Updated on July 2nd, 2024
Moths can be quite the pesky roommates. Clothing moths have a penchant for gnawing holes into your favorite garments, while pantry moths have a nasty habit of leaving behind unsightly excrement and casings, even daring to lay their larvae in your cereal or rugs.
Alas, getting rid of these winged intruders is not as simple as one would hope. Once they decide to move in, they become difficult to dislodge, resisting removal efforts.
To make matters worse, there are various types of moths that can infiltrate and infest your household, which means the first step is to identify which type of flying insect you're dealing with.
Hence, we’ll continue this discussion by talking through this pertinent first step, followed by an additional four steps (five in total) that will help you and your family get rid of moths (whose source you can’t find) and keep them away.
Identify the moth
The two most common species of moths that invade households are the clothing moth and the pantry moth. It’s important to differentiate between the two. Below is a quick guide to distinguish between them:
Clothing moths (Tineola bisselliella and Tinea pellionella)
Clothing Moth (Tineola bisselliella)- Length: Smaller, at one-fourth inch long
- Color: Generally a uniform beige or buff-color, with reddish-gold to coppery tufts of hair on their head
- Flight: Fluttery and weak, with a straight pattern
- Infest: Closets, drawers and other locations where keratin-rich items are kept
- Diet: Natural fibers, such as wool, silk and fur
Pantry moths (Plodia interpunctella)
Pantry Moth (Plodia interpunctella)- Length: Larger, at one-half inch long
- Color: Gray, brown and tan hued, with wings that are whitish-gray near the body and dark reddish brown near the tips
- Flight: Erratic and quick, with a zigzag pattern
- Infest: Pantries, cabinets and other locations where dry food is stored
- Diet: Grains, cereals, nuts, birdseed and other dried goods
After you’ve clearly identified the type of moth, it’s crucial to clean thoroughly to get rid of them.
Clean and throw away infested material
If you have clothing moths: To do a thorough job, first sort through all of your clothes, linens and fabrics, and identify any items that are infested with moths. Look for visible signs of damage, such as holes or larvae casings. Remove all infested items from your home and place them in sealed plastic bags (in an outside trash can). If the items are washable, wash them in hot water and dry them on high heat to kill any remaining eggs or larvae. If the items cannot be washed, freeze them for at least 72 hours to kill any eggs or larvae.
If you have pantry moths: Meticulously examine and clean out your pantry. Throw away any infested food items. Look for any signs of this Indian meal moth infestation, such as webbing or larvae, and check all dry-food items such as flour, cereal, pasta and even pet food or birdseed.
Then, vacuum and then vacuum again. Pay singular attention to areas where you found infested items. Vacuum carpets, upholstery and any cracks and crevices where moths may be hiding. Use the hose attachment as needed.
Finally, wipe down all surfaces—including walls, shelves, baseboards, dresser drawers and clothing rods—with a simple water and vinegar solution. Remove all pantry items (in your pantry) and clothing (in your drawers) to do so. Wiping down surfaces will deter moths from returning.
Follow this up with Six Feet Under Plant-Powered Insect Spray, a non-toxic kill-on-contact spray that will kill any remaining clothes or pantry moth eggs and larvae.
Set up moth traps
Moth traps are a crucial step in the battle against these pesky insects. With their proprietary blend of double-potent pheromones and the stickiest trapping glue, our pantry moth traps and clothing moth traps work by luring adult male moths in. Once stuck, the male moths can no longer breed and, to your delight and joy, their lifecycle comes to an abrupt halt. So, while cleaning and discarding infested items are crucial, setting up moth traps is a key step in ensuring that your home remains moth-free.
Place them where moths are most active—such as closets or pantry shelves—and effectively reduce the population of these miscreants. Additionally, our moth traps are non-toxic and safe to use around children and pets, making them an ideal solution for homes with young families or furry companions. With a little patience and diligence, using moth traps can help prevent future infestations and keep your home free of moths.
Protect items from pests
Now that the moths are under control, you simply cannot relax—not yet, not fully. You must first safeguard your possessions from future invasions of unwanted guests.
For seasonal clothing, store them in airtight bags or boxes. I feel that the vacuum-sealed variety is especially effective. Keep them in a cool, dry place, preferably in the main part of your house. It’s important to keep them away from hot and humid areas (like the attic or basement).
As for the pantry, opt for glass or hard plastic airtight storage containers to keep food fresh and prevent pantry pests such as pantry moths and other miscreants—like ants and cockroaches—from getting in.
Tip: Remember to check your groceries for signs of infestations before bringing them home as that's usually where non-disease carrying pantry moths come from and how pantry moth infestations start. Clothing moths, on the other hand, generally get into houses through infested items (particularly used clothing) purchased from a store or on infested clothing brought in from an outside source.
Be proactive. Use moth repellents (not mothballs)
Well, it seems that pungent mothballs are out of fashion nowadays. The chemicals they contain—namely, naphthalene or paradichlorobenzene—are toxic to breath and considered a health risk by many experts. In fact, California already considers them carcinogens and the European Union banned them altogether (since 2008). Not to mention, mothballs may look like candy or other treats to small pets and children, and could be ingested accidentally.
Instead, I highly recommend using eastern red cedar wood, a natural moth repellent sourced sustainably from the USA. These cedar planks provide a powerful natural defense against moths and can be used in closets, drawers and suitcases to protect your belongings.
Note: If the source of the infestation remains elusive after cleaning and safeguarding, please contact us. Together, we'll address the problem effectively. You are clever and patient and persistent and can (and will) overcome these vermins.
