How to Rid the House of Moths
House moths are small-winged creatures that can infiltrate your home through dry goods such as dog food, nuts, rice and cake mixes. Besides contaminating the food sources in your pantry, moths will burrow into crevices alongside walls and other openings inside your home during the larval stage. Moths will also seek out food sources such as wool clothing and rugs within your home. Keeping dry good food sources sealed and keeping your home clean will inhibit moth infestations. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Vacuum cleaner
- Cedar wood chips and satchels
- Pantry pest trap infused with pheromones
- Plastic bags
- Freezer
- Caulking compound and caulking gun
Instructions
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1
Locate any dry goods located in your food pantry or kitchen cabinets that have been left open for a long time. If you notice a large concentration of moth larvae around these areas, throw away any old or left-open containers of dry good foods immediately. Moth larvae are small, ribbed, light in color and feature a black head on one end.
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2
Clean your home thoroughly and vacuum up any food particles left on the floor, in the crevices along your wall as well as behind your appliances. This will aid in the removal of any moth larvae or eggs present in your home.
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3
Fill small satchels with cedar wood chips and place them around your home. Cedar chips do an effective job of repelling moths. You can substitute the satchels for small jars with the lids removed.
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4
Place around your home, particularly in your kitchen area, pantry pest traps that contain special pheromones that will attract and catch moths. The pantry pest traps will help you to quickly contain any adult moths present in your home.
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5
Place any infested clothing into a plastic bag and place the bag inside your freezer. Moths and their young will die quickly when exposed to cold temperatures. You may also want to consider storing some of your dry goods within the freezer or refrigerator shortly after purchasing to thwart reoccurring infestations.
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6
Seal off any cracks or crevices along walls and floors with caulking compound. Sealing off any small openings in your home will reduce the likelihood of another moth infestation.
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