How To Get Rid Of Clothes Moths Naturally

Clothes moths can wreak havoc on your clothes and linens in no time. If your house is infested with these critters, turning to moth balls and other smelly chemicals might seem to be the only viable option.

However, there's no need to use harmful disinfectants and chemicals to get rid of clothes moths. If you're looking for green solutions to say goodbye to clothes moths, this post has 4 natural ingredients you can use!

VINEGAR

This common kitchen ingredient can be used to clean and sanitize almost all areas of your house, including your wardrobe! So get started on cleaning all surfaces of your wardrobe with a solution of equal parts vinegar and water. Don't forget to wipe inside cabinets and drawers, drawer slides and liners, and undersides of shelves. Also go over hooks, grooves, and edges meticulously.

Additionally, spray the vinegar-water solution in cabinets and drawers to prevent moth infestations.

PHEROMONE TRAPS

Pheromones are natural compounds created by insects, which they use to communicate with each other. Pheromone traps make use of such compounds to lure pests and eliminate them. They are simple in function-you only have to place them correctly so as to attract the males and kill them. Without male moths, the population will crash, and the females will eventually die without reproducing other moths.

Just keep these points in mind:

Placing too many traps than required can lead to failure. This is because the overdose of pheromones can cause moths to lose sense of direction, thereby preventing them from reaching the traps.
Avoid placing traps in closed pantries or cabinets for the same reason as above. Moreover, this will prevent moths in other areas of the house from reaching the trap.
There are different traps to deal with all types of pests, so make sure you're using the right one.

Using pheromone traps is a natural way to get rid of pests, and there are quite a few environment-friendly brands that you can purchase. If you want to employ a home remedy, simply apply edible oil on both sides of a paper and hang it in your wardrobe or kitchen rack. You can consider using fish oil too!

Further to this, use a mixture of 2 cups of vinegar and 1 cup of molasses to attract moths and eliminate them.

CEDAR

Cedar contains natural oils that can kill moth larvae. While it doesn't eliminate eggs and older moths, using cedar along with other pest control methods will yield positive results. Cedar is also a better alternative to using mothballs as it not only is natural, but leaves clothes smelling pleasant.

Wrap clean clothes in cotton and store in a cedar chest. Do this for out-of-season clothes too to keep them pest-free through the year.
Use cedar balls, blocks, chips, or shavings to keep moths away. Place these on wardrobe shelves, and inside cabinets, drawers, and suitcases.
Use cedar clothes hangers to hang clothes and keep them moth-free.

Cedar can lose its scent and effectiveness over a period of time. To revive the scent, just sand cedar balls and blocks lightly, once every six months. If using shavings, revitalize the sachet by squeezing or rolling it gently between your palms. Using a cedar spray or dabbing some cedar oil on cedar balls, blocks, and sachets can also help.

HERBS AND SPICES

Apart from using cedar sachets, there are various herbs and spices that you can use to repel and eliminate clothes moths. So buy a bunch of fabric pouches and make your own moth repellent sachets!

Make a potpourri of herbs like rosemary, thyme, ginseng, and mint plus any other herb or spice listed here to keep clothes moths at bay.
Lavender helps repel moths plus leaves behind a pleasant scent. Fill pouches with lavender or lace them with lavender oil and leave them in your wardrobe and drawers. Alternatively, sprinkle dry lavender flowers on shelves or spray lavender oil on wardrobe surfaces and inside drawers.
Place fresh leaves of Indian lilac or cotton balls soaked in its oil on shelves and in corners to eliminate moths. Also dust a dry powder of this herb on shelves.
Add bay leaves to potpourris or sprinkle them directly on surfaces to control moth infestations.
Place cloves in a thick bundle of tissues before placing near or on clothes so as to protect from stains.
Place cinnamon pouches in wardrobes, drawers, and garment bags to drive away moths. As with cloves, protect clothes from stains and pungent smells by wrapping the spice in layers of tissue.

CONCLUSION

If you've spotted a clothes moth or two in your house, or have been observing symptoms like tiny holes in clothing, a dusty layer on top of garments, or spongy web-like layers on wardrobe surfaces, you need to act now before the moth infestation gets out of hand. This doesn't mean you have to turn to harmful and strong-smelling chemicals though; with the information provided in this post, you now know some natural ingredients that you can use to control clothes moths.

So get started on these tips right away to eliminate clothes moths from your house and to prevent future moth infestations!

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