How to Get Rid of Moth
It may not be a frequent problem for some, but many experience the nuisance of moth infestations in their homes. A moth infestation can be confirmed by seeing gaping holes in your clothes or being welcomed by flying insects as you open your pantry. The presence of these insects can become an expensive and discomforting problem.
Though adult moths are not considered threats, their larvae are responsible for eating through natural fibers, especially clothes made from wool and cotton and consuming dry foods such as pasta and bread.
Aside from these problems, the sight of these flying insects around the well-lit areas of your house can either be a nuisance or an attraction. Though most see them as an unattractive sight in any part of their well-lit home and these are considered pests.
A moth problem is time-consuming and labour-intensive to deal with. Fortunately, there are a lot of ways on getting rid of these moths and make sure that they are always far from breeding and feeding off stuff in your home again.
What Attracts Moths in Your House?
Just like when dealing with other pests in your home, one way of effectively getting rid of the problem is identifying what attracts them in your home and their entryways.
Like other insects, most moths will likely enter your home through door frames or window cracks or torn screens.
On the other hand, clothes moths may enter your home as they hide out in furniture, clothing, or other home goods you got from garage sales, consignment shops, or thrift stores. While pantry moths can get inside your home by adult moths laying eggs in food items such as dried fruit, beans, flour, or cereals.
Always keep in mind that moth larvae can eat through fabric, clothing, as well as foodstuffs. Prolonged exposure to these insets can also put your health at risk and trigger allergic reactions. Storage and cleaning techniques as well as proper use of natural products are known to get rid of them.
How to Put an End to a Moth Infestation
If you want to put an end to the moth infestation going on in your home, the first thing that you should know is the moth species that are present in your home.
Most species tend to target dry goods. Your main goal is identifying the species in your home. If you cannot do this on your own, you can always ask the help of a pest control operator to assess the infestation and learn the possible treatment plan for it.
You should kill adult moths first to prevent them from reproducing and decrease the number of moth larvae in your home.
For clothing moths, you need to focus on cleaning your home thoroughly. You need to keep your home as neat as possible to prevent them from finding food sources around your home.
If you are dealing with a pantry moth infestation, you should focus on your food shelves and store your food items properly.
Keep in mind that there are various DIY products that you can use for cleaning your home. However, when these products are misidentified and used improperly, you might fail to get rid of adult or larval moths completely and experience a resurgence of these insects.
Steps on Effective Moth Removal
Below are some of the effective steps to get rid of moths in your home.
Use Cedarwood or Cedar Oil
It is recommended that you fill your home with the scent of cedar oil. One way to do this is to mix a few drops of cedar oil with water in a spray bottle or a diffuser. Then use it to spread the cedar scent.
Another option is to use cedar chests for storing your clothes or use cedar blocks inside your clothes storage or pantry to keep the moths away.
Combine Dried and Powdered Herbs
Combine several fragrant herbs like bay leaves, thyme, lavender, cloves, and rosemary in a small cloth bag that you can hang around your home. Moths hate the scent of these herbs. The use of these herbs’ essential oils can be used to repel moths. Just dilute it with water in a spray bottle or combine a few drops in a diffuser to repel moths.
Use Moth Traps
Sticky moth traps are covered with moth pheromones that attract moths and trap adult moths. Once they are stuck on the surface, they cannot escape, and they will die eventually.
Vacuum and Dust your Moldings, Floors, and Carpets
To remove moths naturally, make it a habit to always keep your mouldings, floors, and carpets vacuumed and dusted. Do a thorough cleaning using a vacuum, natural cleansing agent, and dusting cloth to remove dirt and dust.
Vacuuming regularly helps in making sure that nothing will attract these pests to your home again. See to it that you empty the vacuum bag and wash all dusting cloths after every use to prevent moth eggs and moth larvae from growing and developing.
Freeze Your Infested Clothes and Belongings
If you have infested items, you can place them inside vacuum-sealed bags and keep them inside the freezer. The freezing temperatures will kill the larvae effectively. Do this for at least 24 hours to ensure effectiveness.
Use Heat to Get Rid of Moths
The use of high heat is proven to be effective in getting rid of insect pests from eggs to adults. Wash clothes that are susceptible to having moth eggs and moth larvae using hot water and then dry them in high heat. You can also consider dry cleaning fragile pieces or putting the wet clothes inside the freezer. These will all guarantee that it can kill larvae as well as eggs.
Make a Vinegar and Water Solution
Make a water and vinegar solution and use it to wash and scrub infested parts of your home.
Call a Pest Control Company in Uncontrollable Situations
If things get worse, you can contact pest control service to handle the infestation for you. They may also leave reminders to continuously repel moths and prevent them from coming back.
Preventing Moths from Coming Back
Here are from tips to prevent future infestations:
Brush Clothes made of Fur or Wool after Wearing Them Outdoors
Eggs can easily get attached to such materials so scrape clothing items made from this material regularly to prevent them from getting inside your closet.
Clean Any Items Before Storing Them for Long Periods
Wash and air-dry under the sun all items that you plan to store for prolonged periods. This prevents eggs or larvae from growing into maturity while items are stored.
Use Airtight Containers When Storing Clothes and Other Belongings
Store clothes properly in airtight bags or tightly sealed plastic containers to prevent moths from laying eggs inside. Always do this if you are not planning to wear the clothes or use other belongings for a long time.
Keep Your Storage Areas Dry
Moths thrive in moist and humid spaces. Avoid storing your belongings in outdoor sheds, garages, basements, or other spaces that can be affected when the weather changes. Instead, place them in a room, an indoor closet, or in your attic.
Do Moths Bring Health Threats?
Though most people do not experience health problems with prolonged exposure to moth activity inside their homes, respiratory allergy caused by moths is a common problem developed by some.
Adult moths may not trigger it but the larvae or the caterpillar may sometimes cause allergic reactions upon contact with the skin. Some caterpillars have sharp hairs or spines that can sting and cause caterpillar dermatitis that may range from itchiness to develop skin irritation like eczema. Others may also develop dermatitis that causes swelling, redness, and hives.
Treatments and When to Contact a Medical Professional
If you happen to develop any skin condition upon contact with moths or the caterpillars, you can take an oral antihistamine or apply corticosteroid cream on affected areas to control inflammation.
There are rare cases where people may develop severe allergic reactions or anaphylaxis from inhaling caterpillar or moth hairs. When this happens, rush to the nearest healthcare provider to get professional medical treatments.
