How to get rid of moths using folk remedies: a description of effective methods, methods of using essential oils and plants that repel the pest

Moths are among the harmful insects that are the most unwanted guests in our home. These small pests cause us not only inconvenience and discomfort, but also serious damage in the form of spoiled expensive fur coats, dresses made from natural fabrics and food. Moths include clothing, fur, furniture, kitchen and grain moths.

This insect especially often settles in polluted places. Therefore, to prevent its occurrence, you should carefully monitor the cleanliness of the room. If moths have already appeared in your home, then it is necessary to take urgent measures to combat it.

Features of using folk remedies for moths in an apartment

All known methods of getting rid of pests differ depending on what type of moth you have to fight: clothes moths or kitchen moths.

But they all have the same quality: they simply repel insects without destroying them . The only drawback of all these methods is their slow action.

Next, we’ll tell you in more detail about how to get rid of moths in an apartment using folk remedies?

Storage and care rules

To enhance the effect, you must follow these rules:

1. After washing, all wardrobe items are rinsed. Extracts or essential oils are added to the water. The use of covers, aerosols and sprays treated with repellents is allowed.
2. The sachets placed in the closet are changed every 1-1.5 months. After all, over time, they do not release the required components into the air.
3. Fur and wool products are ventilated and dried at room temperature.
4. When selecting repellent herbs, it is necessary to take into account personal preferences and the recommendations of experts, so that all pests disappear from the aroma of flowers.

The effectiveness of repellent herbs largely depends on the correct selection. After all, some types of moths require plants with certain characteristics.

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:

1. Place fresh citrus fruit peels near food products.
2. Peels that dry out and lose their flavor must be replaced promptly.

Spray use

The principle of action is the same as that of an aerosol - enteric contact. Contains larger insecticide particles that do not float in the air, but immediately settle on the surface. Therefore, moth spray is less toxic to humans and pets than an aerosol. Before spraying the substance, you do not need to wear a respiratory mask, goggles and gloves.

How to use the product?

• Shake the spray bottle for 2-3 seconds.
• At a distance of 20-25 centimeters from clothing (shoes, interior shelves or closet walls), press the spray head. For treating a surface area of ​​1 sq. The meter requires 50-60 clicks.
• After a day, put your clothes in the washing machine and clean your shoes. Do not wipe the interior surfaces of the cabinet.

The procedure is repeated every 6 months for preventive purposes.

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.

Classification of funds

For ease of use, many anti-moth products of various forms have been created. Each individual situation always has its own drug or device. You can choose from the following options:

• Aerosols, atomizing solutions (sprays) - allow you to quickly destroy parasites in an apartment, but have a number of disadvantages.
• Fumigators - it turns out that their use is not limited to just fighting mosquitoes; they can also be used against moths. Fumigators operate for a long time and destroy insects at all stages of their development.
• Sections - designed to repel adult insects.
• Traditional methods turn out to be quite effective, especially when used together with modern means.
• Traps - used to kill butterflies.

When a wardrobe is infested with moths, it is clear that all pests must be destroyed immediately, or they will turn the clothes into a sieve. For such cases, the best remedy is aerosols, which help destroy all adults and caterpillars in just a few hours.

Aerosols are the most effective weapon against moths in terms of speed of destruction, but their use is associated with great labor and time costs, especially since you will have to breathe insecticides during treatment and for quite a long time after it, and this may become unacceptable for people with allergies.

Fumigators are also very good at destroying pests, but their effect extends over time and takes several weeks to remove the pest. The advantage of using a fumigator, of course, is that it only needs to be plugged into an outlet. The concentration of insecticides when using a fumigator in the air is much lower compared to massive aerosol treatment, due to which the risk of allergic reactions is significantly lower.

Folk remedies and sections against moths are used only to repel moth butterflies, so it will not be possible to destroy the pest larvae using these methods. If there are already larvae in your clothes, repelling them with lavender oil or laundry soap is an absolutely ineffective method.

Lavender for moths

Lavender is considered the most popular folk remedy. This plant has a strong and very pleasant smell. It doesn't run out of steam for a long time. Lavender effectively repels both caterpillars and adult butterflies .

At the same time, dried flowers and essential oil made from the plant , which is a component of many industrial products used to get rid of insect pests, are equally effective.

Place the leaves of the plant in porous bags around the apartment, place them in the wardrobe between stacked things . If we are talking about essential oil, then it is placed on the shelves of cabinets directly in open vessels.

Clothes can be protected by spraying them with lavender infusion . You just have to do this often.

Important! Do not spray lavender or any other essential liquid onto your clothing. The quality of this product varies. If it contains at least a little palm or sunflower oil, stains will remain on things that are difficult or even impossible to remove.

Review of chemicals

As a rule, the use of chemical means of control is started when folk and available substances do not cope with their task. Chemicals have a great effect, but their use requires special protective equipment and a number of recommendations, as well as preparatory operations. The whole point is that at the time of processing the premises there should be no residents in it. Sometimes such conditions are simply impossible to meet. This is especially true when sick people who are unable to move independently live in the house. In addition, you need to find a roof over your head to wait until the chemistry wears off.

Special anti-moth sections

Such means of control are placed in closets, chests of drawers, etc., where these insects like to climb. There are types of plates that can be used even in the kitchen. These plates are valid for 6 months. They repel insects due to the unpleasant odor that these plates emit. As a rule, after some time the moth will completely disappear from the apartment.

The plates “Moskitol”, “Raid”, “Armol” and “Raptor” are produced. Manufacturers have thought about how to conveniently attach the plates anywhere. In this regard, this type of product is very popular.

Using moth traps

The traps are distinguished by the fact that they are absolutely safe for others, but have a detrimental effect on males, attracting them with a special aroma. Therefore, over time, the reproduction of insects decreases and, as a result, the moth disappears. This type of trap is safe for humans, since there are no harmful vapors or any ultrasound that affects the hearing organs. Such products include Mosquitall and Raptor traps.

Aerosols

Some chemicals are available in aerosol form. Like all other chemical components, aerosols have a detrimental effect on larvae and adults, but can also cause allergic reactions and have an unpleasant odor. They are also not always suitable for use in homes.

Rules of application:

• Do not spray the product anywhere. You should focus on areas where larvae and adults are concentrated.
• Aerosols are sprayed only when wearing personal protective equipment.
• Before spraying begins, all family members with pets must leave the apartment.
• You can return to your home only after the time specified in the instructions.
• Before returning, it is advisable to do a wet cleaning by wiping all surfaces with a soap and soda solution.

Recommendations for the use of aerosols:

• Aerosol "Raptor".
• Aerosol "Dichlorvos".
• Aerosol "Raid".
• Aerosol “Clean House”.
• Aerosol "Difox".
• Aerosol "Extra Mit".

Spray

Sprays are produced in plastic containers with spray nozzles. Some of the drugs have a high degree of toxicity. Such control agents effectively destroy insects and are also suitable as a prophylactic agent.

The product is sprayed onto knitted and fur items, including the surface of furniture. Often the moth dies after the first treatment.

Compositions available for use:

• ARGUS.
• Mosquitall.
• Tornado.

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 .

TOP 3 anti-moth plates

The plates are small flat rectangles of cardboard impregnated with aromatic fragrances and insecticides. They not only get rid of existing insects, but also prevent them from appearing again.

The plates last a very long time - for several months. And using them is very simple - just place them where pests are found.

Clean house

Hanging plate containing impregnation of lavender oil and insecticidal substance. It works for about six months, eliminating and protecting not only from moths, but also from skin beetles.

ATTENTION! The plates help against linen, wool, and furniture moths.

The plate is made in the shape of a hanger, so it can not only be placed, but also hung. It is recommended to use in any closed object such as a closet, cardboard box, chest of drawers, bedside table. Over the next 6 months, the plate will release insecticide into the space, working as a fumigant.

The product does not pose a serious danger to people and animals, since the insecticide is contained in low concentrations. You can purchase the plate at a very low price, which is 20–30 rubles.

Stopmol

Cardboard plates soaked in natural essential oils: coriander and fir. They are used primarily in the fight against wax moths. That's why they are placed in hives with bees.

NOTE! Find out about the beneficial properties of wax moth tincture and what diseases it can treat.

Volatile active substances effectively destroy absolutely all stages of insect development. For the drug to work, it is laid out on the infected honeycomb frames. The latter must be hermetically sealed in thick polyethylene and placed in a honeycomb storage facility.

Armol

The plates are impregnated with the pyrethroid empenthrine, which acts as a neurotoxin. It is guaranteed to destroy insects by entering the body through the respiratory tract.

The plates have a light lavender scent that fades over time. They act on caterpillars and imago moths.

The package contains 10 records at once, each placed in a separate sealed foil bag. The cost of such a kit is very low, it does not exceed 50 rubles.

For the product to start working, you need to remove the record from the packaging and put it in your clothing pocket or just on a closet shelf. The validity period lasts about 5–6 months.

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.

Aerosol use

The insecticidal substance is contained in a pressurized can. Thanks to the sprayer, the particles are evenly distributed in the air and then settle on the surfaces of clothing, shoes, and furniture.

Moth sprays destroy not only butterflies, but also larvae. These products act quickly: insects die a few minutes after spraying the can.

However, aerosols contain aggressive components that are harmful to the respiratory system and skin of humans and pets. The products are not suitable for combating grain moths because they can poison the food.

How to use moth spray?

1. Ask family members and pets to leave the premises. Remove plants and aquarium from the house.
2. Wear closed clothing, gloves, safety glasses and a mask.
3. Spray a can of aerosol on the interior shelves and walls of the closet, clothes, shoes at a distance of 20-30 centimeters for 10 seconds.
4. Leave for an hour. Return and open the room to ventilate for 30 minutes. Place your clothes in the washing machine and wipe your shoes with a damp cloth.
5. Clean the apartment. Wash the shelves and walls of the cabinet with soapy water and leave to dry. If you find maggots in your shoes, throw away the old boxes.

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:

1. The fruits are easy to collect and just as easy to arrange;
2. They act effectively and do not have a strong aroma ;
3. The fruits are quite large in size, so they are not capable of littering the apartment.

Life cycle of food moth

Despite the short life cycle (approximately 3 weeks), the moth causes quite a lot of damage. The moth's favorite delicacy is dry food: cereals, pasta, sugar, flour, nuts, dried fruits. Food moths do not pose a danger to human health, but they can cause enormous damage to food supplies.

Having settled in a person’s home, food moths immediately begin to multiply. Insects begin to lay eggs in food. The eggs hatch into larvae whose size does not exceed 1.5 centimeters. Externally, the insect looks like a moth. Although moths do not harm the human body, in large concentrations they can carry infectious diseases.

Such food is no longer suitable for human consumption. In addition, food moths fly around the kitchen, crawl on furniture, dishes, and cutlery, preferring to “hunt” at night. Wing scales remain on kitchen utensils. Therefore, before sitting down at the table, the dishes must be thoroughly washed and treated with boiling water.

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.

Causes of food moths

In fact, there can be many reasons for moths to appear in your kitchen. Here are a few of the most common ones:

• Large food supplies are available. Without food, this insect simply cannot reproduce, so it needs a constant source of food. Often, food moths like to settle in boxes of cereal, bags with a variety of cereals and dried herbs.
• Comfortable place to live. This insect avoids light, so it is almost impossible to detect this creature in a visible place. They love to hide in kitchen cabinets, pantries and other closed and unlit spaces.
• Musty room. Food pests cannot tolerate fresh air. Most often, she settles where there is no direct access to fresh air, but there is food.
• Lack of light. As mentioned above, moths avoid light, so they look for completely enclosed spaces without direct sunlight. That's why they love pantries so much.
• No pungent odors. She does not tolerate pungent odors such as citrus, lavender, vinegar, tobacco and eucalyptus.

Fragrant tobacco

Tobacco is another effective folk method against gray butterflies. Fragrant tobacco is usually used as a houseplant, but as for smoking tobacco, it is better to use it in the form of small dry leaves, as in the cigarettes we are used to.

Place regular tobacco in bags and place inside pieces of furniture. Don't forget to ventilate your wardrobe periodically.

Attention! Do not use tobacco to protect clothing from moths. Things soaked in it will lose their attractiveness.

Fumigators

A fumigator is a special device that contains a poisonous liquid for insects inside the bottle. When you plug in the fumigator, the smell spreads throughout the entire apartment. The smell is not strong and quite tolerable. The insects die within a few days.

Safe for children, animals and adults.

Fumigator Dick 3

Fumigator Dick.

An inexpensive and very effective device that appeared quite a long time ago. The rest of the fumigators were made according to the Dick 3 type.

Previously, it was thought that the poisonous aroma only killed mosquitoes, but it turned out that this remedy also works on moths. The substance can be in a liquid state or in the form of plates. After plugging in the Dik 3 fumigator, a poisonous odor begins to be produced that is destructive to moths. The device itself consumes little energy.

Fumigator Mosquitall

It costs more than other devices, although the efficiency is the same as that of other fumigators. Costs about 300 rubles. Kills insects, mosquitoes and moths quickly and effectively.

Fumigator Raid

Fumigator Raid.

The box contains not only the Raid fumigator, but also mosquito repellent plates. The smell from the plates is also detrimental to moths. This device has several special functions: intensity regulator and timer.

Of course, because of these properties, the fumigator costs 160-310 rubles. The efficiency is the same as the Dick 3 fumigator.

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:

1. Camphor . Soak swabs in it and place them in places where butterflies accumulate.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. black pepper (peas) using the same method .
5. 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.

Adviсe

1. At the end of the cold season, before storing a fur coat or hat, they must be cleaned and dried well.
2. To store fur and wool products, it is better to use special cases in which dried herbs or oil-soaked tampons should be placed.
3. You should regularly audit your wardrobe. Any insect will feel at ease where it is not disturbed. Therefore, regular inspection and cleaning of cabinets will help prevent the appearance of moths. Each fur or wool product must be carefully inspected for the presence of moth larvae.
4. Fur items should be shaken regularly to prevent damage. After all, the larvae and eggs of insects adhere to them very weakly, and fall off at the slightest shaking. Therefore, during wearing, things are not exposed to insects. Those that sit on the shelf for a long time suffer more.
5. Warm blankets, blankets, pillows and carpets must be periodically taken out into the fresh air to dry.
6. If traces of pest activity are detected, all items in the closet should be heat treated against moths. In winter, they can be laid out in the cold or hung in direct sunlight in summer. Items that are subject to hot processing must be washed and ironed. When washing clothes, you can add a few drops of essential oil and vinegar to the water. Folk or chemical anti-moth remedies will not be superfluous.
7. To prevent moths from infesting winter boots or boots, they must be dried before storing them. You can put any anti-moth remedy inside (a sprig of tansy or lavender, a tampon soaked in essential oil, or tobacco).
8. To prevent kitchen moths from infesting the house, all bulk products brought home must be stored in glass jars or tightly closed containers.
9. Regular cleaning and ventilation of the premises are the key to a clean, pest-free home.

Knowledge of folk remedies and the rules for their use will help prevent the appearance of moths in your apartment.

Essential oils

Essential liquids are an excellent and very effective folk remedy for repelling pests.

fir, eucalyptus, rosemary oil, as well as patchouli, lemongrass and citronella oil are actively used .

Mode of application:

1. Rinse the floor with water, after adding a few drops of essential liquid;
2. Wipe the shelves and surfaces where moths may accumulate with oil;
3. Lay out the swabs soaked in liquid;
4. Spray cabinets and rooms;
5. Place open bottles of anti-pest oils in wardrobes, kitchen cabinets and bedside tables.

Precautionary measures

Finding a hole in a mink coat or spoiled grain is an unpleasant surprise for any housewife. To prevent the appearance and reproduction of harmful butterflies, the necessary measures should be taken in a timely manner:

1. Check flour, cereals, pasta, dried fruits, cookies, nuts that are stored in kitchen cabinets and pantries. If you find small white eggs or yellow caterpillars with a brown head, throw away the contaminated food.
2. Food moths are afraid of temperature fluctuations. The food kitchen larva is hatched by heating the cereals in the oven at a temperature of +70...+80°C for 20-25 minutes. Freezing to -10°C acts more slowly - death occurs after 3 days.
3. Review your wardrobe. Insects do not attach well to tissues. Therefore, you need to go through and shake all things, especially those that have not been worn for a long time. Clothes that are moth-eaten should be thrown away.
4. To combat a pest in a clothing closet, you should consider the temperature at which the moth dies. In winter, clothes are taken out into the cold, in summer - into the sun. Caterpillars and pupae die in a couple of hours at -10°C, in hot sunny weather - after 5-6 hours.
5. Beat out or vacuum carpets, shake blankets, bedspreads, and feather pillows and place them in the sun.

A small gray butterfly that flies around the apartment brings big problems to its residents. To prevent the appearance of moths, it is necessary to keep the room clean and regularly inspect cabinets and dressing rooms. If an insect does settle in the house, simple, proven and reliable folk remedies will come to the rescue.

Naphthalene

Perhaps the most famous and most effective folk remedy for moths is naphthalene.

IMPORTANT! today it is not recommended for residential buildings .

But mothballs are still popular and help get rid of butterflies and insect larvae that cannot stand its pungent smell. Bags of mothballs are usually placed between stacks of clothes on the shelves of wardrobes.

Naphthalene is not able to fight food moths (more about fighting kitchen moths), only clothes moths, since food actively absorbs odors. Therefore, it would be unwise to expose food to spoilage. But there are many modern substitutes for naphthalene against pests that are no less effective.

Modern chemical compounds, which are freely sold in specialized stores, are always ready to help folk remedies for moths in the house.

But you shouldn’t neglect your grandmother’s old methods either, which, as practice shows, do not lose their effectiveness over the years and can be used when really necessary.

So, we told you how to fight moths using folk remedies, described flowers and plants that repel the pest, and also gave advice on how to remove moths from the kitchen using folk remedies?

NOTE! Find out where moths come from in an apartment? Did you know that wax moth exists, and the tincture of its larvae has many medicinal properties.

Effective folk methods

Traditional methods for fighting moths can be divided into two groups:

• repels adult insects;
• physical, aimed at destroying larvae.

However, before using a chemical drug, it is better to use the compounds of the first group and make sure of their effectiveness.

Tomato (mining) moth: how to get rid of an insect from a greenhouse, read more in this article.

Laundry soap

First on the list of popular folk remedies is ordinary laundry soap. The method has been used for a long time: the housewife always placed bars of soap on the shelves between the linens. The smell of soap is not tolerated by the butterfly itself, which has settled in the closet, as well as by its larvae. You can put small pieces of soap in the pockets of winter clothes, rub the back wall of the closet, or the underside of the carpet. For general cleaning in the apartment, you should take a soap solution. The specific smell of soap will scare away the gray butterfly. Laundry soap is an affordable universal remedy, but it has a drawback. The pungent smell permeates things and does not disappear for a long time, so you don’t want to hang a mink coat in a closet where the smell of soap is in the air.

Note! Laundry soap can be replaced with lingonberry or strawberry soap. The smell is more pleasant, but the effect is the same: butterflies and larvae disappear.

Geranium

Moth control plants can be found on windowsills in apartments; half a century ago, geranium (pelargonium) was the most popular indoor flower. She was grown not only for her beauty. If an insect, including clothes moths and food moths, approaches the leaves of the plant, it emits a pungent odor and repels it. It turns out that if you place flowerpots with geraniums on all the windows, they will create a barrier for moths. Some housewives place the wax leaves of the plant in the closet, but it is enough to leave the wardrobe doors open for a while. However, if the moth has managed to lay eggs, then geranium will not save things and cereals.

See also: Use this plant to fight moths at home

Vinegar and garlic

You can also get rid of moths using folk remedies, one of which is vinegar as a substance with a peculiar pungent odor. Some housewives pour caustic liquid into a heated frying pan. The pungent odor that appears during evaporation repels the gray butterfly. To enhance the effect, place a frying pan with vinegar in food tables and add a few drops of essential oils to it. You can simply dilute a few tablespoons of vinegar in water and rinse the inside of the cabinets and the floors in the rooms with the solution. If a clutch of eggs is found, you can brush it with a brush dipped in vinegar; the eggs will die.

When using vinegar to fight moths, you should not forget about safety precautions.

It is believed that the pungent smell of garlic can also repel moths. If you place peeled garlic cloves in the kitchen cabinet or put chopped garlic in a glass, the gray butterfly will never settle in it. However, this remedy turns out to be ineffective, because the moth stopped reacting to the garlic smell and simply got used to it. But modern housewives still place garlic cloves in sealable cereal containers.

When using products with a strong odor, you need to know for sure that family members will not have an allergic reaction to them.

Cloves, thyme, rosemary

Among the plants there are many whose smell cannot be tolerated by moths. These are repellent plants (they do not kill, but only repel insects). Among them are wormwood, thyme, rosemary, and cloves.

Interesting to know! In moth butterflies, the olfactory elements are located on the front legs. These organs are capable of detecting the smallest odors; their sensitivity is 100 times greater than that of humans.

You can use freshly picked plants and dry bouquets. It is better to put them in bags made of linen material and hang them in different places in the room, not forgetting about the closet with things.

Note! The smell of dry herbs gradually disappears, so after 2-3 months they need to be replaced with fresh ones.

The method is suitable for people who are allergic to insecticides against moths. The spicy smell of herbs, as a rule, does not cause allergic reactions.

Citrus peel

A popular remedy for gray moth is citrus peel. Fresh (mould-free) citrus peels are placed in kitchen cabinets and wardrobes. It will serve as protection for several months. As soon as the smell of the peels has disappeared, they should be replaced with new ones. The use of lemon, tangerine, and grapefruit peels is a preventive measure. It will not be possible to get rid of moth larvae with their help (the places where they spread can be treated with vinegar), but even if a moth flies into the kitchen, it will not lay eggs.

Essential oils

Essential oils such as eucalyptus, clove, lemon, rosemary, and citrus are effective remedies. The leader among them is lavender. The mixture of oils is prepared as follows: 2-3 drops of oil are dissolved in a glass of warm water. Use a cotton swab dipped in the solution to wipe the areas where the pest can settle. You can speed up the processing process by pouring the solution into a spray bottle.

Be careful, as traces of solution on the fabric are difficult to remove.

To enhance the effect, cotton pads with 2-3 drops of fragrant oil are placed in cabinets.

Naphthalene

Naphthalene, an old remedy, will help you get rid of gray moths in your home forever. Even in our grandmothers' wardrobes, things were saturated with the specific smell of mothballs. It has become so firmly established in our lives that it is considered a folk remedy. Today it has been proven that naphthalene vapors are dangerous for humans, as they can provoke the development of a number of diseases and even cancer. In European countries, this product is considered prohibited, but in our country housewives continue to save fur coats and other woolen items by laying out mothballs.

Note! Naphthalene is toxic, so the Ministry of Health prohibits placing naphthalene near food grains, as they quickly absorb odors.

Tobacco

Moths will not fly in and settle in the garden where tobacco grows. Peasants noticed this feature a long time ago and therefore saved things from the pest with tobacco leaves or shag. Today, many owners remember this method of fighting, but use tobacco. Clothes acquire a strong tobacco smell that does not disappear for a long time. To make the smell more pleasant, you can add a little dry chamomile to the tobacco. A mixture of tobacco and black pepper (peas) is used when blankets, clothes, and shoes are sent for storage.

Note! Only natural tobacco or shag will save you from moths. Tobacco extracted from cigarettes will not have any effect.

It repels white moths and green tobacco, so you can grow an unusual specimen on the windowsill in your apartment. When the plant is covered with foliage, cut off some of the leaves, dry, chop and pour into linen bags. The use of tobacco against moths has not become widespread because the smell of tobacco is specific, and women cannot stand it.

Lavender

The purple flowers of mountain lavender are also used to repel moths. The smell is as strong as tobacco, but has a pleasant aroma. Not only the flowers smell, but also the stems and leaves. To keep the aroma longer, the dried plant is placed in a woven bag and hung in a wardrobe. The spicy aroma will be a barrier to moths. For this purpose, it is suitable as a bouquet of mountain flowers or a pharmacy collection.

Interesting to know! Lavender is an evergreen shrub that came to us from the Mediterranean. The plant blooms in mid-summer.

You can use lavender in the following ways:

• prepare a decoction of lavender flowers and use during wet cleaning;
• dry the flowers and hang them in the corners of the room;
• pour the collection into fabric bags and hang around the room;
• use lavender oil, but this method is expensive.

Moths will not fly into a room in which the smell of mountain lavender is heard. If the house is infested with moths, then the smell of lavender will not help; it is better to try to remove the uninvited guests with chemicals.

Dill

Dill is a common plant in rural gardens. The Latin name for dill is anetum graveolens, which means “strong-smelling.” A green bunch of fragrant herbs picked from a garden bed is hung in the kitchen, or dry dill seeds are scattered on the table. The specific smell of the spice will scare away the gray butterfly.

Plectranthus

Plectranthus (mint) is a plant with round, drooping leaves. The plant has a specific smell, therefore it is considered an antiparasitic agent. Plectranthus leaves are laid out around the room. The pungent smell of the leaves prevents the white butterfly from flying into the room.

Chestnut

In the fight against moths, horse chestnut is used, which can be distinguished by its bright red inflorescences. The plant is rarely found in the wild, and specimens can only be found in city parks. Leaves and fruits are used. Chestnuts are dried, crushed and laid out in areas where moths are expected to live.

Note! An ordinary chestnut tree in nature can itself be “suffered” by moths (butterflies with a wingspan of 2 cm), which lay eggs on the tree. Moth caterpillars have a highly developed mouthparts, so they chew through thick leaves. European entomologists estimate the damage caused by this species to be large.

There are a lot of traditional methods against moths. By using them comprehensively, you can not only scare away the moth, but also get rid of it forever.

10 effective methods of fighting moths

What is he afraid of?

To understand what the kitchen moth is afraid of, you should determine its habitat. In the kitchen, the parasite can be found in cereals, flour, and any dry food products. To eliminate larvae, you should carefully review all packages of cereals, seasonings and similar substances.

It is important to get rid of all contaminated food items, otherwise others will gradually become affected.

Shelves can be treated with laundry soap or essential oils. This will be safe for the health of household members. Also, to repel, bunches of fragrant herbs such as mint and lavender are laid out. Spicy odors do not kill parasites, but only force them to look for another home.

Also, in the absence of lavender and mint, use bay leaf and garlic against kitchen moths.

But what you should be more afraid of is not flying individuals, but their larvae, which hide in secluded dark places and spoil food and things.

Signs of the presence of an insect

Determining whether this pest is in your home is quite simple. Once you see a moth fluttering around the room, you can be sure that uninvited guests have appeared somewhere in the wardrobe or in the kitchen drawer for food supplies.

To make sure of this, carefully examine all the cracks and corners in the cabinets. There may be pupae, remains of cocoons, caterpillars and adults. Another sign that it’s time to look for an answer to the question: how to get rid of moths using folk methods are:

• Holes in woolen clothes;
• Paths of eaten fur on hats and collars;
• Insect excrement under damaged wardrobe items.

But these are signs of a clothed representative of this species. However, besides this, cereal moths also parasitize our homes. Finding them is also easy. Look into bags of cereals and dried fruits. If this pest is present in the kitchen, the food will be damaged irrevocably.

Clothes moth

And if at the initial stage of appearance the cereals can still be sorted out, then if the butterflies spent more than one day there, then cocoons and larvae will be signs of their presence. And you are unlikely to want to use such products as food.

The main damage is caused by the larvae; they have adapted to their diet - clothing, carpets, and furniture upholstery.

What harm can moths cause in an apartment?

You shouldn't expect anything pleasant from this little moth. Although it looks quite harmless, it can cause a lot of harm, including:

• Corroded items made of wool and fur;
• Feather fillings in pillows turned to dust;
• Spoiled products, not only cereals, but also sweets and nuts;
• Contamination of furniture and utensils, which can lead to the spread of diseases.

These are the main reasons why moths should be combated using folk methods or using insecticides - only the homeowner can decide.

Food moths are found in many foods. This especially applies to bulk products.

But remember that the latter are also unsafe for humans if used incorrectly. Therefore, before choosing a specific method, find out all the pros and cons of each of them.

Food moths feed on groceries and flour products