123 Cleaners specialise in the cleaning and treatment of moth damaged clothing, curtains, rugs and household fabrics. For guaranteed elimination of moth larvae infestations in clothing we recommend our dry cleaning or laundry processes where items are completely immersed. Our processes use special chemical additives along with extra long drying program to completely eliminate these expensive pests.

The service only applies to items that can be removed from site and cleaned in our processing factory. We don't offer onsite treatments as we believe these to be too 'hit and miss'.

You can visit our Maida Vale Factory Shop or you can book our Collection and Delivery Service which covers London and most areas within the M25.

Moth clothing treatment prices

Due to the extra procedures involved with clothes moth treatment there is a 10% surcharge to our normal Cleaning Prices. Please note these prices also include pressing and ironing.

Large orders of this type of work often receive discounts especially when cleaned as a batch process.

For those on a tighter budget we also offer a Bulk Dry Cleaning without pressing Service but again there is a 10% surcharge for the extra procedures involved.

Further information

We request that items are stored in sealed and labelled bags if possible prior to arriving at our factory. All items are returned in sealed bags.

Sometimes damage to garments may not be apparent prior to cleaning but often tell-tale signs are silk 'cobwebs' within the fibres. We recommend the total cleaning of your wardrobe and household fabrics to ensure complete eradication.

We have a Moth Hole Repairs Service which can rectify and restore most damage. And we also have various moth prevention products to ensure these expensive pests don't return!

Processing normally takes 3 to 4 days but we have a Same Day Express Service should you require some (or all) clothing in a hurry.

For further information Contact Jake or Carlos.

Preventing clothes moths in clothing garments and household fabrics.

• Cedar closets and cedar blocks are effective - They smell wonderful, but cedar oil vapor only kills young larvae, not the mature moths, and cedar-lined closets only have a useful life of about three years.
• What about mothballs? A mothball is not a repellent, but an exterminator. As mothballs evaporate, they produce fumes that slowly kill insects. For them to be effective, the storage space needs to be airtight so that the chemical can reach high enough concentration to act as a fumigant.
• Freezing is an effective way to kill both moths and larvae.
• Dry cleaning or laundering items in hot water (temperature above 50c (for 30 minutes) kills all stages of insects. This is the most common and effective method for controlling clothes moths in clothing, blankets, and other articles. (Because many woollen garments should not be washed in hot water, dry cleaning may be the only suitable cleaning option)
• Keep fabrics clean - Insects are less likely to feed on clean fabrics than on heavily soiled ones. Clothes moths are attracted to articles soiled by food, beverages, perspiration and urine, rather than the clean wool itself.
• Keep your house clean. Vacuum under furniture, along baseboards, in closets and around vents and draperies. Get rid of full vacuum cleaner bags promptly, as they may contain eggs, larvae or adult insects.
• Store out-of-season clothes properly. Dry-clean or wash them in hot water (above 120 degrees F for 30 minutes) before storing. Once clean, store clothes in an airtight container or even better vacuum packed.

Fabrics oldest enemy....

Often new holes in your garments are put down to wear and tear or even to damage by your dry cleaner but it's the fault of fabric’s oldest enemy, the moth. Moths are unfortunately a common household pest that can cause many hundreds of pounds' worth of damage. The worst damage is normally seen on items which have been stored with food and body odours such as jumpers. Many of the little holes will appear in the armpit, front or lap areas of a garment.

Above; A severe example of moth damage.

The damage is usually confined to wools, silks, hair fibres or furs—all protein fibers. Close examination of the damage (Pre-cleaned) usually reveals the presence of silken webs that are spun by the larvae. It is here that the mole holes develop.

Two kinds of moths are largely responsible for damage to the textiles: the Webbing Clothes Moth and the Casemaking Clothes Moth. Both are pale yellow or straw-coloured, and can be mistaken for the Indian meal moth, which lays eggs in flour and cornmeal.

Clothes moths are difficult to find because they avoid light, doing their worst at night, in dark closets and in storage chests. It’s the larvae that do the damage and female moths can lay up to 300 eggs at a time. Eggs hatch in 6 to 20 days, depending on the temperature.

More information

For more information on our services, see Dry Cleaning, Curtain Dry Cleaning, Table Linen, Bed Linen Laundry, Shirt Laundry, Wash Dry & Fold, Repairs & Alterations