You’ve probably seen these guys in your pantry or near your clothes. You may have dismissed them or did some light vacuuming as a result of their presence. While you might fear the common house spider and kill them, pantry moths do more damage and are an enemy of the home. If you spot one of these flying menaces in your pantry, it’s safe to say that there are plenty more moth eggs and larva around. Here are some tips and tricks on how to effectively handle a moth infestation.

1. Dispose of All Dry Goods

To effectively remove the moths and risk spreading the infestation, bag up all the dry goods in your pantry. While that might seem like an extreme move, if you find one moth in your oatmeal chances are there’s more; an adult female moth can lay up to 400 eggs. To be on the safe side, ditch the flour, sugar, rice, pasta, and other dry goods in your pantry. After you’ve bagged all the dry goods, be sure to take them out to the curb.

2. Deep Clean The Pantry

Once you’ve disposed of the infested dry goods, do a deep clean of the pantry, just because their food source is gone does not mean they are. Moths’ tiny bodies can hide out in the smallest of cracks and the crevices of containers, so be sure to bleach the food containers. Wipe down the pantry with a 50/50 vinegar and water solution, add some peppermint oil to the solution–moths hate the smell of peppermint. After cleaning and vacuuming, wait a week or so to restock the pantry to make sure the infestation is gone.

3. Set Out Moth Traps

Think twice before you grab the pesticides, as they don’t work well on moths and it’s not safe for the kitchen. Save the moth balls for other places in the house, since their scent is so strong the food in your pantry may end up smelling like moth balls. A great odorless and food-safe option are moth traps. The traps are sticky and release pheromones that attract male moths. The moth will get stuck inside and die; this type of trap puts a wrench in moths’ mating process, less males moths mean less eggs.

4. Prevention

How do moth infestations begin? A lot of times they get into your home by hitching a ride on food products that came from moth infested warehouses. When you’re at the store, double-check the cans and packaging of food items before putting them in your cart and when you get home give the can a rinse–just to be safe. Purchase airtight glass or plastic containers to store your dry goods in, as this will help decrease the chances of another infestation. Another trick is to put peppermint leaves, bay leaves, or cedar chips in a sachet and place it in the back of your pantry or cupboard, that will deter moths from making a home in your food.

If you tried the methods mentioned above and are still having with moths, give Amco Ranger a call and we’ll come out and assess the situation. Our goal is to deliver the highest quality service and answer any questions you may come across so you can live a pest-free lifestyle. We’ll happily come to your home and provide you with a FREE inspection.