How to dry lavender from moths. Folk recipes and methods for killing moths. Plants from moths

Cockroaches and bedbugs have become rare in our apartments. Perhaps this is explained by the achievements of the chemical industry, or perhaps by the unfavorable environment for them. But moths are still a frequent visitor to clothing and kitchen cabinets; they continue to spoil woolen items and products with enviable consistency.

You don’t always want to use store-bought products to combat it, especially when there are small children in the house. Let's figure out whether folk remedies for moths are safer and whether they can rid your home of these insects.

Types of moths

Two types of moths live in human clothing: clothes moths and furniture moths. Externally they are very similar, but the furniture one is slightly larger and darker. The damage they cause is also the same - in nature, moth larvae feed on animal hair and bird feathers, and in an apartment they feed on woolen clothes, fur coats and carpets, and they do not disdain winter shoes.

Interestingly, the adult insects, small gray-brown butterflies, do no harm. They live only 4-6 days and during this time they do not eat at all; moreover, they do not have a mouthparts. Their role is limited to mating and laying eggs. The eggs hatch into caterpillars within 10 days, the main food of which is wool. In a couple of months they grow from 1 to 10 mm to become pupae and then butterflies.

Thus, the fight against clothes moths should include not only methods that repel adult insects, but also get rid of their larvae.

Food moths settle exclusively in the kitchen, in cabinets. Her favorite food is cereals, nuts, dried fruits, flour and products made from it. Strictly speaking, these butterflies have no biological relation to moths; they belong to the moth family. Outwardly, they are very similar - small, inconspicuous butterflies and light-colored caterpillars about a centimeter long.

Perhaps the only difference is that clothes moth caterpillars do not build homes for themselves and hardly move, while food moth caterpillars create dense lumps of cobwebs and food and live inside them, and before pupation they crawl out and can travel several meters to find a convenient place.

Destruction of moths

Almost all folk methods of fighting moths are aimed at the physical destruction of their larvae. No grass will help against moths; it can only scare away adult insects, while the caterpillars will continue to spoil things. The only exception is dry chamomile.

This plant contains natural permethrins - substances that moths are afraid of; they are deadly to many insects. Permethrins can only kill larvae through direct contact, so clothes should be generously sprinkled with crushed chamomile and left for a while.

Physical methods of fighting are much faster and more effective. To get rid of food moths you need:

check all food products stored in cabinets; it is better to throw away those contaminated with insects;
to ensure that the larvae are removed, the cereals are heated in the oven at a temperature of 70-80°C for 20 minutes, and then sifted or sorted;
clean products are poured into glass or plastic containers with tight-fitting lids;
The cabinet shelves are thoroughly washed; it is better to use water with vinegar added.

Fighting moths in a clothes closet is more difficult. People got rid of these insects using high and low temperatures. In winter, clothes are taken out into the cold for a couple of hours, in summer they are left in the hot sun. For the death of larvae and pupae, 1-2 hours at -10°C are enough, but in the heat they will have to be left for the whole day; caterpillars die due to exposure to ultraviolet radiation and high temperature in 5-6 hours.

Due to the fact that moths do not attach well to fabric, regular shaking is also quite effective; clothes are knocked out over a bathtub or on the street; large items can be vacuumed.

Preventing moths

Any folk remedy has a pungent odor that drives away adults. These substances do not affect pupae and larvae, so they can only be used to prevent the appearance of insects.

Naphthalene

More recently, to the question of how to get rid of moths in an apartment once and for all, there was only one answer - use naphthalene. It was produced in tablet form and was used everywhere. More recently, it has been proven that naphthalene vapors are dangerous not only for insects, but also for humans; they can lead to genetic disorders and cancer. In 2007, naphthalene was banned in Europe, but in our country it can still be purchased.

Scented herbs

There are many plants that are absolutely safe and have an attractive scent for humans, and at the same time can repel moths. As a rule, they contain a large amount of essential oils.

Lavender is a long-proven insect repellent; it has a pleasant smell and a long shelf life - up to 2 months. To use lavender against clothes moths, it is placed in fabric or perforated paper bags, which are laid out on shelves and placed in clothing pockets.

Wormwood and tansy are more accessible than lavender, but the effect is no worse. You can put both dry bunches of these herbs and fresh plants in the cabinets. When using fragrant herbs, you need to regularly check whether they have eroded and replace them in a timely manner. Usually this has to be done once a month.

These plants can also be used in concentrated form; ready-made essential oil is useful for this. In addition to lavender and wormwood oils, you can use rosemary, mint, cloves and eucalyptus, as well as citrus and pine scents.

Essential oils against moths are correctly used as follows:

cotton wool soaked in the aromatic composition is placed in the closet so that it does not touch the clothes;
add a few drops to the water for cleaning;
The cabinet is sprayed inside and outside with essential oil using a spray bottle. It is better not to get it on the fabric, as stains may remain from the vegetable oils contained in the composition.

Houseplants

Moths are also afraid of some indoor flowers. Traditional geranium bushes serve not only as window decoration, but also as protection from flying insects. To prevent the appearance of moths, a few pots of geranium, pelargonium or fragrant tobacco are enough.

Plectranthus, a hanging plant with round, serrated leaves, also has a strong spicy odor. It is also called indoor mint or moth tree. To repel moths, crushed leaves of indoor mint are placed in moth habitats.

Other smells

An old remedy for moths is ordinary tobacco. It gives clothes a specific smell, so using tobacco in everyday life is not advisable. But when sending things for long-term storage, it is indispensable. Dry tobacco mixed with chamomile is sprinkled on carpets, rugs, and winter shoes before packaging. Before use, things are vacuumed and ventilated.

Repels moths and laundry soap. It is placed in clothing pockets, placed in shoes, and soap is rubbed onto the back walls of cabinets and the underside of carpets.

horse chestnut

It is believed that chestnuts also help against moths. This is not entirely true. Moreover, the most common horse chestnut tree itself suffers greatly from the chestnut leaf miner; its larvae literally destroy the leaves even before the onset of autumn. The leaves and fruits of red horse chestnut and red horse chestnut are poisonous to insects.

Both species are rarely found in cities; it is almost impossible to find them in wild thickets. These plants can be distinguished by their bright pink inflorescences. If you manage to collect the fruits of these trees, they need to be dried and crushed, spread in insect habitats.

Moth protection in the kitchen

In the kitchen, the use of strong-smelling substances is limited. Groceries easily absorb all odors, so it is better to use substances that cannot spoil the taste of dishes:

bay leaves and garlic cloves are placed in jars with cereals;
fresh orange and lemon peels are laid out on cabinet shelves and placed in a bread bin;
Vinegar is added to the water when cleaning; 100 grams of it per bucket of water is enough.

Precautionary measures

Fighting moths with folk remedies, despite the apparent safety, requires caution. The use of substances with a strong odor can lead to allergic reactions. Contact with the skin of some essential oils in their pure form can cause burns, so before use they are diluted in milk or vegetable oil.

The use of traditional methods of moth control is quite effective; with their combined use, you can both get rid of moths using folk remedies and prevent their appearance. Household insecticides should be used if you need to get rid of insects quickly or when their numbers are high.

Insecticides entered our lives relatively recently. However, our grandmothers somehow coped with insect attacks on their homes. What's the secret? What is the most effective folk remedy for moths? Let's try to understand this issue by considering the most popular methods of getting rid of a voracious butterfly.

Types of moths

Fighting moths requires close study of the pest. First of all, before choosing the means, we must decide what type of insect we are dealing with. After all, two species of this butterfly can live in city apartments - clothes moths and food moths. Each of them differs not only in appearance and name, but also in their lifestyle and way of eating. You can consider different types of moths and learn about their distinctive features in the article:. Here we will only describe them in general terms.

Clothes moth

Sometimes this pest is also called furniture moth. In fact, these are two completely different species, the butterflies of which practically do not differ from each other in appearance. The main damage is caused by insect larvae, which in nature feed on the fur and feathers of animals and birds. In the conditions of a city apartment, they adapted to the diet that people offered them - clothes, carpets, furniture upholstery.

Adult insects lack mouthparts and therefore cannot feed. However, they are the reason for the spread of the pest, since during their entire short life they manage to produce entire hordes of voracious caterpillars - their larvae. When choosing a method of combating clothes and furniture moths, it is necessary to take this into account and carry out complex treatment, destroying not only caterpillars, but also butterflies.

food moth

He eats exclusively grocery products. Loves cereals, bread, flour products. Food moth can also be called granary moth. In fact, these names hide several types of moths, differing from each other in color and size.

As in the case of the clothes butterfly, the food butterfly is not able to feed. The reserves are destroyed by their larvae, which in the process of their growth spoil everything edible they can reach. Caterpillars can be found in bags of flour, cereals, in a box of chocolates forgotten on a cabinet, in a bread box, or in a package of cookies. folk remedies should also be carried out comprehensively.

Interesting fact! In nature, moths do not drink water, but suck tears from animals. This is how they replenish fluid in their body.

Ways to fight moths

All traditional methods of control are based on repelling pests using substances with a strong odor. So, what is the moth afraid of? Let's consider the main control methods used at home in the absence of specialized chemicals.

Naphthalene

Everyone knows this odorous drug. It has become so firmly established in our lives that it has earned the honorable name of a folk remedy for moths. The repellent effect of mothballs in the fight against insects has been proven over time. However, thanks to the latest research, it has become clear that this drug has carcinogenic properties and is harmful to health.

And yet, naphthalene is still popular, because with its help you can really get rid of moths, since this insect cannot stand its smell and is in a hurry. To successfully expel the pest, sachets with an odorous preparation are placed in the following places:

cabinets;
bags where wool and fur items are stored;

Naphthalene will not help in the fight against food moths, because bulk products and groceries tend to absorb the odors surrounding them. It is hardly worth spoiling the food yourself in order to prevent larvae from getting into it.

Orange peel

Citrus fruits have long been famous for their ability to repel insects, so do not rush to throw away the peel of an orange or lemon you eat. It will be useful in the fight against pest butterflies.

The big advantage of using orange peels is that they are not hazardous to health, and the smell emanating from them is very pleasant. Therefore, this remedy can be used to expel both clothes and food moths.

The crusts are laid out in the following places:

kitchen cabinets;
bread box;
shelves where food is stored;
furniture cabinets;
boxes and bags with winter things.

The only negative is that if there are already moth larvae in the bag, you won’t be able to get them out with crusts. Only a butterfly will be able to scare away, so this folk remedy for moths cannot be called quite effective.

Interesting fact! Clothes moth larvae hide from daylight in peculiar cocoons, which they weave from fabric fibers and fasten with their own secretions.

Lavender

An old remedy well known for its repellent effect. Lavender for moths has been used for a long time and has proven its effectiveness against this pest.

Benefits of Lavender:

nice smell;
long action;
health safety.

Lavender is placed in odor-permeable fabric bags or paper bags with holes. They are laid out in the same places as orange peels. You can also arrange the plant branches in vases and place them on shelves in the rooms.

Geranium

Some indoor flowers help against moths. For example, geranium is famous for this property. It has a strong enough odor to drive away the butterfly and thus prevent the reproduction of larvae.

Geraniums in pots are placed in rooms. You can also rub the back of the carpet with a leaf torn from a flower, and place the plant branches on shelves and cabinets.

Chestnut

You will be surprised, but even chestnuts are used against moths. To do this, they are collected in late autumn, dried and laid out in cabinets. Raw fruits quickly become moldy, so it is advisable to dry them thoroughly in the oven.

Chestnut seeds have the following benefits:

they are easy to unfold and assemble;
they do not have a strong odor;
the fruits are quite large in size and will not litter the room.

Advice! Since folk ones only repel insects, it is worth thinking about using “heavy artillery” and purchasing an insecticide specially developed for this type of pest. In this case, it will be possible to get rid of moths quite easily and within a short period.

Essential oils

Essential oils for moths are also often used. Any aromatic herbs are suitable for this purpose. It can be lavender, cloves, lemon, rosemary. The main thing is that the oil substance smells strongly and spreads its fragrance throughout the entire apartment.

How to use essential oils:

Use water with a few drops of oils added to wash the floor.
Spray the cabinets and room with them.
Wipe shelves and kitchen surfaces with essential oil.
Place gauze swabs soaked in this product everywhere.

Scented herbs

Often, in order to repel moths, it is enough to simply place bunches of fragrant herbs everywhere. Herb against moths helps very well in some cases. However, to do this you need to know which one to use.

So, what plant repels moths? These can be wild or cultivated herbs; the main thing to guide your choice is the strong smell that the plant should have. The following plants are often used:

sagebrush
chamomile
marigold
carnation
valerian
tansy.

Laundry soap

Even soap will help in the fight against moths. Most insects cannot stand its smell. The moth butterfly is no exception. Pieces of soap are laid out in places where flying insects are found, and placed in bags and bags of clothing.

You can wash the floor with water containing soap, wipe the back of the carpets with it, and draw lines on the inside surfaces of the cabinets. You can use whatever your imagination tells you, because all means are good in the fight against household pests!

Using folk remedies, you can learn from this video:

They are numerous and better known to most people than more effective modern drugs. When inconspicuous butterflies are found in the closet, and unaesthetic bald spots are found on clothes, it is some folk remedy for moths - lavender, orange peels or geranium - that is the first thing that comes to mind for the owner of the wardrobe.

Only later, at the market or in a store, does he learn that today high-tech achievements of the chemical industry are more often used against the pest of things. But even such modern drugs in the fight against butterflies are very effectively complemented by simple and easily accessible traditional means.

Folk remedies against moths differ depending on what pest they are used against - against clothes moths or against kitchen moths. Moreover, almost all folk remedies for moth control are aimed specifically at repelling pests, but not at destroying them.

At one time, naphthalene was considered the most effective remedy against moths.

Indeed, it demonstrated the high efficiency of its work and was used so widely and universally that it firmly became one of the “folk” remedies and even gave rise to the idiom “smells like mothballs.” However, later doctors discovered the carcinogenic properties of this substance and came to the conclusion that it is no less dangerous for humans than for moths. Therefore, today naphthalene is practically not used. Fortunately, it has a large number of substitutes.

Orange peels

Orange peels are an ancient folk remedy. The strong smell of citrus fruits repels adult butterflies, and therefore moths do not lay their eggs in bedside tables and cabinets in which orange, lemon and tangerine peels are laid out. However, if there are already eggs or moth larvae somewhere in the food, orange peels will not drive them out or destroy them.

Directions for use: fresh peels should be placed near food. As they dry out and lose their aroma, they need to be replaced.

Conclusion: this product is good for preventing contamination of clean products and repelling moths from kitchen furniture in general.

“When little brown butterflies appeared in the kitchen, I poisoned them with vinegar and put orange peels in the cabinets. This didn’t have much of an effect until I found and threw away a bag of old peas that were simply swarming with caterpillars. After that, I continued to keep orange peels in my cabinets, and even though butterflies sometimes appeared in the kitchen, they did not infect the food. About two months ago the moth disappeared completely and never appeared again.”

Inga, Rostov-on-Don

Laundry soap in the closet and in clothes

Laundry soap is a universal folk remedy for protection against moths, very effectively used against both kitchen and clothes moths. Its main disadvantage is the unpleasant smell: few people will want to wear luxury clothes with the overt aroma of laundry soap. The product repels adult butterflies and greatly limits the movement of caterpillars.

Directions for use: pieces of soap (preferably fresh) are placed in clothing pockets or in kitchen furniture.

Conclusion: laundry soap is an always accessible and easy-to-use product, well suited for protecting pantries and closets from moths.

“When I was little, my grandmother put pieces of laundry soap in the pockets of her fur coats in the closet against moths. It seems that moths never existed, but now, I think, this remedy should not be neglected.”

Oleg, Novokuznetsk

Lavender

Of all the folk remedies against moths, lavender is perhaps the most famous. It has a strong and quite pleasant smell, does not fade for a long time, and reliably repels adult butterflies and caterpillars. Both dried lavender flowers and its essential oil are used. The latter, by the way, is part of many industrially produced anti-moth tablets and sections.

Directions for use: lavender leaves in special porous bags are laid out in closets and between stacks of clothes. Essential oils are placed in open containers in cabinets and nightstands.

Do not spray lavender essential oil on your clothes. You can never be sure of the quality of this product, and even if it contains even a small amount of sunflower or palm oil, permanent stains will remain on your clothes. The clothes themselves can be sprayed with lavender decoction, but this must be done regularly and often.

Olga, Novosibirsk

Geranium

Fighting moths with folk remedies does not have to be active and involve purchasing or independently preparing repellents. Sometimes it is enough to simply have a special plant at home. For example - geranium.

Many insects and moths cannot stand its smell. At the same time, in a large apartment you need to have several geranium bushes - one in each room. Geranium protects the apartment well from both clothes and kitchen moths.

Directions for use: Live adult geranium bushes should be kept indoors at all times. Cabinets and bedside tables should be opened and ventilated once every day or two.

Flavored tobacco and plain tobacco

Both of these plants are equally effective, only fragrant tobacco is in the form of a living indoor plant, and regular, smoking tobacco is in the form of dry crushed leaves, exactly the same ones that are present in cigarettes. It is undesirable to use regular tobacco to protect clothes: things that smell of it lose their attractiveness.

Directions for use: plain tobacco is used like lavender flowers - placed inside furniture in perforated bags. Fragrant tobacco is simply kept at home as a houseplant, and closets with things are regularly ventilated.

By analogy with lavender, tansy, thyme, horse chestnut seeds, mint, cloves, rosemary and ginseng are also used. When using them, it is important to check from time to time whether the drugs in the cabinets have expired and, if necessary, replace them with new ones.

Similarly with lavender oil, mint, eucalyptus, orange and clove oils can also be used as folk remedies. They can also be replaced with fragrances, but the quantity of both must be constantly monitored. It is important to remember that all of the above means will not allow you to destroy the moths already in the house - they will only scare adult butterflies away from cabinets and bedside tables.

Garlic and vinegar against moths in the kitchen

These folk remedies for moths stand apart because they do not have the most pleasant smell. But it is thanks to him that they repel moths. Garlic is usually simply stored in bedside tables, kitchen cabinets and pantries along with food, and vinegar is added to the water when cleaning the apartment.

Craftsmen also know some traditional methods of directly killing moths.

For example, it is known that moths are afraid of both high and low temperatures. Even if there were eggs, larvae or female moths in the clothes (males are those same winged flying butterflies), washing things at temperatures above 50°C or airing them in frost below minus 10°C will destroy all insects.

Ventilating things in direct sun on a hot summer day is also quite effective: both moth larvae and eggs cannot easily tolerate temperatures above 30°C, and, moreover, die under the influence of ultraviolet rays.

And lastly: moth larvae and their eggs attach very weakly to clothing. A good shake of it is enough to get them onto the floor. That is why clothes that are constantly worn are rarely spoiled by moths. So wear what’s hanging in your closet, air it out more often, and moths will have virtually no chance.

Useful video: how to reliably get rid of moths

The moth feeds on the horny substance contained in fur and wool products, which is why it is called a keratophagous insect. It only takes one little larvae one day to chew a hole in your favorite sweater! However, this insect does not disdain organic matter, so the question of how to deal with moths in an apartment is always very relevant.

Types of house moths

Depending on taste preferences, moths come in several types:

1. Kitchen:

Granary - settles in nuts;

Flour - prefers flour;

Potato - found in potatoes;

This is what an adult potato moth looks like and its larvae, which settle in potatoes and feed on its pulp

Cereal - lives in cereals;

Fruity – loves dried fruits.

2. Room:

The dress butterfly is a butterfly up to 22 mm long with light yellow wings, violet-brown at the base. It feeds on wool, which is present in outerwear, upholstery, carpets, sweaters, suits, etc. It is also attracted to pet hair and textiles contaminated with sweat, food and urine. The caterpillar-like larvae hide in folds of tissue. Clutches of eggs are located on the inside of clothing. The hatched larvae gradually gnaw through the tissue, leaving only the thin top layer intact;

The fur butterfly is a small yellow butterfly with a slight shine and a wingspan of up to 1.5 cm. The larvae have white translucent skin, which makes them look like worms. The fur moth chooses felt, wool, fluff, fur, felt and feathers. She is very voracious - she gnaws holes in everything she comes across on the way, regardless of whether it is suitable for food. It is very easy to notice traces of the vital activity of this pest - the fur coat begins to shed, and fur fibers literally fall out of it. Adult females have the ability to reproduce very quickly;

Furniture butterfly - is a small (only 1 cm) light yellow butterfly with brown wings at the base. It often lives in the upholstery of upholstered furniture, eats both natural and synthetic fabrics, so it is very difficult to fight it. Eggs are laid in crevices of wood, in the bottom of upholstered furniture and in the back of upholstery. First, the larvae eat textiles and the inner filling of a sofa or chair. Then they get to the wood, gnawing entire passages running parallel to the pattern;

Carpet is one of the most resistant types of these pests. Its larvae are omnivores - they eagerly eat fur on fur coats and collars, skin on shoes, jackets, bags and coats, as well as floor coverings. Carpet moths lay eggs deep in the pile and other hard-to-reach areas. She is not afraid of the smell of camphor and naphthalene, so preparations containing these agents are absolutely useless.

Interesting! Adult moths do not have a mouth, so they do not need to feed. Only the larvae cause harm. Butterflies live no more than a week, but even in such a short period of time they are able to lay about 150 eggs. Under good conditions (poor ventilation, high humidity and heat), the reproduction of these pests occurs almost continuously.

First measures

If you find a gray butterfly in your apartment, don’t waste time - get down to business right away. This will prevent moths from breeding and ultimately ruining things or food supplies:

Inspect the room for a moth nest. It needs to be eliminated and the area vacuumed or washed with warm water;

Shake clothes and bedding to remove any hidden insects. You can use a clothes brush, carefully brushing all pockets, folds, and seams with it;

Place everything that is possible in a cold place for a day, warm it up in the sun, wash it at high temperatures or take it to the dry cleaner;
Do some general cleaning. The contents of the bag from the vacuum cleaner should be shaken out as far as possible from the house.

How to get rid of moths - folk recipe

How to repel moths with folk remedies? We offer an overview of the most reliable and time-tested recipes that will solve the problem without harming your own health.

Naphthalene

For a long time this remedy was considered one of the best, but in recent years its popularity has decreased significantly. The reason for this was the large-scale use of naphthalene, which led to the development of resistance (addiction) in most populations. In addition, it turned out that the drug is harmful to human health, as it is carcinogenic and provokes the development of malignant tumors.

Strong-smelling spices and plants

Moths, like most insects, do not tolerate strong aromas, so mint, tansy, tobacco, geranium, chestnuts, eucalyptus, cloves, walnut twigs and lavender can be used to combat them. Tobacco is collected during the flowering period, tied into bouquets and laid out on window sills and on cabinet shelves. You can also use dry tobacco leaf. Fabric bags are filled with it and hung in places where pests appear. It is good to grow a pot of geranium in the kitchen - it will protect your home from attacks by kitchen moths. Chestnuts can only be laid out in rooms and cabinets that are well ventilated. Otherwise, they will quickly become moldy.

In addition to plants, most well-known spices also have a pungent odor - allspice, cloves, vanilla, etc. To repel the pest for a long time, pour the spices into bags and place them in the apartment.

Strong scented soap

Another effective remedy for moths, which housewives have been using since ancient times. Soap (laundry or toilet) is placed in the pockets of outerwear, as well as between things on the shelves. A pleasant amber and protection from pests is guaranteed!

Essential oils

A traditional remedy for controlling indoor insects. Feel free to use esters of lavender, eucalyptus, mint, orange, tangerine, rosemary and geranium. They will protect your home and add fragrance to your linen and outerwear. It is enough to apply a few drops of ether on a cloth or paper napkin and place them in the apartment - where moths like to be.

Citrus

All citrus fruits have a very strong odor, which is an excellent pest repellent. Place fresh orange, tangerine, lemon or grapefruit peels on the shelves of your wardrobes and kitchen cabinets. Replace them as they dry out.

Lemon or orange zest, placed in cabinets, will help scare it away and drive it out of your home.

Natural remedies only repel moths, not kill them. In case of mass infection, they are unlikely to help you - in this case, you should give preference to chemical insecticides.

Watch more folk remedies (video):

Fly traps

If moths have flown into your home and you can't catch them, hang several sticky fly traps around the room. After some time, the butterfly will definitely stick to it.

Chemical agents against moths

Fighting moths at home cannot do without the use of chemical insecticides. They are represented by sprays and aerosols. Among the most effective are:

Dichlorvos - only cabinets can be sprayed with it;
Armol - acts on all surfaces (textiles, furniture, wood). To treat a small apartment, one can is enough;
Clean house - it should not be sprayed on clothes;
Raptor is an excellent fast-acting drug that allows you to destroy the entire population of insects as quickly as possible. Thanks to a special formula, the aerosol enters the insect’s body through chitinous membranes and the respiratory tract. This aerosol is non-toxic and has no unpleasant odor. It is suitable for processing clothing and wardrobe or upholstered furniture. The main thing is not to use it in the kitchen;
Antimol is a universal remedy;
Morimol, Foxid, Mittox, Supromit are insecticidal solutions that are used to protect carpets and upholstered furniture.

Aerosols sprayed in a room or closet kill not only adults, but also larvae. The drugs are easy to use, affordable and do not require additional preparation. It is necessary to close all windows, wait several hours, and then thoroughly wash and ventilate the room. Clothes and other textiles should be machine washed. Not only things are subject to processing, but also the wardrobe in which they are stored, as well as carpets and furniture upholstery.

When using sprays, strictly follow the instructions - this will allow you to quickly get rid of kitchen and indoor moths.

Fumigators against moths

Fumigators are simple and long-term means of controlling house moths. Plug in the device and let it do its job, the principle of which is to heat a plate with insecticide and evaporate chemical components into the air. In some models, the plates are replaced with a special liquid - both options work equally well. The most famous fumigators are Raid, DiK-3 and Mosquitall.

The fumigator is small in size - approximately 95*60*50 mm. The affected area covers up to 30 square meters. m. The device can be placed in any cabinet - an extension cord will help you with this.

Attention! Fumigators have a delayed effect - they do not work immediately, but within 3-14 days. This small drawback is compensated by a lower degree of toxicity than, for example, aerosols.

Moth traps

For those who prefer effective and safe methods of killing moths, we recommend using Swissinno traps. These devices do not contain chemical insecticides, so there can be no question of harm to health. The trap looks like a house with sticky walls. Attracted by the delicious smell coming from inside, the butterfly flies inside and sticks to the walls. The design is designed so that an insect can easily find the entrance - it is open on all 4 sides. Using the house is very simple - you just need to glue the device to a degreased surface.

Moth sections

Home methods for moth control include the use of special sections. They are produced by Raptor and Mosquitall. They have a preventive effect and are designed to repel pests. Sections are attached or suspended plates with different scents - lavender, chamomile, tangerine, etc. The effect of two pieces covers 1⁄2 square meters. m. cabinet area. They need to be changed once every 4 months.

Advice! Insecticidal aerosols, fumigators and sections should be stored separately from food and away from children.

How to remove kitchen moths?

You need to get rid of kitchen moths immediately, otherwise they will ruin all your food supplies. To do this you need:

Conduct an audit of the stocks of cereals, sugar, flour, dried fruits, nuts, etc. Gray plaque, cobwebs and sticky lumps indicate that pests have already been here. Food damaged by larvae will have to be thrown away. Calcine the rest in a hot oven for 20 minutes;

Wash cabinets, shelves and other places where food supplies are stored with washing gel and treat with sprays or fumigators;
Place garlic cloves, citrus peels, lavender sprigs, bay leaves and other fragrant herbs on all shelves.

Prevention

You know how to deal with house moths, but do you know how to prevent re-infestation? Prevention measures will help you with this:

All items in lockers should be clean, especially those that are put aside until next season;
Periodically wipe the interior surfaces of cabinets and wardrobes, treat them with disinfectants or vinegar solution;

Ventilate the house regularly and clean it;
Approximately once a month, clean carpets and upholstery with water and disinfectant;
Fur and wool products must be wrapped in clean plastic bags or newspapers (insects cannot stand the aroma of printing ink), and fur coats must be placed in thick paper covers. It wouldn’t hurt to spray them with an anti-moth preparation;
Carpets, blankets, rugs, pillows, etc. should be taken outside at least 2 times a year for airing and beating;
Winter shoes sent for storage also need to be prepared. To do this, remove the insoles, wash them well and dry them completely. Place tobacco, lavender or ether-soaked napkins in the shoes themselves.

Scientists include approximately 73,000 species of butterflies as moths, but when the pest appears in an apartment, theoretical research becomes not very relevant. It is important to know that some of these species are harmful to kitchen products, while others can cause serious damage to fabric and leather items. If there are allergy sufferers or small children in the family, then you need to get rid of the pest using safe methods. And in such cases it is better to use proven folk remedies.

How to get rid of moths using folk remedies

Nowadays, there are many professional means of getting rid of moths, but despite the wide selection of industrial preparations, traditional methods remain no less popular in the fight against moths in the apartment. The reasons are simple - folk recipes have many undeniable advantages when used at home:

Safety. This is especially true if there are small children and animals in the house.
Efficiency. If you use the recipes correctly, you can completely remove the pest from your apartment.
Availability. Home methods include using products you already have or that are simple and inexpensive to purchase.
Environmental friendliness. After using home recipes, you do not have to deal with the harmful consequences.

The disadvantages of using home remedies include a delayed effect: you may not see the result immediately.

Most folk remedies against moths use strong aromas.

When fighting moths, our ancestors usually used products with a pungent odor - moths cannot tolerate them. The following have stood the test of time: aromatic oils, scented soaps, aromatic plants, herbs, citrus fruits and, of course, vinegar.

Naphthalene, which may be the first product that comes to mind when thinking about moths, is now recognized as an unsafe product. Doctors have found that naphthalene is carcinogenic and causes tumors. In addition, the moth gradually developed an addiction to the drug, and now most populations are resistant to naphthalene.

In addition to repelling moths, essential oils have many beneficial properties, including a healing effect.

Moths react most intensely to lavender, fir, eucalyptus, rosemary, patchouli, citronella and lemongrass oils. Choose the most pleasant aroma from them so that you feel comfortable while fighting the pest. Just do not pour the product directly onto fabric or wardrobe items - stains may appear. It’s better to drop it on a cotton pad, a small piece of paper, or even just a paper napkin, and distribute it around the room, in places that might be of interest to moths.

If you have easy access to plants such as wormwood, tansy, mint, eucalyptus, cloves or nuts, then you can assume that the moth problem has been solved. From trees, fresh leaves and pieces of bark are used; the grass is collected during the flowering period. Plants need to be dried, tied into small bunches and placed on cabinet shelves.

It is better to collect fragrant herbs at the time of flowering, just before ripening.

To prevent grass particles from remaining on the fabric, you can use small bags, for example, tea bags, or simply wrap them loosely in a napkin. The main thing is that the aroma passes through unhindered.

When using dry herbs to fight moths, it is important not to forget to check whether the smell has worn out. If the aroma has weakened so much that it is no longer felt, the product needs to be updated.

Citrus peels

The peel of any citrus fruit (oranges, tangerines, lemons, limes and others) is good in the fight against moths, both fresh and dried. Our grandmothers saw tangerines with oranges mainly on New Year's Eve, but they never threw away the peels. They were dried and then put away from pests in kitchen cabinets and on shelves with clothes.

To repel moths, the peel must be fresh

Surprisingly, unlike many chemicals, moths have not developed an addiction to the pleasant aroma of citrus fruits, so 2-3 crusts on the shelf can scare away harmful butterflies from it for a long time. You just have to keep in mind that fresh peels, unlike dried zest, can go bad.

Fresh citrus peels on cabinet shelves should be changed before they show signs of drying, and mold should not be allowed to form.

Moths also cannot tolerate the aroma of herbs and spices. Bay leaf, pepper, thyme, coriander, curry, cinnamon, cloves, saffron, cardamom and even vanilla - anything that has a pungent odor repels moths and prevents breeding. Moths will not be able to lay eggs on shelves where these specific aromas are present.

Fragrant powders can be poured into small open containers

It is especially convenient to use spices and spices in the kitchen, where their aroma will only improve the atmosphere of the room. Bulk spices can be placed in places where pests accumulate directly in a special packaging, slightly unscrewing the lid so that the smell spreads better. Larger spices, such as vanilla or cinnamon sticks, as well as large peppers, can simply be laid out loosely on the shelves.

The method is universal, but due to the unpleasant smell it is used mainly for non-residential premises such as storage rooms and closets. To drive away moths using laundry soap, you can prepare a soap solution and wash the inside surfaces of the cabinets with it, or you can cut the bar into pieces and place it in places where pests accumulate. For example, in furniture, on the shelves of closets and cabinets, or in the pockets of clothes that you want to protect.

Fresh laundry soap will repel moths more effectively

The effect of laundry soap is also effective against moth larvae - it seriously limits their movement.

Tobacco or shag

This remedy should also not be abused when saving clothes from moths. It is better to use dry tobacco where the smell will only harm moths - inside furniture or in non-residential premises.

When using tobacco, it is important to ensure that the smell does not spread to clothing and living areas.

The method of application is similar to the use of herbs and spices: the dried mixture is put into bags with holes and placed in places where moths may appear. A good result is achieved by adding a few peas of black pepper per bag to the tobacco.

Tobacco and shag are effective against moths, but only in their natural form. Once shaken out of cigarettes, tobacco is useless.

Thanks to its pungent odor, vinegar has become one of the most effective folk remedies against moths. In the old days, housewives heated cast iron containers to high temperatures and poured this caustic agent into the bottom. The vinegar began to evaporate, and then the container was brought to the places where the moths appeared to saturate them with vapor. Nowadays, housewives add vinegar to the water when cleaning, which also perfectly repels moths. A few tablespoons of product per bucket of water is enough.

When using vinegar, you need to remember safety rules

But garlic, like mothballs, has not stood the test of time. True, not at all because of the harmful effects on humans and animals. Among popular advice you can find references to the fact that the pungent smell of garlic supposedly repels moths, but this is a very dubious statement.

Most moth species are resistant to garlic

The fact is that the long-term use of garlic against all kinds of insects has become addictive, and now many types of pests not only do not react to the smell, but also happily feed on this useful plant.

When using folk remedies against moths, it is worth remembering that most of them are based on repelling insects with the help of pungent odors. Before using the chosen method, make sure that family members are not allergic to it.

Photo gallery: additional methods of pest control

Camphor can repel moths from closets with clothes or food for a long time: just apply 1-2 drops to cotton pads or scraps of fabric and place them in places where the pest appears It is necessary to scatter the powder throughout the contaminated room approximately every 1.5–2 meters, but it must be taken into account that the total consumption per apartment should be limited to a few grams of dry matter The fruits of the plant do not have a strong odor, but moths still cannot tolerate them: you need to dry the chestnuts in the oven to prevent spoilage and place them on shelves
Geranium itself is a living repellent; one plant per room is enough to prevent the pest from appearing. Fragrant tobacco will protect the room from the invasion of moths, just water the flower in time, enjoy the beautiful flowering, and at the same time the absence of moths

Other folk methods for fighting moths

It is known that moths, like their voracious larvae, cannot tolerate either heat or frost. If possible, it is good to wash contaminated items at a high temperature and iron them or treat them with hot steam.

Ironing clothes and steaming completely destroys moth larvae

It is enough to bake food products in the oven at a temperature of 30 ° C so that both the moths and the larvae die.

Cereals and dried fruits can be baked in the oven

Freezing is also effective, but in order for the larvae to die, you will need to keep contaminated items and products at a temperature not exceeding -10 °C for at least a day.

It is known that neither moths nor larvae can withstand direct exposure to sunlight, so our ancestors took their clothes out into the open sun. In modern conditions, a quartz lamp copes with the task perfectly.

Moth larvae - major pests that cause damage to fabrics and food - are unable to attach themselves thoroughly, so they can be easily removed by simply shaking the clothing thoroughly. It is better to do this at some distance from residential premises to prevent the reappearance of the pest. If, after washing and airing, you pack seasonal clothes in a vacuum bag until the next wear, moths will not get to them.

Well-packaged products prevent moth infestation

The same applies to products: hermetically sealed cereals, dried fruits, and other food that attracts pests will remain safe and sound, because insects will not be able to get into it.

Frequent and thorough cleaning of the premises with a vacuum cleaner is a good way to prevent the appearance of moths. Such cleaning does not provide a complete guarantee, but as an auxiliary agent it acts effectively, especially in combination with ventilation.