Q&A for How to Get Rid of Moths

Yes! I've caught moths in a small bug zapper that sits on the counter or can be hung. I've also caught smaller ones in a mini-zapper that plugs in like a night light. It must have a UV light and not a blue LED; the UV is necessary.

The moths I have in my house are gold when they are grown, but the eggs and cocoons are white. They look like grains of rice sticking to my clothes.

As is mentioned above, essential oils can be used. So a spray bottle with some water and a few drops of lavender could be a good thing to spray around a clothes or the broom closet. For the food areas, try spraying a tea with rosemary, thyme, cloves, and bay leaves.

Take a deep breath, remember that the moths won't hurt you, and move quickly. Focus on something in the distance instead of the moths around you.

Lavender is very good to place in drawers, you can buy little sachets for this, or better still make your own. Get some fresh lavender and a small bag, place it in the bag and tie it up, then place it in your drawers. This should do the trick, and your clothes will smell nice too.

Tiny moths cannot, and larger moths can. Keep any cotton, or cloth away from a nest.

Peppermint essential oil helps with spiders, mice, and ants. You can use google as a reference for ways to use it to deter the pests.

You can follow the steps that are listed in this article to get rid of the moths.

I had this issue as well. Carpet cleaning services would not accept my area rugs unless I had them fumigated first to rid them of any eggs or larvae. Unfortunately the pest control chemicals are toxic, so this treatment requires you vacate the house during the process for however long the pest control agency recommends (and longer if anyone in your family has health/breathing issues). Then take your Oriental rugs to the carpet cleaners.

Kill any you can reach, and get moth traps for ones you can't. Check your pantry area as well for any larva or webbing in or around food, especially rice and pastas. They can get into almost any factory-sealed item.

When I had the same issue, I used a steam iron on high steam on the front, then turned it over in sections and steam ironed the back. It worked and was non-toxic, but heavy furniture will need to be lifted/moved by helpful friends.

Use regular-sized mothballs, and remove any contaminated items that may have been in-contact with a nest.

This sounds like the annual miller moth migration. If so, there's not much to be done, except to try to block their entry and vacuum often. Fortunately, they don't eat your clothing. If it's those destructive little ones, then put each natural fiber item, such as linen, in a ziploc bag & rotate through the freezer. Wash towels & other clothing frequently.

Sure. The problem is that if you live in the migration path of the army cutworm, there is a new batch of 10-100 (or more) moths per day. Try killing 100 moths one at a time.

Yes, moth bombs should work. But be careful, moth bombs are poisonous. Keep away from children and pets.

No. Though they are a nuisance, most common species of moth are not harmful.

Clear your wardrobes and wash all the items in hot soapy water. You may want to get some mothballs to keep them away.

Usually no, but it depends on the quality of the place it came from, how good they clean, and the quality of their workers and cleaning devices.

Miller moth is the term given to any type of moth that is particularly abundant in and around homes. In the eastern half of Colorado, the common miller is the army cutworm, Euxoa auxiliaris. The wings of all moths are covered with fine scales that easily rub off.

Call an exterminator. It's your only option at this point if you want to get rid of them.

It might be an idea to call a professional to help you if you can't do it yourself. Another idea is to ask your friends and family to do it. You could even offer to pay them for their time and effort.

No, moths cannot get under your skin and move around in your body. Moths aren't parasitic, especially not to humans.

Yes, but silk moths are not the same species as wool or pantry moths and eat very specific food that are not found in homes.

It's weird that they aren't attracted to light. They are probably horseflies, flies, or other black bugs. But they will likely eat both, whichever they find first.

The easiest way is to turn off all lights and electronic devices and lure the moths outside with a flashlight. Moths love light!

Yes, they can burrow into the wool carpet and feast on it. You’ll most likely find bald spots in the carpet. A vacuum on a high suction setting is beneficial but doesn’t always get them all, unfortunately.

Use a vinegar solution. Scrub the cupboards with the sponge soaked in the vinegar solution.

Try turning off the infrared night vision on the camera to see if that helps.

Try using moth traps, they work really well. Each trap comes packaged with a "moth attractant" tab. It will take several weeks to get 99% of the moths, but they return the following summer, so plan to always keep some traps on hand!