When you can’t get rid of moths, it is important to better understand why! House moths are divided into two categories, both as stressful: moths that attack food and the ones that attack fabrics, especially those made of wool and fur.
How these predators get into our homes?
Most often they have entered the house through contaminated food or by clothing. It is, therefore, a good idea to inspect all areas of the room where you keep things stored. Avoid storing large quantities of rice, nuts or cereal in the kitchen.
Moth larvae can be carried by birds that reach your attic for shelter. So search carefully the darkest corners of your home.
This article will show how to get rid of moths but also to prevent future infestations using safe and proven strategies.
Use pheromone traps to get rid of moths
Place them in abundance in infested areas and watch the moths come to the sticky cemetery. If you know exactly the type of moths that attack your home, you can place traps dedicated to them.
Vacuum often to get rid of moths
Regular and vigorous vacuuming is essential when you do not know how to get rid of moths. Besides the fact that this will reduce the available “food”, vacuuming is great for catching moth larvae the is difficult to spot in carpets, textiles or hard to reach areas.
Use extreme temperatures to get rid of moths
Clothes moths and their eggs are destroyed easily using a freezer. Put infested products in a plastic bag, removing as much air as possible, close the bag. and put it in the fridge. After four days, the cold from the freezer will kill all the moth eggs and larvae.
Maintain low humidity to control moths
House moths love the humid environment. If your home has a relative humidity, the moths will eat, will reproduce and grow into an alarming rate. Using an air conditioner or a dehumidifier can lower humidity levels below 50%. This will create an unfriendly environment for moths and other insects. You can measure the humidity with a specific apparatus which is found in any food store.
Store food properly to control the moth invasion
Seal the jars and food containers properly. The freezer is a safe place to store your food.
Keep your clothes clean
In order to survive, clothes moths need more than the keratin found in textiles. They need to feed with dead skin, sweat and urine spots to fill their nutritional needs and produce generations of moths. So, it’s vital to keep your clothes clean.
Store your clothes properly:
Before storing a coat for a longer period, make sure it has no moth larvae or eggs. Seal it in plastic bag and remove as much air as possible from inside the bag.
Create your own trap against moths
If you place normal traps for moths and other insects crawling around corners you’ll catch most of moth larvae. But you need to make traps to catch the adult moths too. You’ll need sticky paper, a piece of cotton wool and fish oil (from canned tuna). Take a piece of wool soaked in fish oil and stick it on adhesive paper. Place these traps in the pantry or in areas like the edge of the wall or cabinets.
Other natural ingredients to use for moth traps:
– Place the type of food moths prefer on adhesive paper and put them in strategic places.
– Place plenty bouquets of lavender on your pantry, closet and windowsill.
Image Credits: Yorkshire Moths
