How to Protect Antique Upholstery from Clothes Moths

Clothes-moth larvae feed on animal fibres such as wool, hair and feathers, not on wood itself. Upholstered furniture offers dark, undisturbed layers where damage can remain hidden.

First assessment

Look for webbing, cases, frass and irregular fibre loss beneath seats and in crevices. Adult moths alone do not prove the location of an infestation.

Inspect wool covers, felt and horsehair.
Check floor debris beneath furniture.
Use species-appropriate monitoring traps.
Examine nearby carpets and textiles.
Quarantine suspect acquisitions.

Photograph condition before cleaning or movement. Identify all materials and test whether surfaces are stable. Stop if paint, gilding, fibres, veneer or finish begin to move.

Safe treatment and handling

Vacuum accessible stable areas with screened low suction and dispose of contents securely. Improve housekeeping and monitor. Freezing or controlled heat must be designed by a conservator for the entire object.

Work from the least interventive option. Use clean tools, controlled suction and barriers that prevent abrasion. Improve environment and remove the cause of damage before attempting cosmetic improvement.

Do not do this

Spraying household insecticide into upholstery.
Using mothballs in occupied rooms.
Assuming cedar cures infestation.
Treating only visible fabric.
Discarding historic upholstery layers prematurely.

Monitoring and prevention

Maintain cleaning and trap records, reduce dark undisturbed dust and inspect seasonally. Active infestation in important upholstery needs an integrated-pest-management specialist.

Seek professional help for active mould, sewage contamination, fire residues, suspected pesticides, rare textiles, unstable paint or major structural failure.

Sources

Follow preventive-conservation guidance from the [Canadian Conservation Institute](https://www.canada.ca/en/conservation-institute.html), [National Park Service Conserve O Grams](https://www.nps.gov/museum/publications/conserveogram/cons_toc.html), and object-based research in the [V&A furniture collection](https://www.vam.ac.uk/collections/furniture).