How to get rid of moths - hot days have come, and you are increasingly ventilating the apartment by opening the windows wide open. But along with the next gust of cool wind, an unwanted guest may fly in - a moth. And if it’s not difficult to deal with one individual - catch it, and that’s the end of the matter - then with several that have managed to lay eggs, you’ll have to tinker. You can eliminate moths in your apartment using folk remedies.
Features of the use of folk remedies
Before you understand how to get rid of moths using folk remedies, it is important to understand what type they are. Almost all folk remedies are aimed at repelling pests, but are not capable of destroying them. In addition, when choosing a folk remedy, you should take into account that some can be adjacent to food, while others are better used where food supplies are not available.
Almost always in the household you can find something that moths are afraid of, and not give it the opportunity to reproduce in the apartment. But even if the necessary component is not available, it can always be easily purchased without a significant impact on the family budget. If the fight is not started in time, this parasite will quickly multiply and ultimately ruin all food supplies or valuable wardrobe and household items.
Mint
Like lavender, this plant has a strong scent .
It is used in a similar way: the dried leaves are laid out in small bags and placed where there should be a large concentration of pests.
From time to time it is recommended to check whether the pouch is exhausted. If this happens, replace it with another one with fresher dried leaves. To increase efficiency, you can place them in the wardrobe in the pockets of sweaters, coats, fur coats and jackets .
How to get rid
If a moth butterfly flies around the apartment during the daytime, then most likely it is a male. Swatting an insect is not the best way to protect your living space from this pest. This is due to the fact that the female is already quietly laying eggs somewhere, from which hungry larvae will soon hatch. Therefore, in order to get rid of uninvited guests, you need to find the most effective folk remedies for moths.
In the closet
Quite often, the presence of a pest in a wardrobe is discovered after holes appear on expensive woolen items. The larvae of such insects can be brought from the street. It is possible to avoid the proliferation of moths if you put into the closet only those clothes that have been pre-washed or thoroughly cleaned after use.
But even if, despite carefully caring for things, pests still appear in the closet with clothes, then everything needs to be reconsidered again, washed and ironed. And fur products should be taken out into the fresh air several times a year under direct sunlight or frost, which this insect is so afraid of.
After putting things in order, they cannot be immediately sent to the closet.
It must first be treated with a solution of laundry soap. After all the compartments and shelves have dried, you can return the wardrobe items to their original place. For moths in the closet, it is advisable to place repellent folk remedies on the shelves.
This effect is achieved by:
- laundry soap in the cupboard;
- orange peels;
- lavender, mint, chamomile, tansy, wormwood
If there are no folk remedies at home to protect against this insect, then you can use any scented toilet soap. Bars of soap along with wrappers are laid out in cabinets.
In the apartment
To destroy carpet or furniture moths, you need to prepare a concentrated soap solution, which is used to treat the damaged carpet on both sides, as well as upholstered furniture. After such cleaning, the pile of the products becomes tougher, but this method is guaranteed to get rid of unpleasant insects.
To repel carpet moths, you can use high or low temperatures (sun or frost). Experienced housewives know that folk remedies for moths in an apartment include taking carpets out into the cold in winter to thoroughly clean them with snow. In summer, it is recommended to hang carpets in the sun and dry them thoroughly, which will allow you to confidently get rid of pests.
Moths can not only be localized on carpets; they also love down pillows, blankets and rugs. Some people get out of this situation by regularly sending such items to the dry cleaner or drying them in the fresh air. In any case, pillows and blankets that are not used daily should be checked regularly so that insects do not have time to breed in them. They can also be arranged with pieces of soap or bags of herbs.
Among the plants that repel the pest are coleus and geranium. The smell of tobacco, pepper, dried orange peels, and strawberry soap also repels such insects. In addition to plants, most well-known spices also have a pungent odor - allspice, cloves, vanilla, cinnamon. To repel the pest for a long time, it is recommended to fill bags with spices and place them around the apartment.
In the kitchen
You can bring this type of moth home from stores or markets where unscrupulous sellers sell bulk food products already with larvae.
The grain species is capable of multiplying very quickly. He can easily do this in sealed bags or glass jars with lids.
When faced with food moths in the kitchen, where they can be found in many cereals, the first thing you should do is throw away everything that is already spoiled. Cereals without larvae must be sifted and fried in a hot frying pan to ensure the destruction of the pest. In addition, cabinets and kitchen surfaces must be thoroughly washed with a solution of laundry soap, rinsed with clean water and dried.
Folk remedies for moths in the kitchen include the use of garlic. Slices of this phytoncide are stored in bedside tables, kitchen cabinets or pantries along with food products. When the clove dries out, it is advisable to replace it with a fresh one.
You can scare away pests in the following popular ways:
- Place lemon, orange or grapefruit zest, bags of lavender or other herbs next to the food.
- Essential oils (lemon, rosemary, lavender) have a good repellent effect. Some people also use laundry or scented soap.
- Spices that have a strong aroma (cloves, allspice, cinnamon, oregano, mint) will help repel. Spices can be poured onto a saucer and placed inside the kitchen cabinets.
Since groceries actively absorb odors, not all folk recipes are suitable for use.
Laundry soap
Another popular, but most importantly universal method , the main disadvantage of which is the unpleasant odor characteristic of soap.
Few people will wear expensive and beautiful clothes if they smell of laundry soap.
But laundry soap repels adult individuals and very noticeably limits the movement of caterpillars . This product is affordable to any buyer. It is especially convenient to use it to get rid of insects that have settled in pantries and closets.
For quality use, place pieces of fresh laundry soap inside kitchen furniture or place them in the pockets of clothing that needs to be protected.
Lavender against moths
A time-tested remedy is lavender for moths. Both lavender essential oil and dried branches are used. Lavender essential oil is present in perfumes, toilet soaps, skin care products, and hair care products. At the same time, moths cannot tolerate the smell of lavender.
How it helps
Lavender against moths can be a beautiful solution to the problem. Lavender helps against moths no worse than mothballs, but at the same time it gives the closet and things a pleasant light aroma. In addition, lavender bouquets look like pleasant decorative elements. Moths cannot stand the smell of this beauty, so they will not settle in places where this aroma is heard.
The plant has a long-lasting effect and is completely safe for humans.
How to use
If housewives have chosen lavender for moths, there are several ways to use it. All you have to do is turn on your imagination. It is recommended to add 20 drops of lavender essential oil to 1 liter of water during wet cleaning and wipe cabinets and other surfaces.
If you have lavender flowers, you can make a sachet and put it on the wardrobe. If you don’t have bouquets of lavender, then lavender essential oil for moths can be a good substitute. The housewife can sew a simple bag herself and fill it with cotton wool previously soaked in essential oil. This will not only serve as good protection against moths, but will also look aesthetically pleasing.
Precautionary measures
In an attempt to get rid of uninvited guests, housewives often resort to a remedy such as vinegar. To do this, pour vinegar into a hot frying pan and add a few drops of essential oils. The smell coming from the fumes is unbearable for moths.
And if you wipe the places where the eggs are deposited with vinegar, then all the larvae will die. The method is very effective. Just don’t neglect safety precautions.
People with allergic reactions or intolerance to any substances should approach the choice of any means for the destruction and prevention of moths with caution.
What else is a moth afraid of?
In the housewife's attempts to find what the moth is afraid of (folk remedies), she may find the following recommendations for use:
- indoor plants with a strong odor;
- spicy medicinal plants;
- some fruits;
- essential oils;
- synthetic drugs in the form of suspended elements.
When fighting flying pests in an apartment, you should remember that it is not the butterfly that spoils food and things, but its larvae, deposited in secluded places deprived of access to fresh air. You will have to get rid of them yourself or using chemicals.
A variety of folk remedies only repel such insects. If there are already too many of them, you may need to resort to chemical insecticides. The larvae die from them and this guarantees complete disposal of the pest once and for all.
Orange peels
Orange peels, as well as lemon and tangerine peels, are an old folk method of getting rid of moths. Their strong odor frightens adult butterflies .
Where the crusts are laid out: in cabinets or nightstands, they do not lay eggs. This is good for preventive purposes or to repel insects.
Rules of application:
- Place fresh citrus fruit peels near food products.
- Peels that dry out and lose their flavor must be replaced promptly.
Geranium
The fight against small gray butterflies that have settled in the house is not always active and involves the use of means specially prepared for this. There are also passive ways. Often it is enough to place an indoor flower on the windowsill, like an ordinary geranium .
Many insects cannot tolerate the smell of this plant. If the apartment is large, get several bushes. Place one pot in each room. Geranium is equally effective against both kitchen and clothes moths.
Always keep live flower bushes in your apartment. Periodically open kitchen cabinets, wardrobes and bedside tables, ventilating them once every few days.
Vinegar and garlic
Vinegar and garlic do not have a very pleasant smell. Although it is precisely because of it that they are considered a good means of fighting insects. It is better to store garlic in the kitchen, inside cabinets or in pantries next to other food products, and it is recommended to add vinegar to the water when cleaning the floor in the apartment.
The butterfly does not tolerate spicy plants, including thyme, rosemary and cloves. They can be placed in bags, combined with each other, or used each separately. Such sets are distributed throughout the apartment and repel pests from the premises for a long period.
Scented herbs
Insects are repelled by bunches of wild or cultivated fragrant herbs. Among them, the most effective means are the following:
- Sagebrush;
- Tansy;
- Chamomile;
- Valerian;
- Marigold;
- Carnation.
Other folk methods and means to repel annoying pests:
- Camphor . Soak swabs in it and place them in places where butterflies accumulate.
- A combination of lemon and cloves . The buds of a spicy plant are stuck into half a lemon and suspended on a strong thread above the shelves with things.
- Pieces of cedar twigs and wood are also not carried by insects. Place them in wardrobes where fur coats hang. You can also use cedar needle oil for this purpose.
- black pepper (peas) using the same method .
- Residents claim that sometimes gray butterflies are repelled by the smell of fresh newspapers . But experts consider this method rather dubious.
Advice! To prevent insects from infesting the kitchen, the best solution would be to store cereals in closed containers or tightly tied bags. Before storage, clean outer clothing and put plastic covers on it.
Do not forget to regularly ventilate the apartment and constantly clean it using disinfectants. Moths are afraid of low and high temperatures. So washing in hot water, frying clothes in the open sun or airing in frosty air makes it possible to get rid of females, eggs of pests or their larvae.
By the way, the larvae and eggs are attached to clothes very weakly, so they fall to the floor at the slightest shaking. For this reason, items that are constantly worn are rarely damaged. Those who hang in wardrobes for a long time and wait in the wings suffer the most.
horse chestnut
It turns out that chestnut protects well from insect pests. Its seeds should be collected in late autumn.
After drying them in the oven (raw chestnuts quickly become moldy), place them on shelves in the cupboards. You won't need bags here.
Chestnut has several advantages:
- The fruits are easy to collect and just as easy to arrange;
- They act effectively and do not have a strong aroma ;
- The fruits are quite large in size, so they are not capable of littering the apartment.
