Moth treatment in London
For London homes with good wardrobes, wool carpets and rugs worth keeping. Tell us what you have found and where, and we will find a moth specialist who covers your postcode, for clothes moths, carpet moths or carpet beetles, by spray, fogging or heat.
We are a free matching service, not a moth specialist. We find one who covers your postcode and tell you who they are before anything is passed on. How it works
What is eating your wool?
All drawn to the same scale- Webbing clothes moth5 to 8 mm longSmall, satiny straw-gold moth. Runs and hides rather than flying to a lamp.
- Clothes moth larvaUp to about 11 mmCreamy white with a brown head. This is the stage that eats, under silk webbing.
- Case-bearing clothes moth larvaCase about 10 mm longLives in a flattened silk tube coloured by whatever fibre it has eaten.
- Varied carpet beetle1.5 to 3.5 mmRound, mottled white, orange and black. Adults gather on sunny windowsills in spring.
- Carpet beetle larva, the woolly bear4 to 4.5 mmBanded brown and covered in bristles, with a tuft at the tail. Leaves clean holes, no webbing.
- Brown house mothWingspan 15 to 26 mmBronze with dark flecks and clearly bigger. Its larvae live on debris and old nests more than on wardrobes.
Is it moths or carpet beetles?
The answer changes the treatment, so it is the first thing a specialist checks. The plate at the top of the page draws them at true relative size.
Clothes moths
- Small, satiny, straw-gold moths that scuttle into the dark
- Smooth cream larvae with a brown head
- Silk webbing, tubes and dark grains of droppings
"Carpet moths"
- The same clothes moths, feeding on the floor
- Bald patches along skirting and under furniture
- Webbing at the carpet edge when you fold it back
Carpet beetles
- Tiny round mottled beetles on windowsills in spring
- Bristly, banded brown larvae: woolly bears
- Clean holes and cast skins, no webbing
Descriptions from English Heritage and the Natural History Museum, which notes that the varied carpet beetle is most common in London and the southern counties. A brown house moth in the kitchen or on the landing is often a harmless visitor; it is the small gold ones near wool that matter.
Where is the damage?
Larvae stay close to what they eat. Where you find holes tells a specialist where to look and what to treat.
- Wardrobes, drawers and stored knitwear
Holes in cashmere and tailoring, silk threads in folds, larvae dropping from clothes. Clothes moth treatment.
- Wool carpets, stair runners and rugs
Bald patches at the skirting or under the bed, tufts that lift out. Carpet moth treatment.
- Clean holes, bristly larvae, beetles on the sill
No webbing at all points to woolly bears, not moths. Carpet beetle treatment.
- Fine rugs, upholstery and textiles you value
One visit, no insecticide on the heated pieces. Moth heat treatment.
- Moths in most rooms of the home
A fogging and spray course that reaches every room at once. Moth fumigation.
Spray, fogging or heat?
Each one works when it is done properly. They differ in visits, time out of the home and what touches your belongings.
| Method | Visits | Insecticide | Time out | London price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spray course | Two to four, weeks apart | Yes, on carpets, edges and furniture | A few hours each visit | £240 to £330 |
| Fogging ("fumigation") | Two or three | Yes, a mist through closed rooms | A few hours each visit | £240 to £330 or more |
| Heat treatment | Usually one day | Not on the heated items | The working day | From £534 |
| Freezing at home | You do it | None | None | Small items only |
A specialist will usually suggest a spray or fogging course for ordinary carpets and wardrobes and heat where good rugs, upholstery or a pregnancy make insecticide unwelcome. For a single jumper or scarf, English Heritage recommends a sealed freezer bag at -18°C for at least two weeks.
What will it cost in London?
London and the South East run about 20 to 30% above the rest of the country, according to the cost guide we use.
| Job | Typical London price |
|---|---|
| One wardrobe, chest or room One visit, sometimes two | £150 to £220 |
| A standard course, two or three rooms Two or three visits | £240 to £330 |
| Whole home or a heavy carpet problem Three or four visits | £330 to £450 |
| Heat treatment with a spray Studio or 1 bed to 3 beds | £534 to £1,134 |
| Carpet beetle course One or two visits | £130 to £300 |
Work out a range for your home
The London part
A handful of boroughs still treat moths themselves, which can be the cheapest route if you can wait for a slot: Hammersmith and Fulham £150, Camden £172.22 to £375.97, Lambeth £189.60, Haringey £199, Kensington and Chelsea £354.40 in October 2026. Private firms come sooner, offer heat, and treat lets and businesses. Inside the zone, ask whether the price includes the Congestion Charge (£18 a day from January 2026) and parking; some firms add both.
Tell us what you have found. We will find a moth specialist for your part of London and name them before anything is shared.
Find a specialistHow the job gets done
What a typical London moth treatment looks like from first call to the last check.
- Day one
Inspection
The technician identifies the insect, checks wardrobes, carpet edges, under furniture and the loft hatch, and explains the method, visits and price.
- Before treatment
Your preparation
Wash, dry clean or bag clothes, vacuum slowly along every edge, clear wardrobe floors, and move what you can away from the walls.
- Treatment day
Spray, fog or heat
Rooms are treated as agreed. With insecticide you stay out until surfaces are dry; with heat the rooms are usable once cool.
- The weeks after
Follow-up and checks
A spray course returns for the next hatch. Pheromone traps tell you whether males are still about; sealed storage keeps them out.
We are a free matching service, not a pest control company. How our service works
Questions Londoners ask
How much does moth treatment cost in London?
Typically £150 to £220 for one wardrobe or room, £240 to £330 for a standard course across two or three rooms and £330 to £450 for a whole home, including VAT. Published heat treatment prices start at £534. See the London price calculator for your home.
Do London councils still treat moths?
Some do. In October 2026 Hammersmith and Fulham, Camden, Lambeth, Haringey, Kensington and Chelsea all listed moth treatment, from £150 to £354.40. Many other boroughs no longer treat insects, so check your council's pest control page.
What is the difference between moth control and moth removal?
Nothing that matters. Firms use moth control, moth removal and moth extermination for the same job: finding where the larvae feed, treating those places and returning to catch the next hatch.
Why do I keep getting moths in my London flat?
Warm, centrally heated homes let clothes moths breed all year, and London flats are often full of wool, rugs and clothes that sit undisturbed. Larvae also live in old nests, fluff under floorboards and voids shared with neighbours, which is why a flat can be reinfested from next door.
I rent. Who pays for moth treatment?
Shelter says landlords in England must deal with pests that come from disrepair they are responsible for, or that were there when you moved in. Tell your landlord in writing, keep photographs, and check your tenancy agreement.
Is it safe to treat moths with children and pets at home?
Tell the firm about babies, pregnancy, asthma, pets and fish tanks before they quote. With a spray or fog you keep people and animals out until surfaces are dry. Heat treatment uses no insecticide on the heated items.
Ask for a moth specialist
Three short steps: the postcode, what you have found, then how to reach you. It takes about two minutes and costs nothing.
What happens next
- Within one working day we tell you which moth specialist covers your part of London.
- Your details reach that firm only if you say yes.
- They look at the problem and give you a written price. You decide from there.
A free matching service, not a moth specialist. Nobody rings you until you say yes.
Thanks, your enquiry is in.
- Within one working day we will email or ring with the name of a moth specialist who covers your part of London.
- Your details reach that firm only if you say yes.
- They inspect, explain the treatment and give you a written price. We send no marketing.