Why not Mothballs?

Because the International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified Naphthalene (the main ingredient in mothballs) as possibly carcinogenic to humans. Not only that, but Naphthalene, when ingested or inhaled, will kill red blood cells and cause deficiencies of red blood cells if it is absorbed by the human body often enough.

Natural lighting in closets and in basements will help keep moths away. This is true only for clothes moths, which prefer dark, warm, humid areas. Natural lighting is something they try to avoid, which is why they’re in your closet or basement in the first place. Try putting a high efficiency fluorescent light up in your closet and keep it turned on. This should discourage moths from making your clothes a place to raise their young.

Pheromone sticky traps really are the best, safest and most natural way to get rid of pantry moths. Unlike other methods, moth traps don’t require that you spread poisons around the house. The pheromones that attract moths have been singled out by scientists, reproduced, and then layered over a sticky substance meant to trap the offending moths. Just try it. I’m sure you’ll agree, they’re the most effective way to get rid of moths.

“Like a moth to the flame,” is the cliché we hear so often of people cannot control themselves or their desires. What about the moths? Well, there are two very common types of moths that you’ll find in your home: Indian meal moths (or pantry moths) and clothes moths (of which there are two similar types).  If you’re looking at a moth right now and it’s large and in charge, you’re not dealing with a moth infestation; you just happened to get a very large visitor, who can be easily ridded with a vacuum. The moths you want to watch out for and control are smaller moths, about the size of the end of your pinky—not very large at all. For quick identification,  I’ve put a couple of pictures up in the left sidebar with the names of each type of moth. So, are you ready to get rid of moths? Good. Here’s how to do your own moth pest control.

Do-It-Yourself Moth Control

One of the most effective ways to get rid of moths, especially clothes moths, is to regulate the humidity of each room in your home carefully. Clothes moths are most comfortable at a relative humidity of 70-80%, which means that strategically placed and regularly running dehumidifier will help your control moth populations in your home. Just make sure to set that dehumidifier to extra dry, and set it in your basement, or wherever else you happen to be storing clothes.

To get rid of pantry moths or Indian meal moths as people like to call them, careful sanitation practices are required. Vacuuming around the pantry or places where food is kept will keep pantry moth populations at bay. This works for clothes moths as well, so long as closets, dressers, and storage areas are vacuumed clean as well. To ensure a completely pantry moth free pantry (say that five times in a row), pull appliances away from walls and wash with soap and water. Indian meal moths are particularly resilient and can survive on the smallest scraps of food.