Do Termites Eat Clothes? how to get rid of them in clothes?

Are you surprised to see tiny holes in your clothes? Do you know that termites can be the reason for this?

Yes, termites eat clothes. Many people do not believe this until they see termites crawling on their clothes. Termites spread through clothing because there are many clothing materials that contain cellulose, and cellulose is a favorite food for termites.

Once the termite gets into your clothes, it slowly spreads all over the clothes and makes holes into them. Termites can completely ruin your new and expensive clothes within a few days so it is very important to instantly find them and get rid of them.

If you want to protect your expensive clothing from termites then it is very necessary to apply some methods. I am going to share some natural methods that will help you to get rid of termites in clothes and also prevent them from coming back.

Before telling you the methods, I will tell you how and why termites attack clothes and how you can identify that it is a termite attack? Also, you will get to know what fabric materials are at the highest risk from termites?

Why Termites Eat Clothes?

Some are natural fabrics and some are synthetic. Cellulose is found in both types of fabrics and this is the reason why termites are attracted to clothes because cellulose is the favorite food of termites.

How Termites Attack Clothes?

Termites do not attack clothing directly. It can get on your clothes in three ways: first from your wooden cupboard, second from the walls, and third from old trash lying in the room like old newspapers, cardboards, or old wooden furniture items.

If the termites have come from the walls, it means that the termites have spread too much in your house and for this, you need to start treatment immediately.

Signs of Termites on Clothes

Given below are some key signs to understand that termites have got into your clothes.

1. Pinholes on Clothes: When a termite starts eating your clothes, it sucks the cellulose from the clothes. It causes small holes in the clothes, in which sometimes you also see mud. Because the termite itself fills those them with mud.
2. Discarded Wings on Clothes: When adult termites mate, especially male and female termites shed their wings and if you see small wings in your clothes, then it is understood that the termite has attacked your clothes.
3. Sawdust on Clothes: The feces of termites look just like sawdust. If you see sawdus in your clothes, it means termites have got into your clothes.

These are three signs that are strong evidence of a termite presence, and if you don’t get rid of them quickly, the termites may damage your entire expensive clothing.

Let me tell you what fabrics are highly at risk from termites.

Fabrics That Are at High Risk from Termites

Many people ask whether termites eat cotton? the answer is yes termites like cotton very much because it contains cellulose. Along with cotton, there are other fabrics as well that termites like eating.

Termites spread themselves by eating cellulose. And there are some natural and synthetic fabrics that contain cellulose. In natural fabrics cotton, hemp, flax, jute, and ramie contain cellulose. In synthetic fabric, rayon is the main source of cellulose for termites.

Now is the time to tell you how you can get rid of termites in clothes, just like a professional. There are some natural methods that work very effectively on termites.

How to Protect Clothes from Termites?

If you know that termites have attacked your room, then first of all move all your clothes to another room that is termite-free. Because termites can reach your expensive clothes in many ways and can damage them.

Once you’ve removed all the clothing from the infested area. Now you’ll need to locate the exact infested place where the termites are coming out. Either that could be the wall or your cupboard or any old wooden object or trash lying in your room.

Once you find the exact infested place, you have to eliminate the termites there using the below-mentioned natural methods.

Natural Methods

Here I am going to tell you some very effective natural ways, with the help of which you can easily get rid of termites from your clothes.

Sunlight: First of all, keep your clothes in the sunlight, on which you can see termite or termite feces because the termite dies completely due to contact with the sun.

Along with this, you should also keep the termite-infested object in sunlight so that the termites won’t come back to your clothes.

Borates: Borate is a type of washing powder that you may know by the name of borax powder. With its help, you can also get rid of termites. All you have to do is to sprinkle this powder in the affected area or you can mix it in water and spray it on the infested object.

Orange Oil: Orange oil is also the best natural method to kill termites. You cannot use it directly on your clothes, but spraying it on the affected area kills the termites very quickly because it contains the d-limonene elements. You can get it on Amazon at a very cheap price.

Vinegar: Being highly acidic, vinegar is widely used to remove termites from clothes and it is the best natural way to get rid of termites.

All you have to do is to mix the juice of two lemons in half a cup of vinegar and spray it on your clothes as well as spray on the place from where the termites are coming out, it kills the termites immediately.

The above-mentioned four natural methods work only when the termite is in less quantity.

FAQ’s

Question 1: Can termites spread through clothes?

Answer: Yes, termites can spread through clothes. They do not directly attack your clothes, they attack first either on your walls or wooden furniture from there they spread through your clothes and eat them.

Question 2: How do I keep termites from eating my clothes?

Answer: First of all you have to find out the exact infested place then take out all your clothes from that particular room. You can also keep your clothes in sunlight for some time or you can spray vinegar and lemon water on your clothes, it protects your clothes from termites.

Question 3: Do termites eat cotton?

Answer: Yes, termites eat cotton and other fabric clothes that contain cellulose. For example cotton, jute, flax, hemp, ramie, and rayon.

Question 4: How to get rid of termites in clothes?

Answer: First of all you have to keep all your infested clothes in sunlight because sunlight is the ultimate killer for termites. Then find out that specific infested place where termites have to build their nest. natural methods to that specific infested area so that they do not return to your clothes.

Conclusion:

Many people are surprised when they see something like small holes or dust on their clothes. By the time they come to know that termites have done this, the termites have eaten all their expensive clothes.

Once termites get on your clothes, it is very important to get rid of them immediately. The above natural methods are very effective, although natural methods work more effectively when termites are not widespread in your home.

I hope that now you have come to know that termites also eat clothes and how this problem can be got rid of.