A moth in the house can spoil food, clothes, and furniture. If you find a pest in the kitchen, you will have to throw away almost all products. And a moth found in the closet guarantees that some of your clothes already have a small hole. It’s unpleasant, so you need to figure out how to get rid of the pest. In this article, we will consider popular and effective ways to get rid of food and clothing moths.
Types of house moths
Food moths are quite common in houses and apartments. Dry foods, such as cereals, are the favorite treats of this insect. Butterflies are small in size, and the larvae can reach one and a half centimeters. An adult individual lives a little more than 3 weeks, and larvae – more than 2 months.
The individual of the dress moth is even smaller than the previous variety, usually it is no more than 5 millimeters. An insect turns from a larva to an adult in six months. Such a moth lives in a closet where woolen items or other clothes made of natural fabrics are stored.
You can deal with both types of pests, which we will talk about later.
Special drugs
Before using these products, clean the room from moths. Spoiled products should be thrown away, and the containers in which they were stored should be disinfected. Wash clothes with larvae with a special agent against moths. Vacuum the furniture thoroughly, and then wash with a vinegar solution or household chemicals.
Only chemicals can destroy the larvae and eggs of pests.
- Aerosols. They have the most effective effect. They quickly eliminate pests and affect their larvae. There are aerosols for processing things, as well as for premises. Basically, they have a pleasant aroma, but during their use, the room should be ventilated.
- Pills Their composition usually includes naphthalene and camphor. In the closet, the tablets are placed on the top shelf so that their aroma spreads downwards, preventing moths from laying eggs on things. This is the cheapest way. But it is dangerous for human health, especially if you use a large number of pills.
- Traps Contains pheromones that attract butterflies. They destroy living individuals. The soap that flew into the trap sticks to the special adhesive composition applied to its walls, after which it dies. On average, such a trap works for a month.
- Plates and fumigators. Easy to use: the plate is inserted into the fumigator and connected to an outlet. But to see a positive result, you will have to wait a few days. Using several fumigators increases their effectiveness.
- Sticky tape. It has the same principle of action as a trap.
- Sections. They contain oils that repel pests. Can be used as auxiliary means, as they destroy insects, only scare them away. The section is placed in the cabinet, in the upper part. Its duration is from 4 months to six months.
Folk remedies
They are only capable of scaring moths. Therefore, they are good as prevention.
The moth does not like many smells, for example, pepper, garlic, tobacco. Here are some popular means that will protect against insects.
- Essential oils. With cloves, basil, fir, geranium, lavender or rosemary. Put some oil on a cotton pad and put it in a closet or on a shelf. You can use several scents at the same time.
- Lavender. Wrap the flowers in cheesecloth and spread the scented bags in places where moths live.
- Vinegar. Make a soapy solution and wash the furniture well, avoiding hard-to-reach places. After the cabinets are dry, wipe them down with table vinegar. The smell of the product repels insects.
- Citrus fruits. Pests do not tolerate the aroma of oranges or tangerines. Spread the crusts in the kitchen and in the cupboard, and after a few days just replace them with new ones.
- Walnut. Fresh leaves emit an aroma that insects can’t stand. If you put them in the closet, the moth will not appear there. Change the leaves periodically.
Prevention measures
Follow the following recommendations to prevent moths from appearing in your home:
- Store cereals in airtight containers.
- It is recommended to warm the cereal to 60 degrees before pouring it into the container. You can use the oven for this.
- Do not store large stocks of dry food unnecessarily.
- Carefully inspect the clothes before buying. Especially things made of wool and other natural fabrics. Moth larvae most often appear on them.
- Wash things immediately after purchase.
- Do not store dirty clothes for a long time. Wash it regularly. You can add special agents to the washing machine that destroy insect eggs.
- Store clean woolen clothes and fur products in polyethylene or paper covers.