How to get rid of moths in an apartment?

What does a mole look like?

About 15,000 moths live in nature, but only a few of them live in our homes:

• wardrobe or woolen;
• fur coat;
• furniture;
• food;
• grain;
• rye;
• potato;
• cabbage.

Outwardly, all types of domestic moths resemble small butterflies: when their wings are folded, the insects are rather narrow, like tubes.

Often in the house you can see street gray moths, but they are safe for the house - here they do not eat anything, usually they just fly into the light through open windows.

So, to get rid of moths in an apartment, we define what species does it belong to:

• Shubnaya... Shiny golden upper wings with dark dots, lower ones unsightly gray. The wingspan reaches 1.5 cm. The larvae are small, almost transparent, they live in fur products (fur coats, sheepskin coats, vests, hats).
• Wardrobe... Flying individuals are larger than the previous species (slightly more than 2 cm), the wings are sandy-brown, at the base they can cast a purple undertone. Caterpillars are transparent white with a short edge. Lives in natural wool - can easily ruin sweaters, vests, hats, scarves.

• Furniture... If you find houses of light yellow butterflies, whose wings have a silvery sheen. Or you saw laid eggs or empty cocoons at the bottom of an armchair / chair or other upholstered furniture - you know, your furniture is already being eaten from the inside with might and main.
• Food... Small parasites, up to 1 cm long, are found in food supplies (dried fruits, nuts, cereals, flour, sugar). The wings are light above, from the middle to the bottom have horizontal dark brown stripes or simply darken towards the ends. The offspring are small: white caterpillars with dark heads.

The main signsshowing that pests have started in the house:

1. Flying butterflies... The easiest way to see them is in the evening (the moth does not like sunlight). If at least one female or male is found, most likely there are already offspring somewhere. Do you see a couple of insects regularly? Start taking action as soon as possible!
2. Larvae... Have you seen white caterpillars in a bowl of flour in the kitchen, or have you removed a transparent larva from your favorite wool sweater? All contents of drawers and cabinets should be carefully checked. It is best to pack contaminated items in a tight plastic bag and discard.

Important! It is the larvae that inflict the main damage: therefore, the chances of getting rid of pests by simply swatting flying adults are extremely low.

What makes a mole start?

There are 3 main ways that moths enter an apartment:

1. Through the window... Since moths behave in exactly the same way as ordinary moths, they often arrive at the light that burns in houses and remain to live in them.
2. Through ventilation... If a moth starts up in neighbors, it is highly likely that it will fly to you.
3. With a person... Most often, residents themselves bring butterflies or larvae on their clothes, in jars and food bags.

Features of the fight by species of insects

Since all types of moths still belong to the same family, the methods of dealing with these pests are similar to each other. Therefore, we will not analyze the process of destroying each subspecies separately, but divide it into only 2 classes: clothes (it feeds on things made of fur, wool, natural fabrics, upholstery, furniture filler, carpet pile) and food (dangerous for food).

Take a look a selection of tips for quick cleaning.

Clothes moth

The fight against moths in the wardrobe begins with a general cleaning:

1. clothes need to be obtained,
2. spread out in the sun (or put out in the frost),
3. and wash the cabinet inside thoroughly.

Important! It is not enough to process one compartment, if the cabinet is large - inspect, sort through and wash every shelf, drawer, hard-to-reach corner.

After sunbathing, wash items with larvae in water with the maximum temperature allowed for the fabric. If the mole is furniture - a sofa, chair or armchair should be dry-cleaned (or call specialists at home).

Advice! Hang your clothes on cedar hangers to prevent moths from starting - insects are deterred by the smell of this tree.

Food moth

It is not so easy to remove moths from food, the most effective method is to dispose of all stocks of bulk products (cereals, dried fruits, nuts). And in the future, use the decanting method: store the purchased food not in bags, but sleep in plastic, tin or glass containers with tight lids.

If the hand does not rise to throw away all the provisions, go through the kitchen supplies: in those where the larvae are found, they must be thrown out. The rest is just enough to pour and periodically check for the appearance of caterpillars.

Important! After sorting, carry out a damp cleaning with detergent, after finishing wipe the interior of the cabinets with a damp, clean cloth and vinegar.

Folk ways of fighting

You can get rid of moths in the house with the help of folk remedies for fighting insects: they are more environmentally friendly, safe, and no less effective.

Indoor flowers

For many grandmothers, it is not without reason that geraniums live on the windowsill in the kitchen. The sharp natural smell of the leaves and flowers of pelargonium scares away moths: they prefer not to fly into such apartments.

Lavender and wormwood are no less effective. Herbs can be grown either on the window, or you can collect bouquets or aromatic oils from dried ones.

Lavender essential oil not only poses a danger to butterflies, but also works as an antidepressant for humans. As a rule, most people like the smell of these lilac flowers.

Spice

As it is clear from past actions, the main remedy for moths is based on smell. And spices are no exception. It is better to add fragrant bay leaves, clove buds, rosemary sprigs or garlic heads to jars of cereals. Such additives will not affect the taste of products after cooking, but they will help to destroy pests.

Soap

This the method was also used by our grandmothersto get rid of moth larvae: they kept in wardrobes ... fragrant or laundry soap. The first is effective in preventing the appearance of moths (it is better to choose lavender sticks), it also serves as a fragrance for clothes. The second contributes to the death of already appeared larvae or eggs.

How to get rid of with professional tools?

If bald spots are already noticeable in your favorite sweater, there is simply no time to grow geraniums: you need to look for a solution in the store. Professional chemicals, coupled with preventive measures, will help get rid of moths in your apartment forever.

Aerosols

Sprays are suitable for treating rooms, individual items, pieces of furniture. Helps fight all types of moths act instantly.

Of the cons aerosols, a strong odor can be noted: they should be processed according to the instructions, wearing a protective respiratory mask and goggles. After the end of active spraying, leave the room closed for 1-3 hours.Then ventilate regularly for several days. Separate objects (furniture, clothes) are best processed outdoors (street, balcony) and left outside the apartment until the pungent odor has weathered.

There are a lot of sprayers, we have chosen the TOP-3 with the highest rating:

1. Armol Expert,
2. Raptor,
3. Raid.

Pills

Specialty moth pills work much like soap: they damage insects with a strong, persistent scent. Put the pill on a shelf in a closet or leave it in a closed drawer of a chest of drawers, and no one will harm your woolen things or your favorite fur coat.

The tablets are mainly produced with the scent of lavender - therefore, their aroma is absolutely not dangerous for humans. Although, we must admit that it does not erode quickly and not everyone likes it.

Advice! To protect your fur coat during seasonal storage, put one tablet at a time in your pockets and hide the product in a special case.

Fumigators

If too strong a smell affects not only insects, but also you, choose a heat fumigator: most of the plates have a subtle or completely indistinguishable aroma, while the active substance (insecticide transfluthrin) quickly spreads through the apartment, settles on furniture and things, protecting them from pests for 3-4 months. Adults will not be able to reproduce, and already laid eggs or larvae will simply die.

Fumigators are great for people who prefer to sleep with their windows open and do not have protective mosquito nets.

Traps

The trap is ineffective in itself, but it has an undeniable additional effect. The fact is that sticky traps can only catch adult males (stickers are impregnated with female pheromones). That, firstly, leads to a reduction in the population of flying individuals, and secondly, reduces the chances of reproduction.

They should be placed in places where cereals, flour, sugar are stored - kitchen cabinets or drawers. Change as it is "filled" - from once every few days to several weeks.

Sections

They act on the principle of the same repulsive odor. But unlike tablets or plates, the sections exclude human contact with the repellent - therefore, they are great for allergy sufferers or families with small curious children and animals.

A small plastic box is attached anywhere (usually inside a wardrobe / chest of drawers), closer to warm woolen, fur things. Thanks to the sections, the moth does not lay larvae, and the ones that have already been laid simply die.

Prevention of the appearance

Taking preventive measures is always easier than getting rid of the consequences of pests that have appeared. Therefore:

• Regularly "shake" clothes, wipe the shelves, boxes where it is stored.
• Treat winter items before storing them for seasonal storage.
• Keep kitchen cabinets clean, remove spilled cereals and crumbs in time.
• Pour purchased bulk products into airtight containers.
• Get rid of old clothes, expired products in time.
• Do not store used clothing in the same place as clean stored clothing.
• Arrange plates, tablets, soap, aroma oil, spices, cedar balls or hangers in the cupboards.

Start taking action as soon as you notice the first signs of the presence of moths: so the chances of removing insects quickly and without loss for the family budget are much higher.