6 Tips for Protecting Your Closets From Pests

After investing in custom closets to help you stay organized, the last thing you'd expect is an invasion. Yet, closet pests are a dreaded part of storing clothes and other items. These unwelcome visitors are not necessarily a sign you don’t keep your home clean; pests can happen to anyone. Still, there must be a way to protect your closets from unwelcome visitors.

To keep your closets free from pests, you need to:

• Know What Pests You Are Battling
• Clean Your Carpet Thoroughly
• Use Natural Repellants
• Avoid Storing Dirty Clothes in Your Closets
• Bring in The Light
• Store Out-of-Season Clothes Properly

Ready to eradicate unwanted squatters? Gather your supplies and keep reading!

Closet pests can damage your clothing and other objects stored there. According to thespruce.com five main insects may make their home among your clothes:

• Carpet Beetles
• Clothes Moths
• Crickets
• Cockroaches
• Termites

While these aren't the only intruders that will make a meal of your clothing, they are the most common ones in both cooler and warmer regions, such as here in California. 

One of the most significant steps you can take against closet pests is to clean your carpet. According to the New York Times, insects like carpet beetles, crickets, and cockroaches feed on particles in the rug fibers. So vacuum your carpet weekly to remove their food source.



Besides weekly vacuuming, you should also deep-clean your carpet every few months. This will help ensure that you are getting deep into the carpet fibers. 

Using harsh chemicals to repel annoying pests can harm you, your family, and your belongings. Turning to natural repellants is a safer way to keep bugs out of your closets.

Cedar is an all-purpose repellant that works against multiple types of insects, especially moths & carpet beetles. You can use sachets of cedar shavings or cedar blocks. However, the oils in the wood can easily stain your clothes, so make sure they don't come into contact with any fabric. Cedar is a long-lasting repellant, but if the cedar chips or blocks are older than three years, they need to be replaced.

Lavender is another natural repellant you may consider using in your custom closets. Ehow.com recommends adding dried lavender to cotton bags and placing them inside your closet, especially inside of drawers. 

Invading insects generally target closets because of the food available. When you toss your dirty clothes into a hamper inside your closet, you are attracting moths, beetles, and other disgusting pests.



You may not see the same things that insects see in your clothing. To you, what you’ve just shed might be a little musty from a day of wear. Howtomurderpests.com points out that pests see the nearly invisible traces as a smorgasbord. They feed off of stains, body oils, and fluids you secrete throughout the day. Removing dirty clothes significantly cuts down on their food source.

The dark recesses of your closets and tight spaces between clothing articles make them the ideal hang-out spots for moths, roaches, and carpet beetles. To counteract that, you need to add a little light inside.

If you have an overhead light, leave it on for several hours during the day. If your closet is in an area where light can naturally come in, leave the doors open to bring in the brightness. You’ll find that light-hating insects will find your closets less desirable.

Protecting your clothes from destructive insects sometimes means having less available for them to feed on. That doesn't mean getting rid of half your wardrobe. All you need to do is rotate your clothing as the seasons change. Also, never store off-season clothes without cleaning them first.

If you need a place to store additional pieces, consider using a cedar chest. Just line it with acid-free white tissue paper or a white sheet that is free of residue before putting your clothes inside, explains Homesteady.com.



You can also use garment bags to store some of your items. Do not rely on the lightweight plastic sheets from the dry cleaner as they are not designed to keep pests out. Instead, use a garment bag rated for travel.

Even in closets that seem spotless, you may still have the occasional pest. Once you’ve inspected your clothes and know what is common in your area, you can do battle. Remember to clean your carpets and never store dirty clothes within those spaces.



Further discourage visitors by adding a little light and reducing their food supply by keeping out of season clothes in cedar chests and breathable garment bags. Natural repellants, such as cedar and lavender, also help in warding off pests.