In this article, we will discuss ways to get rid of moths. Moths are among the common household problems in both your pantries, where they mostly feast on cereals and grains, and your closets, where they’re drawn to silk, wool and other fabric. To get rid of moths you need to take two-pronged approach. Firstly, you need to treat the moth issue and scour the area as soon as you can. Then secondly, you need to take all the preventive measures to ensure that the moths don’t infest your house again. Below we have mentioned the methods to get rid of moths. Follow the steps properly for positive result.
A.) Get Rid of Moths in the Closet
1.) Look for the Signs
In case you came across some moths flickering in and around but if you are not sure whether you have an all-out infestation, look for the following signs:
- Check your clothing for dust, discoloring and also for a musty smell.
- Look whether there are small holes on your sweaters or other clothing. If you find holes in one sweater, you may probably find more. Check your all clothes that are made with feathers, wool, fur, and silk.
- Also look for webbing in corners of your closet and also on clothing.
2.) Traps to Get Rid of Moths
To resolve the problem of moths in your closet immediately, trap them using pheromone moth traps. It attracts and kills moths with a sticky substance as they are not able escape once they get in contact with it.
- Make your own moth traps using flypaper and fish oil, which draws moths towards it.
- Dab flypaper with fish oil and hang it in the closet.
- Traps that are designed to catch mice can also be used to catch moths.
3.) Washing Clothes to Get Rid of Moths
Steps to Follow:
- Wash the items as per their respective care instructions. Put them through a hot dryer cycle (if possible). Items which cannot be dried on high heat setting can be placed in the freezer for a couple of days to eliminate moths and their eggs.
- Wash all your linens, towels, and any other cloth items that are stored in the closet.
- It is suggested to wash your suitcases, bags and other containers as well.
4.) Cleaning Closet to Get Rid of Moths
Steps to Follow:
- With the help of soapy water or a combo of vinegar and water solution, clean your closet’s floor and walls.
- Take a sponge scrubber and dip it into the solution. Scrub the walls to remove all the eggs. Clean every nook and corner.
5.) Vacuum Cleaning to Remove Moths in the Closet
Steps to Follow:
- Using a strong vacuum, clean everything in and around your closet.
- Also vacuum the entire bedroom area as moths may have laid eggs there as well.
B.) Get Rid of Moths in the Kitchen
1.) Look for the Signs
Steps to Follow:
- Look for the small food items which are stuck together or feel slightly sticky. This can be due to moth secretions.
- Look for food items which smell musty.
- Check for webbing in and around boxes or bags in your pantry.
- If you find caterpillars or full grown moths in your pantry, it is a sure sign of infestation.
- Moths can also eat through cardboard boxes, so look for any tiny holes in your pantry items.
2.) Traps to Get Rid of Moth
Steps to Follow:
- Set out a pheromone moth trap to catch and kill moths. Keep it for a couple of days.
- Afterwards, throw away the trap in a sealed container once you’ve trapped all the moths in your kitchen.
3.) Clean the Kitchen to Get Rid of Moths
Steps to Follow:
- Now that you’ve resolved the problem, you can start cleaning the kitchen from top to bottom.
- Pay special attention to the pantry and get rid of any eggs that moths may have left behind.
- Take a soapy water solution or a vinegar and water combination to clean your kitchen.
- You can even use a strong chemical cleaner to scour your kitchen.
4.) Scrubbing to Remove Moths
Steps to Follow:
- Take a sponge scrubber or steel wool and dip into a soapy or vinegar solution.
- Scour your pantry, cabinets, and other cracks and corners of your kitchen.
- Be sure that you really scrub the surfaces so that all moth eggs are removed.
5.) Pest Control Services to Get Rid of Moths
Steps to Follow:
- If you see that moths are reappearing even after you’ve taken the above measures, then they may be growing in the walls or other places that you can’t reach.
- In such case call for an exterminator as they will help you by using some heavy-duty products to get rid of moth infestation.
