Without sounding rude to the moths, (because hey, they have their own purpose to exist on this planet), these relatives of butterflies do cause quite an amount of inconvenience and distress at homes. From eating out your favorite clothes and comfortably laying eggs in the carpets, you sure would understand the intensity of the word ‘distress’ mentioned above. To prevent these winged monsters from causing any further wreck at your place and around it, we present to you some simple ways of getting rid of moths. We also will brush through some of the age-old ways to get rid of moths naturally.
What causes moths in the house?
- Rotting matter like banana peels etc.
- Lack of enough light
- Humid conditions
- A way to escape from the bats
- Pantry containers left open
- Soiled clothes
- Clothes left unwashed for long
- Food and drink spilling
- Open packages of foods
- Human hair on clothes
- Dirty carpets
Home remedies to get rid of moths:
Following are some of the many ways you can use to get rid of these dull winged monsters:
1. Pheromone moth traps to the rescue:
There are a plethora of pheromone moths on this planet. But we also have a plethora of ways to get rid of them. The pheromone traps will trap most of the moths. However, it is important that you figure out the moth type that has infested your place so you can buy the required pheromone trap. Because different moths get attracted to different pheromones. Once you understand the moth type, you can easily buy the corresponding trap and safely get rid of the moths. The different types of traps available are ‘cloth moths’, ‘pantry moths’ etc. Certain pheromone traps like EnviroSafe, Pro-Pest etc are suitable for both cloth and pantry moths.
2. Cinnamon sticks:
This humble home remedy works like a charm on just about any moth infestation. Put them in the garment bags and see them die. (That’s pretty rude but what to do if you constantly have this question “Why are there so many moths in my house?” bugging you all the time. Well, this is one of the solutions. However, be warned of using these sticks directly on garments if you hate the scent of cinnamon. You’ll otherwise end up wearing a cinnamon sweater (pretty good idea for cinnamon lovers).
3. Moths love humidity:
So you know what to do. Just keep the humidity as low as you can. Especially during summers and around humid places. Ensure that the relative humidity of the space you are at remains lower than 70%. Anything above this number will result in a major moth infestation because moths will then happily reproduce and grow at a huge rate. Speaking of humidity, your sweaty clothes can also attract a good number of moths. Beware of that too!
4. Chemicals for moth control:
Although this method is usually discouraged, it works as a perfect moth repellent. As much as pesticides are avoided for killing moths, this remedy is quite helpful when the infestation goes out of hand. Insecticides like Borid Boric Acid Dust can be used for areas like wall voids, wall cracks, along the edges of the carpet or any other moth larvae hideout. You can also use an aerosol spray like D-Force HPX. Products like Demand CS work well for wardrobes, closets, dresses etc.
5. Homemade moth repellent:
Various ways of homemade moth repellents like vinegar solution, fly paper, fish oil etc are effective in getting rid of the moths. You can also bring in some fragrance with lavender buds and get rid of the moths, sweetly. These friendlier counterparts of cinnamon not only leave the moths escaping harmless but they also will be a delight for lavender scent lovers. Bundles of cedar, thyme, bay leaves, etc can be placed in the closet to keep the moths at bay.
6. How to get rid of pantry moths
- There are two simple and effective ways to kill the moths, then and there. The first simplest way is to place the favorite moth foods on a sticky and plain trap. Now use these traps at the moths infested areas of moths and see the moths invade the trap. Voila, moths collected for good! In yet another simple method, you mix three portions of cornmeal with one portion of Borax. Make a paste of it and use it around jar lids or whichever area you think has a possibility of a moth infestation.
- Store your food well: Moths in the kitchen can literally wreck havoc to the food. Keep the containers closed with moth proof lids like clamps, rubber gaskets etc. Use plastic containers that are hard and ensure that you use lids like clamps to keep the container air tight. Cold areas like the fridge and the freezer are one of the safest anti-moth zones. If you need to be extra sure about an item being moth free or not, put it in a plastic cover, seal it properly and tuck it away into the freezer. This genius trick will kill any eggs or larvae existing in the food.
- Moth infestations in the kitchen: In case of an infestation, firstly, keep the most important food items in the fridge until the infestation is entirely wiped out. Secondly, get rid of moth infested foods and the foods that you think might be infested. Keep an eye out for moth larvae webs that create clumps in food staples like all purpose flour etc. Thirdly, properly clean the infested areas with soapy water, vinegar solution or any other chemical cleaner and finally vacuum it. In case of wooden areas, you might want to repeat this step.
- A non toxic called food-grade diatomaceous earth: The best kid and pet-friendly alternative to toxic chemicals like insecticides. Since it’s a food grade, you can comfortably sprinkle it over food areas, wall cracks in the kitchen and even on clothes. Although its texture might seem as delicate as talcum powder, but to the moths, it seems like a broken glass. As the moths move over the jagged areas of the glass, they start leaking and eventually die.
7. Finally get rid of the nasty moths at home:
You must have quite often typed this statement on the Google search bar, “how to get rid of house moths” and found millions of tips and tricks that would have left you to mind boggled. Worry not; we’ve got you covered on this.
- Get rid of moths in the closet. Here’s how: Look for the tell-tale signs of an infestation like sweaters with holes, often seeing a moth or two flying around, musty smelled and dirty colored clothes or webs in the closet corners or on clothes. One of the best ways to get rid of the moths is to wash your clothes clean and dry. Partially wet clothes create a humid atmosphere that becomes a perfect spot for moth infestation. Also, thoroughly wash the suit cases, bags, towels and the other often ignored cloth items.
- Use moth repellents for closets: The most commonly used moth balls like naphthalene etc can be placed in the areas you think moth infestation is possible. If you feel that these chemicals are quite nasty for your health, then tread the ‘all natural’ repellents path. You may use camphor, cedar blocks, chips or sachets of cedar oil and naturally get rid of the moths.
8. Use your waste clothes and make moth traps out of them:
- Make a large cotton ball, dip it in fish oil (tuna or sardines oil preferred) and stick it onto a flypaper. Create many of these hangings and hang them around the possible moth infestation areas in your house like wall cracks, drawers etc. You can also hang these moth traps in your closet. The moths outside and around the house will immediately get attracted to these traps and voila! The moths will be all gone. For good.
- Store the cloth and fabric materials of the house safely: You must have read this statement almost everywhere, ‘Store in a cool and dry place’. The manufacturers probably know much more about moths than we do. Cloth moths require more than just keratin to survive. In order to thrive, they need a hide out or a spot like urine stains, dead skin, sweat etc to meet their nutritional requirements. The simplest way to resolve this issue is to keep the clothes clean by washing them regularly. Regularly used clothing is the least prone to moth infestation. Collect the rarely used items and store them away in a moth proof box or a container.
9. Storing home items:
Before you tuck away the least used items into boxes, ensure that the items itself are moth free. For any kind of moth proof storage, you need to use a hard, impenetrable storage barrier. The easily available plastic will perfectly do the job if you seal them well with heat or use a strong tape. Containers made of plastic that are just about the right size to be comfortably slid under the beds can work like magic in moth-proofing your items.
10. Getting rid of moths outside:
- Moths outside the house can pose great threat to a huge moth infestation inside the house. Use items like strong and thick craft papers, tapes etc to moth proof the items prone to a moth infestation. Add another layer of protection by using moth fumigants. This technique can also be used in shops, museums or any space other than the house.
- Moth control chemicals for the house: Most of the non sensitive areas of the house can be sprayed with the usually toxic moth control chemicals like PyGanic 1% Pyrethrin Dust. This insecticide can be safely used in carpets, wall edges, wall crackings, wall holes etc. For an ever-lasting moth control, you can use microencapsulated products. These are especially useful in areas like furniture corners, under the furniture etc.
- Take care of the natural materials in the house: Fabric materials like blankets, rugs, curtains etc are largely prone to moth infestation. Once they get infested, the moths will invade over the nearby home items like furniture etc. Consequently, they will end up destroying all the surrounding natural items. Ensure that the above mentioned items are dusted and washed regularly.
- Heat treatment: You can heat treat old items of clothing, wholesale bought items, furniture etc to keep them moth proof. There are heating units like Zappbugs specifically available to get rid of moths. Give it a try!
Precautions:
- Get rid of old clothing items
- Frequently dust the items at home and wash those that require a wash.
- Vacuum regularly.
- Use curtains at night to prevent the moths from entering inside.
- Store textiles in sealed bags
- Clean the cupboards, drawers and closets regularly.
- Use moth balls in closets, drawers and under furniture before use.