Pantry Moths: How To Get Rid Of Them And Prevent Them From Returning
Pantry moths are very frustrating bugs, but many people endure their existence because they don’t know how to get rid of them. However, if they are left to multiply, it becomes very difficult and expensive to completely exterminate them. In this article, we explore some ways to get rid of them and also stave off their return.
If you have pantry moths, the first thing we recommend you do is to give your pantry an intense auditing. Moths tend to colonize flours and grains, but you should also check your dry foods, candy, and also pet food.
Here are some more tips to get rid of an infestation below:
1. Keep an eye out for adult moths, larvae, and eggs that appear like webbing or clumps of grains.
2. Remove the infested food from the vicinity.
Take time to clean every corner and crevice of the pantry with a vacuum cleaner and warm, soapy water that you will dry immediately afterward. If it looks like an infestation, get rid of the trash bags.
3. Give the shelves, food containers, and flat surfaces a thorough wipe-down with white vinegar. You can also add some drops of essential oil like eucalyptus or peppermint.
On a final note, it's important to emphasize that the best way to protect your food store from pantry moths is to prevent an infestation to begin with. Here are some things you can do to prevent a moth infestation:
- Store all your food in airtight glass or plastic containers
- Use bay leaves to repel them by placing them in canisters and cupboards. This also repels other insects.
- When you buy dried foods, put them in a plastic bag in the freezer for a week to kill any eggs that may have been an aid in them.
Good luck!
