Moths terrify me, they really do. My husband rolls his eyes when I see a moth because I scream as if it were a devil sighting. I will do anything to get rid of moths short of using mothballs because mothballs are poisonous to humans and I have little kids I need to protect.
Part of my fear stems from superstitions associated with moths. Someone once told me that they are portentous of death and I swear that as a child I somehow got the impression that if a moth flew into your eyes you would go blind. Those superstitions may not be true, but what is true is that moths are death to your clothing and you don't want an infestation of them. There are ways to protect yourself and your clothes from moths though.
Read more ¿Que Mas?: Stop roaches in their tracks with these 5 surprising remedies
Click through the gallery I put together of nine ways to protect your clothes from a moth infestation!
Image via pmillera4/Flickr
Clean your clothes
If you notice that you already have moths in your closet, then you need to wash and clean your clothes to get rid of any eggs they may have laid.
Clean your closet
About four times a year or once a season, empty your closet and clean the inside of it with an all-purpose cleaner. You could even use vinegar. Make sure to wiped down shelves and baseboards.
Vacuum
If your closet is carpeted you should be vacuuming it once a week, so that you aren't attracting moths with dust and dirt. Moths love them some dust and dirt.
Moth traps
You can buy moth traps like this one to catch critters that may already be in your home or you could even make your own moth traps out of fly paper and fish oil. Amazon, $16
Store clothes properly
Store clean clothes that you aren't going to wear in airtight bins or those vacuum bags for ropa.
Beware food stains
If you have clothing with food stains, make sure you clean it before you put it in your closet. Moths love nibbling on food stained clothing. It's like your are putting a buffet out for them.
Keep it cool & ventilated
Moths love warm, humid spaces so keep your closet as cool and ventilated as you can. This is hard in some regions so do what you can: open the doors to get air in there, turn on a fan when you can.
Cedar
Cedar is a natural moth repellent and there are tons of cedar products available like this kit that you can use inside your closet. Amazon, $15
Ground black pepper
Another natural moth repellent is fresh ground black pepper. I'm not saying you should sprinkle it on your clothes, but you can make sachets with black pepper and put them in your closet.
