How To Prevent & Get Rid Of Fabric-Eating Moths

Part of living well, within your mean involves taking good care of your things. In my recent closet clean out, I've taken extra step to ensure myself a bug-free experience with the information that follows from Home Hacks...although I'm stopping short of putting my sweaters in the freezer!

If you're like me, you find mothballs equally as bad as the moths themselves. Here's the scoop on natural moth repellents that actually smell good.

What You Need

Ingredients

Moth repellents – cedar, herbs, essential oils

Tools

Washing machine or dry cleaner

Vacuum

Airtight containers

Iron
Freezer

Instructions
1. Moths are attracted to soiled fabric, so launder or dry clean clothing before placing it in extended storage. Laundering in hot water also kills moth eggs and larvae.

2. Regularly and thoroughly vacuum the closet and surrounding areas. Moths like dark places such as corners, baseboards, edges of carpets, under furniture, etc. If there are signs of infestation, discard vacuum bags outside, away from the home.

3. Store susceptible clothing (wool, silk, fur, and other animal fibers) in airtight boxes or bags. Make sure there are no holes and seal with packing tape for extra insurance.

4. If you have signs of infestation, ironing clothing can kill moth eggs and larvae.

5. Freezing is also said to kill eggs and larvae. You can even store sweaters in the freezer!

6. Cedar repels moths if it has a strong enough odor. Look for it in the form of blocks, balls, hangers, or boxes and sand it with sandpaper every few months to revive the scent.

7. You can purchase moth repellent sachets, but it's also easy to make your own. Fill fabric pouches, tea bags, wiffle balls, or just a bowl with moth-repelling herbs or essential oils like lavender, rosemary, mint, thyme, cloves, peppercorns, lemon, eucalyptus, and ginseng. Refresh every few months, and enjoy the bonus of a nice smelling closet!