Booklice in clothes appear when a wardrobe or clothes are damp, because booklice feed on microscopic mould that cannot be seen. The good news is that they do not bite, do not live on the human body, and are not true lice at all.
What booklice look like
- A very tiny insect about 1 to 2 mm long.
- White, pale grey or light brown, with a soft body.
- Usually wingless, moving quickly in short bursts.
- You usually see them in groups on clothes, shelves, books or walls.
For full details on the insect, see Booklice.
Why do booklice appear in clothes?
- A wardrobe against a damp wall or near a bathroom or leak.
- Clothes put away before fully dry.
- Clothes stored for a long time in boxes or bags without ventilation.
- High air humidity in coastal cities, especially in closed wardrobes.
- New clothes at times, from a damp warehouse.
Are booklice harmful?
- They do not bite or suck blood, and do not spread disease.
- They do not live in hair or on skin, and are entirely different from head lice.
- Their harm is that they are a nuisance and point to humidity and mould that need dealing with.
- In some sensitive people, the dust and mould themselves can cause allergies.
How to get rid of booklice in clothes
- Empty the wardrobe and take out all the clothes.
- Wash the clothes and dry them completely, ideally in the sun or in a dryer on high heat.
- Throw away or clean any item with mould or a damp smell.
- Clean the wardrobe with a vacuum, wipe it and leave it open to dry for a full day.
- Reduce humidity: use a dehumidifier, run the AC, and move the wardrobe slightly away from the wall.
- For a heavy infestation, apply dust or a residual insecticide in wardrobe cracks and skirting boards from outside, not on the clothes.
If the problem is humidity throughout the home, see Damp Insects in the House.
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Booklice in clothes FAQs
Do booklice live on people?
No. They do not live on the body or in hair; if one walks on your skin it is by chance only.
Do mothballs kill booklice?
They may repel them slightly in a closed wardrobe, but they do not fix the cause, which is humidity. Drying and reducing humidity matter more.
What is the difference between booklice and bed bugs?
Booklice are very tiny and pale and feed on mould, while bed bugs are larger (about an apple seed), reddish-brown, bite and feed on blood.