Moth heat treatment
Heat kills clothes moths at every stage, eggs included, in one visit and without insecticide on your clothes. Tell us your postcode and where the damage is, and we will find a moth treatment specialist who works in your area, anywhere in England, Scotland or Wales.
A free matching service, not a pest control firm. We find a moth treatment specialist who covers your area and tell you who they are before anything is shared. How it works
What do you need?
Heat is one of several ways to deal with moths. Pick the page that matches your problem, or go straight to the quote form.
- Heat treatment for a home
Moths in several rooms, or you want one visit and no insecticide on your clothes.
- Moth control and extermination
Spray courses, how many visits, and when to call someone in.
- Carpet moth treatment
Bare patches along the skirting, under beds and sofas.
- Clothes moth treatment
Holes in wool and cashmere, wardrobes and drawers.
- Moth fumigation
What firms mean by it, and the safer options for a home.
- Moth control in London
Council services by borough and London prices.
Why heat works on moths
Only the larvae eat fabric. They feed out of sight in the pile of a carpet, inside upholstery and in folded wool, and their eggs are tiny and hard to reach with a spray. Heat soaks into all of those places at once.
The figures on the right are the ones conservation and pest bodies publish. A professional treatment heats the whole room and its contents, and should check the coolest spots with temperature probes, so nothing is left below a lethal temperature.
| Temperature | What it does |
|---|---|
| 55°C | A short exposure kills every life stage of insects, eggs included Source: MuseumPests.net, citing Strang (1992) |
| 54°C to 60°C | The range museum heat chambers use for textiles and furniture, with humidity controlled Source: MuseumPests.net (Thermo Lignum process) |
| 60°C | A wash or dry clean for 20 to 30 minutes, for items that can take it Source: Lambeth Council |
| -18°C | Freezing sealed items for two weeks, for wool and silk that cannot be washed hot Source: British Pest Control Association |
Read 26 October 2026. Exact times depend on the item and the equipment; a specialist measures rather than guesses.
What moth treatment costs
Typical prices from a published UK price guide, firms' own price pages and council price lists, checked October 2026. A guide, not a quote.
| Spray course | Outside London | London and SE |
|---|---|---|
| One wardrobe, drawer or room Usually 1 or 2 visits | £120 to £240 | £140 to £310 |
| Two or more rooms A course of 2 or 3 visits | £200 to £300 | £240 to £390 |
| Whole home or heavy carpet damage A course of 3 or 4 visits | £280 to £450 | £340 to £590 |
| Heat treatment | London, published |
|---|---|
| Studio or 1-bed flat | From £534 |
| 2-bed home | From £834 |
| 3-bed home | From £1,134 |
| 4-bed or larger | After a survey |
Spray prices from Fantastic Services' cost guide (including VAT); heat prices are its London starting prices, with a spray included, and the only published domestic heat prices we found. Councils charge less where they still treat moths: see London.
Heat or spray?
Both work when done properly. The right choice depends on how far the moths have spread, what is at risk, and your budget.
Heat suits you if
- Several rooms, or carpets and upholstery, are affected.
- You want one visit rather than a course of three or four.
- You would rather not have insecticide on clothes, bedding or children's things.
- Sprays have been tried and the damage keeps coming back.
A spray course suits you if
- The problem is in one wardrobe, one room or one rug.
- Budget matters most: a course is often under half the price of heat.
- You want a residual treatment along edges and gaps.
- The home has things that cannot be heated or moved out.
How a heat treatment is done
The details vary by firm and equipment, but most jobs follow these four stages.
Survey
The specialist confirms it is clothes moths, finds where the larvae are feeding, and checks the rooms and furniture to be heated.
Preparation
You remove things heat can harm, such as aerosols, candles, medicines, plants and pets, and open wardrobes and drawers so the heat reaches inside.
Heating
Heaters and fans raise the room and its contents to a lethal temperature, with temperature probes in the coolest spots, such as inside sofas and under rugs.
Cool down and check
The rooms cool before you use them again. Many firms add a spray to edges and gaps, and traps afterwards show whether any moths remain.
Moth Heat Treatment does not carry out treatments. We are a free service that finds you a moth treatment firm and names it to you first. How our service works
Questions people ask
Does heat treatment kill moths?
Yes, when every part of the treated item reaches a high enough temperature. Conservation guidance on MuseumPests.net treats a short exposure to 55°C as enough to kill all life stages of insects, including eggs, which sprays can miss.
What temperature kills clothes moths?
Heat chambers used for museum textiles run at about 54°C to 60°C. At home, a wash at more than 60°C for 20 to 30 minutes kills them in washable items, according to Lambeth Council, and cold works too: -18°C for two weeks in a sealed bag.
How much does moth heat treatment cost?
Few firms publish prices. The one UK firm we found that does starts at £534 for a studio or one-bed flat, £834 for two bedrooms and £1,134 for three, in London, with a spray included. Elsewhere heat is priced after a survey. The cost calculator compares heat with a spray course.
Is heat treatment better than spraying for moths?
It is usually one visit, reaches eggs deep in carpets and upholstery, and leaves no insecticide on the treated clothes. It costs more, and it leaves no residue to stop moths returning from items that were not treated, which is why many firms add a spray to edges and gaps.
Will heat damage my clothes or furniture?
Most clothes, carpets and furniture are fine at these temperatures, but some things are not: aerosols, candles, medicines, some electronics, plants, and fragile antiques or instruments. The specialist will give you a list. For valuable textiles, ask how they control humidity, as museum chambers do.
Do I need to leave home during the treatment?
Yes, for the rooms being heated, and pets need to be out too. The firm will tell you how long it takes for your home and when the rooms will be cool enough to use.
Can moths come back after heat treatment?
They can, if they arrive in something new or survive in an item that was not heated. English Heritage recommends regular checks, sealed storage and pheromone traps to spot any return early.
Find a moth heat treatment specialist
Three short steps: where, what and who. The more you tell us now, the better the specialist can plan the first visit.
This is a free matching service, not a pest control firm. We find a moth treatment specialist who covers your area and name them to you first. Nobody calls you until you say yes.
Thanks, your enquiry is in.
- Within one working day we will email or call to tell you which moth treatment specialist covers your area.
- Your details reach that firm only if you say yes.
- They survey the problem and give you a fixed price. No marketing from us, ever.