unless constantly refreshed. Mothballs work only in a sealed container and are toxic and smelly. Cleaning, sealed storage and pheromone traps are the more practical fix.