How to use clothes moth traps
Updated: 23 October 2026
The foil is still on the card, a moth is already on the wardrobe ceiling, and the wool has a fresh hole. How to use clothes moth traps is peel, date, space and read. The pheromone draws males. Larvae stay in the fabric until you deal with the fabric. A trap will not control an infestation. This page does not rank packs. The eleven listings are on the [clothes moth trap comparison](/hub/pest-control/clothes-moth-trap). Listings were saved on 21 October 2026. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
The foil is still on the card, a moth is already on the wardrobe ceiling, and the wool has a fresh hole. How to use clothes moth traps is peel, date, space and read. The pheromone draws males.
The foil is still on the card, a moth is already on the wardrobe ceiling, and the wool has a fresh hole. How to use clothes moth traps is peel, date, space and read. The pheromone draws males. Larvae stay in the fabric until you deal with the fabric. A trap will not control an infestation. This page does not rank packs. The eleven listings are on the clothes moth trap comparison. Listings were saved on 21 October 2026. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Our top picks
| Badge | Product | Form | Stated life | Wording | Note | Price | Offer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall |  MothOut MothOut 10 pheromone clothes moth traps | Triangle plus lavender | Up to 3 months | Monitor and protection | 8.4 | about £17.98 | View offer |
| Best value |  INSECTIX PEST SOLUTION Insectix 6 clothes moth monitoring traps | Folded sticky card | Up to 90 days | Monitoring | 7.9 | about £13.56 | View offer |
 Theo's Home Care London Moth 10 pheromone clothes moth traps | Sticky card | 4 months once opened | Protect and monitor | 8.7 | about £17.95 | View offer |
On this page
Peel, fold and write the date
Open one foil at a time. Peel the film, fold the card into the tent or triangle that pack allows, or hang the pad in its holder, and write the date before you put it down. MothOut’s instruction sheet, a seller document, tells you to write the date and quotes a life of up to 3 months. Without a date, that claim is a guess the next time you look. Keep the glue off clothes, children and pets. Super Ninja’s listing says the adhesive back should stay out of their reach.
Stated lives differ. London Moth says 4 months once opened. Entopest says up to 12 weeks. Insectix says up to 90 days. Nozerix, MothOut, Super Ninja and Lumora say up to 3 months. Erigathe says about 8 to 12 weeks, or sooner if the glue is covered. Acana and Manchester Mothmen state no life. Use the figure on the pack you bought. Peel the next card when you need it, not the whole box on day one. A lavender pouch is a freshener. The lure is the pheromone in the glue. What to read before you buy is on the clothes moth trap buying guide.
One plume, not a cluster
Put one trap in a room, or keep them about 3 metres apart, rather than a heap on one shelf. That spacing is seller practice from MothOut’s sheet and from London Moth’s troubleshooting page, not an independent trial. The same seller notes say an older lure can outperform a fresh one placed beside it, and that you should not judge the card after a few days.
In a wardrobe, use a shelf or a rail hook, not a card buried in jumpers. One saved MothOut review says traps inside the wardrobe kept catching moths while the clothes were still eaten, and the reviewer moved them out. Windows, vents and a strong fragrance fight the plume. Five cards in one bedroom mostly compete. Floor holes and underlay are on carpet moth traps.
Replace on the stated life
English Heritage replaces pheromone lures at the quarterly insect check unless the product specification differs, and it says to replace a trap that is still clear. If your pack says 12 weeks, 90 days or 4 months, follow that date, and replace sooner if the glue is dusty, full, or no longer tacky. If your pack states no life, as with Acana and Manchester Mothmen, change the card when the surface fails or at that quarterly look. Do not invent a week count the listing never printed. Write the new date as you peel the refill.
Read a blank card
An empty card after a week is a question. The film may still be on. The moth may be female, or a brown house moth, a white-shouldered house moth or a pantry moth. Larvae can still be in a seam. London Moth’s seller checklist says a few days is too soon. Wait out the week, then look at the damage again.
Call a professional if the carpet, the underlay or loft insulation is still eaten after a clean and fresh traps, if you cannot identify the moth, or before foggers or mothballs. Freeze figures disagree: the Museum cites −20°C for a week, or 49°C for more than 30 minutes, and English Heritage cites −18°C for two weeks. Do not merge them. Sprays, cedar and mothballs are on clothes moth trap vs spray.
Common questions
How do I set the card up?
Open the foil on one trap, peel the film, fold or hang it the way that pack allows, and write the date before you place it. Keep glue off clothes, children and pets. Treat a lavender pouch as a freshener and keep it away from the card.
Where should it sit in a wardrobe?
On a shelf or a rail, in the open, not folded into a pile of jumpers. One MothOut review found moths on cards inside the wardrobe while the clothes were still eaten. Avoid a cloud of fragrance or an open window.
How many traps do I put in one room?
One plume per room, or about 3 metres between cards if the room is large. That comes from seller sheets, not from a lab. A cluster of five fresh cards on one rail mostly competes with itself.
When do I replace it?
On the life printed for the pack you bought: 4 months once opened, up to 12 weeks, up to 90 days, up to 3 months, or about 8 to 12 weeks. Replace sooner if the glue is covered or dull. If the pack states no life, use a quarterly check and replace a trap that is still clear.
What if it is still empty after a week?
Treat a blank card as a question, not an all-clear. The film may still be on. The moth may be female, or a house moth or pantry moth these lures do not target. Larvae can still be in a seam. A few days is too soon.
When do I stop and call someone?
Call a professional if carpet, underlay or loft insulation is still being eaten after a clean and fresh traps, if you cannot name the moth, or before foggers and mothballs. Do not mix the Museum’s week at −20°C with Heritage’s two weeks at −18°C.
Related pages
Sources
Public UK sources used for species, lure limits, and monitor wording. Shelf prices, stars and review counts are the amazon.co.uk figures captured for these 11 listings. Last checked 21 October 2026.
- Natural History Museum clothes moth guide (retrieved 21 October 2026)
- English Heritage clothes moth prevention (retrieved 21 October 2026)
- English Heritage insect pest management (retrieved 21 October 2026)
- HSE monitoring traps (retrieved 21 October 2026)
- HSE regulated biocidal products (retrieved 21 October 2026)
- HSE decisions on scope (retrieved 21 October 2026)
- UKMoths brown house moth (retrieved 21 October 2026)
- Fort Products safety data sheet (retrieved 21 October 2026)