Can Termites Spread Through Clothes

If you've seen signs of termite activity around your home, it’s only natural to wonder how far that damage might go and whether your clothing could be involved. Many South Florida homeowners, especially those moving into a new home or dealing with a termite infestation, want to know: can termites spread through clothes?

While it might seem strange to imagine termites ending up in your laundry, the concern makes sense, especially if your clothes were stored in a garage, attic, or near old furniture. Termites don’t actively seek out fabric, but if the environment is right, they could wind up near or even on your clothes temporarily. Understanding how termites behave can help you figure out what’s really at risk and how to protect your belongings.

Let’s talk about what’s possible, what’s unlikely, and what you should do if you think termites have made themselves at home.

Key Takeaways

• Termites don’t usually spread through clothes unless they’ve been stored near infested wood or damp cardboard boxes.
• Most termites get into homes by swarming, using mud tubes, or hiding inside wooden furniture and small entry points.
• Seeing frass, mud tunnels, or small holes means you should inspect hotspots and isolate anything that looks suspicious.
• A quick termite inspection, followed by treatment and prevention, is the best way to avoid serious home damage.

Can You Bring Termites Into Your Home on Clothes?

Termites spread through specific conditions that support their survival, and clothes typically aren’t one of them. That said, under the right circumstances, they can end up on or near clothing, especially if those clothes were stored close to infested wooden furniture or inside cardboard boxes in a damp attic or garage.

But let’s be clear: they don’t feed on cotton, polyester, or linen. Their main food source is cellulose, a plant fiber found in wood and paper products.

So, unless your clothing is heavily soiled with sawdust or hidden inside a cracked wooden chest, it's not going to attract a colony.

How Termites Spread

Understanding how termites spread can help you catch a termite problem before it causes extensive termite damage.

The following are the most common ways they invade homes:

Swarmers Looking for a New Home

Swarmers are flying reproductives that leave their existing colony to start a new one. In South Florida, you'll often see termites swarming around outdoor lights or near window sills, especially during the spring.

Once they shed their wings, they’ll squeeze through small entry points like cracks near door frames, roof edges, or vents. This is one of the earliest signs of an infestation, especially with drywood termites.

Movement Through Mud Tubes

Subterranean termites, including the Formosan subterranean termite, build mud tubes, or mud tunnels, to travel between the soil and your home.

These narrow tunnels are made of dirt, wood particles, and saliva. They protect the termites from exposure and allow them to move freely toward food sources like wooden items and even drywall.

Mud tubes are often found near a home’s foundation, inside walls, or around baseboards.

Infested Wooden Furniture or Items

Bringing infested wooden furniture, picture frames, or shipping crates indoors is one of the more overlooked ways termites spread. Drywood termites can live inside wood for months without being noticed.

If you’ve recently brought in secondhand wooden items without an inspection, especially from storage or a garage, this could be a hidden source of infestation.

Entry Points in Your Home

Termites don't need much space to get in, just a small crack or gap will do. Look around your home for unsealed entry points:

• Loose door frames
• Gaps in drywall
• Utility line openings

Once inside, they can remain hidden for years before homeowners start noticing termite droppings, frass, or small holes in baseboards and furniture.

What to Do if You Think Termites Have Spread Into Your Home

Even if termites didn’t come in through your clothes, if you're seeing warning signs, there’s no time to wait. The faster you act, the more likely you are to get rid of them before they cause structural damage.

Inspect Potential Hotspots

Start by checking common hotspots:

• Attic beams
• Baseboards
• Crawlspaces
• Wooden furniture
• Window sills

Be on the lookout for signs of termite infestation like frass, discarded wings from swarmers, mud tubes, or tiny holes in wood. If you peel back drywall and find tunnels or larvae, that’s a red flag.

You might also hear a hollow sound when tapping wood.

Isolate Suspicious Items

If you’ve recently unpacked clothing, wooden items, or cardboard boxes from a suspect area, like an attic, shed, or storage unit, move them to an isolated location. Avoid placing them in contact with more wood until they’ve been inspected.

Silverfish and other insects are also drawn to cardboard and fabric, so watch for signs beyond just termites.

Schedule a Termite Inspection

A professional termite inspection is the next step. In areas like West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, and Miami, species vary, and so do the treatments.

A licensed exterminator can identify the type (whether subterranean termites or drywood termites) and determine the extent of the infestation.

Begin Termite Treatment Quickly

Once the inspection confirms termite activity, starting termite treatment right away is key. Depending on what termite species you’re dealing with, treatment might include tenting, localized spot treatment, or soil barriers to stop subterranean termites.

Baiting systems are also a reliable solution for ongoing termite control. Ignoring the problem could allow the termite colony to grow, and so will the damage.

Take Preventive Steps to Keep Your Home Termite-Free

Once your home is treated, keep it protected.

Seal entry points, repair damaged door frames, and keep wooden items elevated and away from moisture. Keep mulch at least a foot away from your foundation, and don’t stack firewood against your house.

Schedule regular inspections with professional pest control companies to catch any new activity early and maintain a termite-free home.

Think Termites May Have Hitched a Ride in Your Laundry?

If you’ve seen swarmers, frass, or mud tubes, the issue likely goes beyond your clothes. Whether you’re dealing with drywood or subterranean termites, ignoring the early signs can lead to serious structural damage.

At Native Pest Management, we specialize in termite control for Florida homes. Our team is trained to detect and eliminate all types of termites using safe, effective methods suited to your home and lifestyle.