We’ve all been there. You pick up a favorite piece of clothing and look down in dismay to discover a small hole. As the winter months start to fade in Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan, we start thinking about tucking our colder wardrobe away for the spring and summer. There’s plenty you can do to get rid of and prevent moths from breeding and snacking in your Ohio or Michigan home.
Moths aren’t terribly dangerous household pests. In fact, many of them can be quite pretty or fun to watch as they fly seemingly erratically around well-lit areas of your home. They’re part of the Lepidoptera order of insects, the same one that contains butterflies. There are at least 160,000 known species of moths, only a few of which you’d ever find inside your home (Healthline).
Adult moths aren’t a big threat to your Ohio or Michigan home on their own, but their larvae commonly eat through fabric, especially cotton and wool, and dry goods like bread and pasta. This can be a huge nuisance and ruin articles of clothing, food, and other household items.
Clothes moth damage is a common problem but it’s not one you’ll want to leave unchecked. If you discover you’ve involuntarily been housing some unwanted winged guests, don’t panic. Armed with the right information you can stop them in their textile-munching tracks.
Here’s what you need to know to prevent moths from wreaking havoc in your Ohio or Michigan home:
- Brush off any clothes made of wool or fur after you wear them outside. Moth eggs can easily infiltrate your closet by affixing themselves to these materials, so scraping them off regularly can help keep any moth larvae from getting inside.
- Wash your clothes and belongings before you store them away for long periods of time. Wash all your clothes at the highest recommended temperature. Air-dry them in sunlight, if possible. This ensures that any eggs or larvae in your clothes are rinsed out or killed so that they don’t grow into maturity while they’re in storage.
- Store your clothes and belongings in airtight containers. Use tightly sealed chests, plastic containers, sealed suitcases, or something similar to make sure moths can’t get inside and lay eggs. Don’t use cardboard for storage, as moths can eat through cardboard and gain access to your belongings. Don’t leave any materials like wool or suits exposed to the air; put them in zipped, airtight garment bags inside your sealed containers, especially when you don’t plan to wear them for a while.
- Keep storage areas for clothing and other belongings dry. Moths thrive in moist, humid surroundings. Avoid storing clothes or belongings in basements, garages, outdoor sheds, or other areas that can be exposed to changes in the weather. Put them in an indoor closet, room, or in the attic.
- Use a moth repellent in areas moths may be attracted to. Perhaps the most common moth repellent is mothballs. There are some natural repellents we also recommend, if you want to avoid having mothballs in your home. Fill fabric pouches, tea bags, or just a bowl, with moth-repelling herbs or essential oils like lavender, rosemary, mint, thyme, cloves, peppercorns, lemon, eucalyptus, and ginseng. Cedar wood rings in your closet or drawers can also help deter moths.
- Thoroughly vacuum areas where moths may thrive in your Ohio or Michigan home. Start by taking all the clothes out of your closet then vacuum the bottom thoroughly, using the corner tool on your vacuum cleaner to get into the corners and along the edges. Vacuum carpets throughout the house completely, paying particular attention to areas of carpet underneath furniture.
While moths aren’t the most harmful pest you can find in your Northwest Ohio or Southeast Michigan home, they can cause loads of damage to clothes, food, and other belongings. Also, if you have allergies, moths can be a nuisance to your symptoms.
A moth infestation should not be overwhelming. There’s plenty you can do to get rid of and prevent moths from breeding and snacking in your Ohio or Michigan home. At Delving Pest Control, we have experience when it comes to moth removal and prevention.
Contact us today to start taking measures so your clothes, food, and sinuses remain undisturbed by moths.
