HELP PANICKING WORMS IN CLOTHING

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Forum -> Household Management -> Cleaning & Laundry

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amother

Tue, Mar 09 2021, 5:43 pm

I just took out some old baby clothes that had been folded up for a while. FOUND SOMETHING MOVING! Like a dark brown worm, with a ringed type of shell... oh I am so grossed out I have to go through all my old clothing storage now... it was all put away perfectly clean... someone help me I'm panicking!

amother

Khaki

Tue, Mar 09 2021, 5:48 pm

Are you in Brooklyn? Have you seen any little gold moths flying around? Hide your cashmere. I'm wholly serious.

amother

Tue, Mar 09 2021, 5:52 pm

I am in Brooklyn. I
Is it a location specific thing?
I'm literally panicking right now. I have so many containers of my kids outgrown clothing folded neatly and I'm imagining them swarming with worms and I'm panicking can someone please help!

Amarante

Tue, Mar 09 2021, 5:57 pm

Moths and insects in clothing isn't location specific.

How are you storing your clothing? If you use large plastic bins with close fitting lids you can eliminate issues. If you have anything wool, you need to store it in air tight containers and with some form of moth balls for extra protection.

If space is at a premium, the large plastic bags that are then deflated with a vacuum cleaner also prevent vermin from getting in.

Anything you store needs to be cleaned because even if you can't see the spot any type of food spot will attract vermin.

amother

Khaki

Tue, Mar 09 2021, 6:18 pm

Amarante wrote:

I'm a fiber artist, and I live in Brooklyn. There is a huge problem here with the kind of moths that eat wool, specifically cashmere.

Moth balls do absolutely nothing, except smell bad. But you're spot-on about using things like space-bags for storage and only putting away cleaned items. I keep cashmere sweaters in ziplock bags. Other clothing can just be washed and stored. OP, don't freak out.

octopus

Tue, Mar 09 2021, 6:18 pm

Google for images of carpet beetles. They have a worm/caterpillar stage before they turn into beetles. They are very small. They eat the clothing and make tiny holes. Don't ask me how I know. Can't Believe It

simcha2

Tue, Mar 09 2021, 6:20 pm

octopus wrote:

And very, very hard to get rid of....

They are the worst!

amother

Tue, Mar 09 2021, 7:56 pm

Oh no. It matches the carpet beetle larve image. I'm really crying. I don't know what to do. I'm grossed out. Does it mean my carpets are infested? Do I need to shampoo my carpets? Someone please help I'm losing it.

amother

Tue, Mar 09 2021, 7:59 pm

Everything was perfectly clean!!!

amother

Pink

Tue, Mar 09 2021, 8:01 pm

I often find worms in packed away old clothing. I think it’s normal. I never had an infestation or anything. Don’t freak out.

amother

Tue, Mar 09 2021, 8:01 pm

It was like cognac colored, and ridged.
Someone help.
You cannot imagine how I'm panicking now.

amother

Lavender

Tue, Mar 09 2021, 8:04 pm

how can we help you?

amother

Tue, Mar 09 2021, 8:09 pm

If you had experience with this specific bug please tell me what you did to get rid of them, how to prevent them from coming back, is my whole house infested. Give me step by step instructions!

amother

Tue, Mar 09 2021, 8:10 pm

simcha2 wrote:

And very, very hard to get rid of....

They are the worst!

Can you please elaborate

amother

Saddlebrown

Tue, Mar 09 2021, 8:10 pm

Ok, I am experienced. I will walk you through how to get rid of them.

All clothing needs to be washed and dried.

Vacuum out where they were stored, then next spray and wash it down.

This will rid all bugs and eggs on clothing.

Then, the tricky part is getting rid of the microscopic eggs.

Leave the storage area empty for 3 months.

Every 3-4 week go vacuum it out and wipe it down again.

After 3 months you are good to go. All eggs should be done.

amother

Tangerine

Tue, Mar 09 2021, 8:12 pm

Eh, no need to panic. I’ve had carpet beetles for about 10 years ever since I bought a rug that turned out to be infested. Got rid of the rug but still dealing with a minor carpet beetle issue years later (they used to be on both floors of my home but now they’re only in my bedroom closet) because I refuse to have exterminators in to use poison. They love dust so as long as you keep your house swept and tidy that should keep things fairly under control. You can wash the clothes (shake them out first) like normal and they’ll be fine. Keep a sharp eye on your laundry hampers though. They gravitate toward underwear that has dried secretions (sorry for the tmi).

ra_mom

Tue, Mar 09 2021, 8:18 pm

Call an exterminator so it doesn't turn into a problem.
I am so sorry, it's an awful feeling.

amother

Brown

Tue, Mar 09 2021, 8:22 pm

I had a problem with carpet beetles and got rid of them completely with Hashems help:) and a special spray
First I freaked out and tried to wash everything...I cleaned the floors with a special vacuum from home depot....I tried everything...it didn't help.
Once I noticed them I realized they were everywhere.
I went on a site for managing your own pest control called domyown.com
I bought demand cs
I got a special spray with hose type that pest control people use from Lowes. They also have in home depot.
I sprayed my entire house. It got rid of them completely.
I totally understand your panic!!!!!!
Every site you read will tell you 100 things to do and to call an exterminator.
I miraculously found one site that told me about how to do my own pest control and tried it and it worked!!!

amother

Sapphire

Tue, Mar 09 2021, 8:29 pm

Where do you keep these storage boxes? I’ve seen these insects occasionally in corners of my clothing storage boxes. I just vacuumed it out and washed the clothes. But they’re stored in my garage so I assumed that’s how they got in.

amother

Wheat

Tue, Mar 09 2021, 8:33 pm

OP, I"m so sorry, I've dealt with a few different types of infestation, it is very unnerving.
I don't know specifically about carpet beetles, but I do remember that for moths, airing out the clothing in the sun can be helpful to disrupt larvae (at some point over the summer storage).
Also as stated above everything needs to be super clean before storing.
Carpet beetle eggs are easier to vacuum up than moth eggs so that is good.
Also items you can't wash can go in the freezer for a few days to kill of the larvae.

hatzlacha and many hugs to you!

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