How to Prevent Property Damage Caused by Moths

 

 

 

 

With over 165,000 species of moth, it’s no surprise that some find their way into your home.

These pesky insects are so small you hardly notice them and may be doing damage to garments and other textile items around your home. Hence, furnishings and fabrics are at risk from these common pests since they can be tricky to prevent.

The good news is that you can do a few proven things to reduce the likelihood of getting a moth infestation.

Read on to learn how to prevent the most common property damages caused by moths!

Types of property damage caused by moths
It is essential to carry out moth treatment as early as possible to keep the damage caused by moths to a minimum.

These moths' larvae (caterpillars) can eat through stored foods, clothing, furniture fabrics and carpets, causing contamination and physical harm.

Consuming all those things prepares them to metamorphose into mature winged moths. If moths eventually run out of natural fibres, they may even snack on pet fur!

Generally, you aren't aware of them until it's too late.

Holes to clothes
Moths love to eat clothes as they're a warm and dry place to lay their eggs during the breeding season. All that delicious animal material prepares them to metamorphose into mature winged moths. If you have holes in your clothes, two prime suspects are case-bearing and webbing clothes moths. There are plenty of signs of moth infestation. Look for small bite holes, torn fabric, larvae or eggs on clothing, and tracks in the dust on flat surfaces.

Damage to upholstery
Moths live in dark, quiet places and feed off protein. Making storage areas, articles of clothing and upholstered furniture prime living spaces for them to breed. They may infest upholstered furniture (inside and out) and in vents and ducts where the larvae may feed on lint and shed pet hair and other bits of debris.

Stains on hard surfaces
Moths will feed on contaminants that the rug fibres hold are holding onto, destroying your prized floor covering. Old sweat and liquid spillages provide a perfect feeding site for the hungry hatchlings. The female clothes moths will find an excellent site for their eggs to hatch – and the dirtier, the better!

Strange noises
Some moths can emit a loud, unpleasant chirp when irritated. This is caused by breathing in and then expelling air, so the epipharynx vibrates like an accordion. Not all moths are quiet; some species may even create a humming sound that prevents bats from eating them.

How to effectively prevent moths from entering your home?
The best way to deal with the moth menace is to prevent them from entering your home altogether.

You’ll want to seal off any potential entry points to keep them out of your house entirely. This means checking the screens of doors and windows for large tears and ensuring that all doors have proper weather stripping.

Clothes moth prevention is always more straightforward and cheaper than eliminating an active moth problem. The tips below will help you avoid additional moth issues and have complete moth control.

Keep the closet clean
You must pick up a proper maintenance and cleaning routine to keep moths out. This means vacuuming every closet corner and getting all those hard-to-reach spaces requiring more effort. Moths love dark, humid environments, so do your best to keep your closet cool and well-ventilated.

Store food properly
Checking what you have and moving pantry contents around will immediately ensure you are not providing a safe, undisturbed environment for pests resulting in moths in the pantry and kitchen cupboards. Store everything in airtight containers to prevent them from gaining access to food or a place they can lay their eggs inside.

Brush wool and fur clothing
Moth eggs can easily infiltrate your closet by affixing themselves to these materials. So, scraping them off regularly can help keep any moth larvae from getting inside. If you’ve worn a wool, fur, or feather garment outdoors, brush it off before you enter your house.

Keep the wardrobe ventilated
Moths are drawn to warm and humid spaces. Therefore, keeping your wardrobe well-ventilated will help to prevent them. Likewise, remove all the clothes that have sweat, food, or body oils on them.    

Vacuum regularly
Moths prefer to lay their eggs in remote locations because they are less likely to be disturbed there. If you don’t take action on time, moths can cause catastrophic damage to the most valuable items in your home. Preventative cleaning and vacuuming are the best ways to keep these destructive creatures at bay.  

Use mothballs
Mothballs keep moths and other fibre-eating bugs away from your clothes, usually placed in the wardrobe or closet. They will kill the adult clothes moths, eggs, and larvae through the released vapours. For a mothball placed underneath clothes, it can take up to 12 months to dissipate.

Cedar repels moths naturally
Cedar is an effective moth repellent in all forms. The smell of potent cedar can be used in oil form or in the form of cedar blocks and hangers, which you can buy online. To keep moths in check, you need to revive the potency of cedar by replacing cedar balls, strips, sprays, or chips every six months.

How to get rid of existing moths?
Moths like to hide in dark, unnoticed and sometimes hard-to-get-to areas, so once they’re established, it can be challenging to get rid of them all without the right equipment and know-how. Unfortunately, brutal actions are needed if you have an infestation.

Here are some crucial steps on how to get rid of moths:

●        - Clean thoroughly. Vacuum and wash down surfaces.
           

●        - Regularly clean clothes, particularly those made of natural fibres and store             woollens in sealed plastic bags or tightly closed cupboards.
           

●        - Throw away clothing that’s been significantly damaged.
           

●        - Use pheromone moth traps to trick and capture male moths looking for mates. This breaks the breeding cycle.
           

●        - Space clothes out to prevent the larvae from spreading/transferring onto other clothing items.
           

●        - Add lots and lots of natural herbs to wardrobes, shelves and drawers. Fill bowls with potpourri.

If all else fails, hiring a professional moth control company might be best to deal with the moth issue. The experts will then thoroughly assess the situation and ensure the best ways to deal with it are implemented.

Conclusion
While they aren’t harmful to humans, they’re notorious for damaging expensive wool and cashmere clothing and consuming food items.

You may not know you have a moth problem before it is too late and the damage has been done.

As you can already tell, it is much easier to take steps to prevent clothes moth infestations in the first place than it is to get rid of moths once they are in your home.

Luckily, moths don’t have to pester your life when you know how to deal with them appropriately.