How to use moth spray without missing the larvae
Updated: 23 October 2026
You are in front of an open wardrobe with a can in your hand, and the moth you can see is the least of it. Adults do not eat the wool. Larvae do, in folds, behind a label, or under furniture. This is the sequence for how to use moth spray after you have chosen a can from our [moth spray comparison](/hub/pest-control/moth-spray). The Products Compared editorial team used Which?, English Heritage, the Natural History Museum, and the British Pest Control Association for the order of work. A qualifying purchase can earn us a commission at no extra cost to you.
You are in front of an open wardrobe with a can in your hand, and the moth you can see is the least of it. Adults do not eat the wool. Larvae do, in folds, behind a label, or under furniture.
You are in front of an open wardrobe with a can in your hand, and the moth you can see is the least of it. Adults do not eat the wool. Larvae do, in folds, behind a label, or under furniture. This is the sequence for how to use moth spray after you have chosen a can from our moth spray comparison. The Products Compared editorial team used Which?, English Heritage, the Natural History Museum, and the British Pest Control Association for the order of work. A qualifying purchase can earn us a commission at no extra cost to you.
Our top picks
| Badge | Product | Where to use | Stated action | Stated interval | Note | Price | Offer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall |  Acana Acana fresh linen 500 ml | Carpets, rugs and curtains | Kills moths, eggs and larvae | Every 3 months | 9.0 | about £13.49 | View offer |
 Zero In Zero In ZER434M six-pack | Wardrobes and drawers | Kills clothes moths, larvae and eggs | Up to 12 months | 9.1 | about £17.21 | View offer | |
| Alternative |  Clothes Doctor Clothes Doctor knitwear mist | Wool and cashmere knitwear | Natural moth repellent | Not stated | 7.3 | about £15.49 | View offer |
On this page
Clear the space before any nozzle
Empty the wardrobe first. Which? starts with clothes out, then a proper look, not a squirt at the moth on the door. Check seams, cuffs, the back of wool labels, and the shelf above the rail. English Heritage makes the same point: aerosols miss larvae hidden in cloth.
None of the six listings is permission to soak clothing. A Garden World page for Nippon, a different product, says not to spray clothing or bedding. That ban is Nippon's label, not a sentence on Acana, Zero In, or Rentokil. Until your can says you may mist a garment, keep the fabric out and deal with it by washing or freezing. A trap will not replace this clear-out, which is why moth spray vs moth trap treats the glue card as a monitor.
Vacuum, then get the waste outside
Vacuum the empty wardrobe, including the undersides of shelves and the runners, and vacuum the floor you stood on. Which? includes those undersides because eggs and lint fall. Use a crevice tool in the corners. If the damage is at carpet edges, the same idea applies on the floor, and carpet moth spray stays with that scene.
Take the waste outside. Which? and English Heritage agree. Larvae in a dust compartment in the hall are still in the house. Empty the cylinder or bin the bag into an outside bin before clean clothes go back. Reviewers of the 275 ml Acana cans said carpet larvae needed another application and hoovering: vacuum, treat what the label allows, vacuum again, and get that waste out too.
Wash or freeze what the fibre can survive
The care label decides, because two UK sources disagree about hot water. Which? offers a 60°C wash or a freeze at −18°C, and says dry-cleaning is not the eradication step. The British Pest Control Association warns that a hot wash can ruin wool. If the label says hand wash, do not force 60°C.
Freezing has two published timings. They are not one instruction. English Heritage says freeze bagged textiles at −18°C for two weeks, then wait 24 hours. The Natural History Museum says −20°C for a week, or 49°C for more than 30 minutes. Finish one source's method. Do not mix a week from the museum with −18°C from English Heritage. A domestic freezer will not take a fitted carpet or a large rug.
Spray to the label in your hand
Spray only where that can allows, after the textiles are out and the dust is outside. Zero In's bullets talk about wardrobes and drawers. Acana talks about carpets, curtains, and cushions, and the 500 ml can states about 13.75 square metres. Clothes Doctor is a knitwear repellent, not a larval insecticide. Rentokil's page does not state where to use it. Which listing to buy is on the buying guide.
None of the six listings states a minute count for people or pets. Do not copy another brand's 30 minutes onto a can that does not print it. Keep children and animals out until your label says the surface is dry. Acana's listed cycle is three months. Zero In's title says up to 12 months, and the maker's later catalogue shortens the same code, so use the interval on your can.
Common questions
What do I do before I spray?
Empty the wardrobe, check folds and the backs of labels, and vacuum before any nozzle. Which? puts cleaning ahead of insecticide, and English Heritage says aerosols miss hidden larvae. Shelves, runners, and the floor are vacuumed. The waste goes to an outside bin. Only then do you spray surfaces your own label allows.
Where does the vacuum bag go?
Outside. Which? and English Heritage both want the waste out of the house, because eggs in a vacuum are still in the cupboard under the stairs. Empty the cylinder outdoors, or tie the bag and put it in an outside bin, before you restock the wardrobe. Do the same after a later pass.
Should I wash at 60°C or freeze?
Follow the care label, then finish one published method. Which? suggests 60°C or a freeze at −18°C. The British Pest Control Association says a hot wash can damage wool. English Heritage says −18°C for two weeks, then a 24-hour wait. The Natural History Museum says −20°C for a week, or 49°C for more than 30 minutes. Do not blend those.
Can I spray the jumpers?
Not unless the can in your hand says you may. These six listings do not share permission to soak clothing. Nippon's UK page tells buyers of that other spray not to treat clothing or bedding, and that limit is Nippon's.
How long until the dog can come back?
Until the label on your can says the surface is dry. None of the six pages states a minute count, and pet safety is unanswered in the specification blocks. Do not borrow another brand's re-entry time.
When do I stop and call someone?
When damage runs through several rooms, when wool underlay or a fitted carpet is involved, when someone has a breathing illness, when bats use the building, or when you cannot name the insect. Large rugs are a commercial freeze or controlled heat in English Heritage's guidance, not a domestic chest freezer.
Related pages
Sources
Public UK sources used for this comparison. Shelf prices, stars and review counts are the amazon.co.uk figures captured for these six listings. Last checked 19 October 2026.
- Natural History Museum clothes moth guide (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- English Heritage clothes moth guideline (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- HSE using biocides (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- BPCA moth control advice (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- Southwark Trading Standards mothball leaflet (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- Which? how to get rid of clothes moths (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- Rentokil DIY moth products (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- STV 2024–25 catalogue (retrieved 19 October 2026)