How to Get Rid of Pantry Moths

Moth

Having a moth infestation problem? Here’s how to deal with it without using harmful pesticides:

What You Need:

• A vacuum cleaner
• Vinegar
• Soap and water
• A mop

What You Do:

1. Inspect All Food in Your Pantry for Signs of Infestation: Look for larvae in and on food packaging. Also look for webs (as these may belong to moths, and not spiders). Grain-based products, like flour, cereal, pasta, and baking mixes, are a moth favorite, ditto for nuts and sweets. But don’t limit your search to these items. You may find larvae tucked into the edges of cans, on spice jars or even in unopened packages and closed canisters. If you have pets, be sure to check their food, too. Toss any infested foods that you find, and wipe down any affected cans with undiluted vinegar to kill the larvae.
2. Give Your Pantry a Thorough Cleaning: Pull out your shelf liners (and wash or replace them). Vacuum the shelves, paying special attention to the corners, undersides, shelf brackets, and mounting hardware. Vacuum the walls, baseboards, trim, floor, ceiling and door (including the inside edge, hinges, and knob). Then, wipe down your pantry shelves with hot, soapy water or vinegar; and mop the floor. When you’re done with your clean up, remove the vacuum bag, and take it out to your outside trash bin (wash out the dust compartment, if you used a bagless vacuum). You don’t want to harbor moth larvae in your vacuum.
3. If You Have Space, Place Your Grain and Nut Products in the Freezer: Wait until you’re confident that you’ve removed the problem. It will prevent further contamination. Also consider storing new groceries in a different spot (i.e., a good distance from the pantry), until you’ve had time to monitor things for 2 or 3 weeks. This simple move will keep you from having to throw out (and replace) more food.
4. Still Seeing Moths? Go back over your pantry, and look for spots that you may have missed in your previous clean out. Are there cardboard boxes (opened or unopened) that they could be living in? Have you opened all sealed containers? Did you look behind the paper labels on candy bars and jars? Could they be lurking inside the pages of cookbooks? What about tea bags? Have you checked all of your candy, dried fruit, and nuts carefully? Did you check all the pet food? Have you thoroughly inspected all food items that you haven’t used in a while? Do you have any kids’ artwork in the kitchen that includes macaroni? What about play dough? Don’t stop looking, until you figure out where they’re hiding.
5. No More Signs of Moths? Restock your pantry, but continue to check for moth activity on a regular basis.

This to-do list is very thorough and demanding but if done right, you can get rid of all your moth problems. However if you do not have the time to do all of this, calling a moth exterminator is the next best thing. Or if you want more information on moths, you can click here.