Something is eating my clothes-Help needed!

[Philoz]

Got a tee-shirt out of wardrobe this morning,only to find it had developed extra armholes in addition to the traditional 2.
When I looked at my other tee-shirts, they too were exhibiting signs of holiness.
Is it moths?, or something else?

The only place I normally have moths is when I open my wallet.

Any suggestions re local products which will sort the buggers out?
Thank you in advance.

[Mollie the cat]

Philoz, have you opened your wallet?? (that would be a first) Seriously, get some moth balls.

[Scoobydoo]

All supermarkets sell these!!

[Philoz]

OK-so I need mothballs.
First question:-
What are these called locally?
Second question:-
Will they make me smell like a bottle of 'Jeyes Fluid'?

If I can catch the bloody moths believe me I will have their balls!

[metin]

Lavender also works, and has a much nicer smell.

[Soner]

Moth balls, Lavender....either way you best keep that wallet closed.

[Philoz]

Thank you Metin for the most useful reply so far-I think I have some lavender in the garden.
Will give that a whirl.
better to smell like an old lady than a drain methinks.

[Rambling Rose]

Rosemary also has claims to deter moths, and is a more astringent (so perhaps more masculine?) smell. Any self respecting Mediterranean garden should have both rosemary and lavender.

My experience is that Rosemary and Lavender are both good repellants and great to put in drawers and pack among your sheets for a lovely perfume, but you may need something stronger if you actually have an infestation.

Moth balls come in small cardboard packets usually and are called "Naftalin tablets" but they do whiff a bit. You often see themin the plug holes of sinks and washbasins as they stop cockroaches climbing up from the drains - well worth putting up with the smell imho.

Ever hear the old chestnut about the little boy looking after Dad's chemist shop? His pals teased him by asking for a ounce of gnat's eyelashes. On father's return he was told not to be so niaive and Dad goes out again. A very prim and proper lady asks for a packet of moth balls "Lady" says the boy "I wont be had twice. If gnats dont hav eyelashes, I'm d.... sure moths dont have ..............".

[Soner]

RR you are keeping me in suspense!

"I'm d.... sure moths dont have ..............".

[Rambling Rose]

Oh Soner ! and there was I withholding the naughty word to spare the feelings of admin and he mods! Toenails of course!

One thing about this thread - I am getting uneasy (some wo dont understand might say paranoid) about people who apparently know me (one at least who does not wish me well) with me having no idea who they are. At least now if the bloke standing next to me in the Supermarket queue is wearing an air conditioning t shirt, with a dog collar and dispensing an enticing aroma of mixed moth balls,lavender and rosemary I might be able to guess it is Philoz!!!!!!!

He needs to be careful, though,if he is also wearing Jean's. of course. she might not take too kindly to Rosemary hanging around.

[Soner]

RR, thanks but now you have got me with the "Jeans" bit...... Totally lost and confused, went right over my head at great speed.

[Philoz]

Thank you all for your help.
A friend bought me some mothballs which I put in my wardrobe yesterday.
I have two complaints now.
Firstly when I opened my wardrobe this morning,I was knocked out by a smell which would put a petrol refinery to shame.
Secondly, I still have holes in my tee shirts.
Does that mean they haven't worked-I assumed the holes would have gone by now , or does it take a while?

[karmels]

Philoz.

The hole are were you head and arms go ???

[Philoz]

karmels- could you translate that to English please?

[brianc]

We had the same problem last year ( moths). we found them in a cupboard in our kitchen, in a book.

By the time we managed to find their "nest" they were flying all over in our house.

My wife used a lot of spray and naftalin ( it is everywhere in our house now) , the smell is now nice but it is better than ruined things.

The whole winter we lived without moths. But now they appear again , does it mean that naftalin does not work ?

What should we do?

[Rambling Rose]

I think Philoz is hinting some kind female person will offer to darn his t shirts for him! Dream on!

brianc: I think naftalin as a preventative only works for a limited time, then you have to renew it. I put infrequetly worn clothes (ie winter clothes in summer and vice versa) in polythene bags with rosemary cuttings.
(when I remember) and then moth balls in the drawer/chest. But you have worried me finding them in a book.

Just be glad it was moths , not mice - they really do cause damage )like setting a wasing machine on fire by eating the inlet pipe9) and are much harder to get rid of, particularly if you have pets and cant use traps or poison(

[karmels]

Philoz.

Look at the time what do you expect, should have read HOLES.
Hope you have managed to get rid of the little buggers, they ate all my woolies last year while I was away in Turkey.
Used moth balls but I had a large free space at the bar.