Service · Clothes Moth Control · NYC

Moths Don't EatYour Clothes.Their Larvae Do.

The adult clothes moth you see flying around your closet does no damage — it's the larvae feeding on your wool, cashmere, silk, and fur that are destroying your wardrobe. By the time you notice damage, the infestation is well established. Broadway Pest eliminates the full lifecycle and protects your clothing from further loss.

Call (212) 663-2100 Free Assessment

Wool & cashmere protectionPheromone trap monitoringFull lifecycle treatmentStorage unit service

Larvae per female moth egg cycle

A single female webbing clothes moth lays 40–50 eggs over 3 weeks. Larvae feed for months before pupating. By the time you see damage, multiple generations may be present.

3mo

Larval feeding period

100%

Lifecycle targeting

50+

Years NYC experience

DIY

Products at Harlem store

The Threat

What you're
actually dealing with.

🧶

What They Target

Clothes moth larvae feed exclusively on keratin — the protein in animal fibers. Wool, cashmere, silk, angora, mohair, and fur are all at risk. Synthetic fabrics are generally safe unless blended with natural fibers or soiled with food or sweat, which attracts larvae to otherwise synthetic garments.

🔍

Detection Is Difficult

Clothes moths avoid light and activity. Infestations develop inside folded garments, in the backs of closets, under furniture, and in storage boxes — exactly where they won't be noticed until significant damage has occurred. Pheromone monitoring traps are the most reliable early detection tool.

NYC

NYC Storage Conditions

NYC apartments with limited closet space, storage units in climate-uncontrolled basements, and the density of high-quality textiles in Manhattan co-ops create ideal conditions for clothes moth persistence. Seasonal storage without proper cleaning and protection is the most common infestation vector.

Our Protocol

How we
eliminate it.

Every Broadway Pest treatment follows a documented protocol — assessment first, treatment second, follow-up third. No guesswork, no generic spraying.

01

Inspection and infestation mapping

Full inspection of all closets, storage areas, and textile collections. Identify species (webbing vs casemaking moth), assess severity, and locate larvae and pupae — not just adult moths.
02

Pheromone trap deployment

Professional-grade pheromone traps deployed to monitor male moth populations and assess infestation severity. These are the same traps used in museum textile conservation — far more effective than consumer-grade options.
03

Residual treatment

Residual insecticide applied to closet interiors, storage areas, and along baseboards. Safe for application in clothing storage areas when applied correctly. All garments removed before treatment.
04

Client education and prevention

Dry cleaning kills larvae. Cedar works as deterrent only — not treatment. We advise on proper seasonal storage protocols, vacuuming frequency, and monitoring schedule to prevent recurrence.

Free Assessment

Start with free recon.

A senior technician walks your property, identifies the threat, and gives you a straight protection plan — no obligation.

Phone

(212) 663-2100
Call before noon for same-day

Midtown

213 W 35th St, Suite 802A

Harlem Store

69 St. Nicholas Ave at 114th St

Request Free Assessment Call (212) 663-2100

Operational Protocol

How we execute.

Full closet inspection

Identify species, map infestation zones, and assess severity including larvae and pupae in folded garments and storage areas.

Garment triage

Identify heavily infested items requiring dry cleaning or disposal. Advise on salvageable garments.

Pheromone traps + residual treatment

Professional traps deployed. Residual treatment applied to closet interiors and storage spaces after garment removal.

Prevention protocol

Storage and monitoring protocol issued. Follow-up trap check at 4 and 8 weeks to confirm control.

Service Journey

What to expect
start to finish.

No guesswork. Here's exactly how our clothes moth program works — what you do before we arrive, what happens during the service visit, and what to expect after we leave.

Phase 01

Before We Arrive

→Remove all clothing, textiles, and woolens from closets and drawers and place in sealed bags or bins before service
→Dry clean or launder all affected garments on high heat before returning them to treated storage areas
→Check stored items: vintage clothing, taxidermy, wool rugs, and down-filled items are common harborage sites
→Do not use cedar or mothballs — these are ineffective against established infestations and will interfere with professional treatment

Phase 02

During Service

→Full closet and storage area inspection to assess infestation severity and identify all larval feeding sites
→Treatment applied to all closet surfaces, shelving, drawer interiors, and carpet edges in affected rooms
→Pheromone monitoring traps placed to track adult moth activity and confirm elimination progress
→High-value textile storage areas assessed and recommendations provided for proper storage and ongoing prevention
→Service documentation created with all treated areas, products applied, and monitoring trap placement

Phase 03

After We Leave

→Wait 4 hours before returning cleaned garments to treated storage areas
→Store woolens and natural fiber clothing in sealed containers or garment bags — open hanging is the primary re-infestation risk
→Check pheromone traps monthly; a sharp spike in catch after treatment indicates a secondary population was not fully eliminated
→Follow-up inspection at 3 weeks to assess trap catches and confirm elimination

MOTHS

Clothes Moth Control · NYC

Protect your wardrobe.
Eliminate the lifecycle.

Get a free clothes moth assessment from Broadway Pest Services. We'll inspect your closets, identify the species and severity, and deploy a treatment protocol that eliminates larvae — not just the adult moths you can see. Professional-grade pheromone traps also available at our Harlem store.

Deploy Free Assessment Call (212) 663-2100