How to Kill Clothes Moths with Dry Ice

Keep clothes moths away from your favorite garments with dry ice.

The moths lay eggs on wool or wool blends; the eggs hatch, and the worms (larvae) from the eggs eat the wool. Clothes moths hide in dark places where woolens are stored. Clothes moths also are reported to enjoy fur, hair, silk, and feathers (pillows). The white, full-grown worm (caterpillar) is about a half-inch long, as are the adult moths. The adults fly in a “fluttery” manner. The moths you see in the kitchen flying in a steadier path are probably pantry moths, which do not eat wool.

Dry ice, in combination with heavy plastic "contractor" trash bags, can kill moths, eggs, and larvae by fumigation, without putting harmful chemicals into your home environment. Place woolens and silks you want to fumigate in the heavy (“3-mil” or thicker) plastic bag. Use at least two pounds of dry ice per 30-gallon or 42-gallon bag. Using heavy leather or insulated gloves, wrap the dry ice in a large rag or old T-shirt. Place the dry ice inside the bag with the clothes, blankets, pillows, or upholstery to be fumigated. Tie the bag loosely with a twist tie. Seal the bag just loosely enough that the carbon dioxide gas can escape while the dry ice sublimates in the bag. You want the bag to fill with the carbon dioxide gas but not build up pressure.

The carbon dioxide gas from the dry ice displaces oxygen and kills - suffocates - whatever clothes moth eggs, larvae, and adults are in the bag. When the dry ice has completely sublimated, seal the bag tightly and store the bagged items. Clothes moth larvae that have just hatched are very tiny and can crawl into the bag from the outside through very small openings searching for wool “food”, so tight sealing of the storage bag after fumigation is important.

Follow the dry ice safety precautions when handling dry ice, including wearing heavy leather or insulated gloves. Do not let dry ice touch bare skin. Read information about buying dry ice in small quantities from Continental Carbonic.

Call Continental Carbonic toll-free at 800-DRY-ICE2. Visit our News Archive to find out about more ways to use dry ice. Use your ZIP code to find your closest Continental Carbonic location.