Among the various hassles that go with getting a house fumigated is the question of what to do with personal belongings. The family will pack the clothes they need for the few days they are out of the house. But what about the rest of the clothes? Where do you store it? Perhaps more importantly, how do you pack it? Getting boxes, emptying closets and dressers, placing all the apparel in boxes, sealing the boxes, transporting them to temporary storage space, bringing them back home later, unpacking and putting everything back in place is never going to be fun. Here’s the good news – you don’t have to do any of this. Fumigation does not damage clothes.

Clothes Stay Safe

The reason you have to stay away from your home during the fumigation process is that exposure to the gases used is dangerous. That being the case, it seems logical that clothing, which people wear for hours on end, will absorb the toxic materials and transfer them to you. Most fabrics are absorbent, which is why they take so long to dry after washing.

The good news is that fumigation is done using gases, not liquids. Gases can penetrate even the most minute of cavities and kill the termites hiding there.The only risk is to the moths and bugs that may be hiding among your clothes. While termite removal agents are meant to get rid of termites, they may also work against other pests, so the risk of insect damage to your apparel is reduced. Your clothes can be left in the house during fumigation.

Also Read: How to Keep Termites Away from Your Home

However…

While scientific evidence shows that your clothes are safe, it is best to talk to your termite company and ask them for their advice on the matter. Some termite prevention and removal services advise that clothes be removed from the premises during tenting as a matter of abundant precaution. Others suggest that clothes be washed before use to prevent any possibility of a reaction from any toxic residue that may remain in them.

Most authorities say that the gases used for fumigation are only dangerous to humans if they come into direct contact with the skin. Clothes do not absorb these gases and so there is no need to wash them after a house has been fumigated. Toxic gases will not be transferred from your clothes to your skin.This is one of the criteria for the approval of the chemicals used for fumigation.

Also Read: Preparing for Termite Fumigation

The bottom line is that while your clothes will not be damaged by fumigation, you should ask your termite company about the need to wash them after the tenting is over. Expert advice is always best.

If there are family members with very sensitive skin or allergy issues, and you want to be doubly sure about them wearing clothes left in the house during fumigation, ask the termite company for details of the chemicals used and ask your doctor about any extra precautions you need to take. Or you could ask for an eco-friendly termite treatment that uses microwaves to remove termites and does not require the use of toxic materials so that there is no need for tenting.