When choosing a moth repellent, you need to decide on the type of pest and the effectiveness of the drug. In our apartments we encounter food, clothing and furniture moths. You need to start fighting house moths by finding their habitat. Manual destruction of moths (usually males) fluttering around the apartment will not bring the desired effect. You need to get rid of females that lay larvae, which then turn into caterpillars that eat clothing, furniture or cereals. This article contains tips for removing moths at home and describes the main folk and chemical remedies against moths.
Folk remedies for moths in the apartment
All moth control products are classified depending on cost, route of exposure and duration of effect. Let's consider the most acceptable of them. Traditional methods include using materials such as fresh orange peels to control food pests. Food moths do not like the smell of citrus fruits; if orange peels are laid out on grocery shelves, the moth will not stay there for long. But if she has already laid eggs there, then laying out citrus peels will not help get rid of her.
Folk remedies for clothes and furniture moths - naphthalene, laundry soap, geranium and lavender leaves and lavender essential oil - all this will help in the fight against moths at home. Laundry soap was placed on shelves and pockets of clothes; moths cannot stand its smell. Dry herbs of tansy, dill, rosemary, and wormwood are also used to repel moth butterflies. Ancient and folk remedies also include spells against moths in the house, but we will not evaluate their effectiveness. You can learn more about traditional home remedies for moths.
Spray "Moskitol"
Insecticidal aerosol effectively protects carpets, furniture upholstery and clothing made from any type of fabric from clothes moths. The drug has a delicate effect, it does not leave stains and does not damage the structure of wool and fur products.
- Mode of application. The product is sprayed onto the interior of furniture and onto clothing at a distance of 20–25 cm .
- Manufacturer – Russia .
- Volume –100; 150; 200 ml.
- Shelf life – 3 years .
- Depending on the volume of the drug, its cost can vary from 90 - 130 rubles .
- Contraindications. The spray is not recommended for use by people who are hypersensitive to the substances included in its composition. After treatment, the apartment must be ventilated for thirty minutes.
Review:
My friend's moth almost ate her new fur coat. We bought Moskitol from annoying insects at the supermarket and sprayed everything in the closet. To be honest, I found the smell quite pleasant. I even doubted that it would work. But after a couple of treatments, the winged beeches died.
Sprays against moths and larvae - which is better?
Sprays are quite effective, but aggressive substances, unlike traditional natural remedies. Some of them are applied only after pets and children have been removed from the apartment. Although they produce a modern line of safe aerosols that leave no odor after use or leave a pleasant lemon scent. They process all the clothes in the closet and furniture upholstery. They are most effective when treating pest masonry, destroying the moth and its offspring at the same time. Which remedy is the most effective? We have collected a small rating of products with customer reviews.
Moth spray Arnest "Armol" and reviews
The most famous spray against house moths is Arnest “ Armol ”. Available with and without odor (Armol Expert) for production and warehouse premises. The cost does not exceed 100 rubles.
“Armol spray has practically no odor, leaves no marks on clothes, and most importantly, it destroys moths and their larvae well. It’s better to spray as soon as you see the first moth in the closet, otherwise it will create holes.”
“In the hallway there is always Dichlorvos and Armol on the shelf. From time to time you have to spray it on the landing and at home for prevention. The moth disappeared at the entrance and never entered the apartment. There is an effect!”
"Raptor" moth protection - customer reviews
The next inexpensive but widely known spray is Raptor
» Moth protection. It will help get rid of moths and leave behind a sour lemon smell. The cost of such a cylinder is about 150 rubles. According to the manufacturer, moths will not appear for a year after treatment. Let's find out from customer reviews if this is true.
“I bought Raptor for moths, it didn’t seem to be expired, after treatment the moth disappeared only for two weeks. Apparently the larvae remained unharmed. I will spray again. If it doesn’t help again, I’ll go for another anti-moth remedy.”
“Raptor, which has a logo with a dinosaur, helps very well against moths... We somehow got moths in our studio. We processed everything according to the instructions before closing and aired it in the morning. There was a slight lemon scent left. The moth has disappeared, half a year has passed and has not appeared yet.”
Universal spray "Clean House" - reviews
Clean House aerosol against moths and skin beetles also removes moths quite well. Costs about 150 rubles per bottle. Here's what customers write about it.
“The bottle of Clean House from Moths says “instant action” and this is true. After treating the apartment, the moths arrived dead, although we had to leave the apartment because the product was very toxic and had a characteristic smell. They came, aired it out and things got better. The main thing is that the moth was removed once and for all.”
“It’s a good product, but the smell is nuclear. Although it smells like some kind of flowers, it’s impossible to breathe. The moth kills well, it dies immediately. I treat my closets with it twice a year - in spring and late autumn, before putting away my clothes.”
Aerosol "Bros" against moths - reviews
Bros spray lasts up to 4 months. The active ingredients prallethrin and phenothrin are effective in combating food, clothes and furniture moths. It has a light scent and does not leave marks on things. The price is around 200 rubles. Here's what they say about him.
“There was no proven Armol in the store, I had to take a new product - Bros. aerosol. There is an effect, but only for two weeks, then the moth came out again. I don’t recommend this Bros.”
“Sacks with a fragrant substance always helped against moths in the closet, but they apparently fizzled out and moths appeared. I bought Bros and sprayed it in the closets and throughout the apartment just in case. The effect is noticeable, no doubt."
Mosquitall anti-moth spray - reviews
Mosquitall is usually associated with the phrase “that’s why they don’t bite,” but the manufacturer of this brand is not limited to mosquito repellents. Mosquitall for moths costs about 200 rubles per 100 ml. The effectiveness has been proven, but the effect does not apply to moth larvae.
“Mosquitall anti-moth spray has a rather pungent odor, but dissipates quickly. Burns out a moth colony perfectly! Repeated treatment is needed after a month. Apparently it has no effect on moth larvae.”
“I purchased Moscutal against moths for a small sewing workshop. It is excellent for preventing the appearance of moths, but there are cheaper and more effective means. It seems that the price was raised only due to the popularity of the brand.”
Aerosol "Extramit" against moths - reviews
Extramite spray has a lavender scent that moths do not like. In fact, it is a complete analogue of Armol, the composition is identical. Kills moths within a few hours, lasts up to six months. The cost of a bottle is approximately 70 rubles for 150 ml, which is very cheap. Reviews of Extramit are given below.
“In the spring, I put winter jackets and fur coats in the closet. I opened the closet, and moths were flying out of there; I didn’t dare put the fur coat in this closet. I went to the store for an anti-moth product, there was only Extramite aerosol. I sprayed in the closet, next to him, behind him. Only after that, with a calm soul, I put my winter things away there.”
“Aerosol Extramite brought the moths out of the closet once and for all. It’s an inexpensive drug, but it saves you a lot on buying new things!”
It is impossible to clearly determine the leader among moth sprays; they are all effective in their own way. In terms of price-quality ratio, the leader can be identified as “ Armol ”.
Spray "Raptor"
The aerosol is intended to destroy the clothes variety and its larvae. It contains pesticides and insecticides that have a contact-intestinal and nerve-paralytic effect on parasites. The drug has a prolonged effect, guaranteeing protection against insects for up to 12 months.
- Mode of application. The product is sprayed at a distance of 20–30 cm onto furniture upholstery, carpets, clothing and the interior surfaces of cabinets and mezzanines.
- Manufacturer – Russia .
- Volume – 175 ml.
- Shelf life – 36 months .
- The average cost is 90 rubles .
- Contraindications. The drug is not recommended for use by nursing mothers and pregnant women , as well as people suffering from asthma or allergies. After using the product, it is recommended to ventilate the room for 30 minutes.
Review of the product:
It depends on everyone, but we have a special moth - it doesn’t eat fur coats or sweaters in the closet, but the upholstery of the sofa from the wall side. Personally, this was my first time encountering this. It's good that you can easily move the sofa to spray. In short, we didn’t bother for a long time, bought the notorious Raptor and quickly sprayed everything. Well, what can I say! Indeed, the moth disappeared, but I just had to treat it with Raptor almost every day for a week. And the upholstery also had to be bent a little and embroidered. Because their whole family was located between the upholstery and the wooden frame.
Moth fumigators - are they effective?
Fumigators are fairly common devices whose operating principle is based on the release of active substances when a special block of liquid or plate is heated. Despite the erroneous popular belief, the effect of the insecticide extends not only to mosquitoes, flies, but also to moths. Fumigators are safe for pets and people. A negative property of this unit is that it destroys only moths, leaving masonry and caterpillars unharmed. In addition, the active substance spreads quite slowly, within about two to three days.
Fumigator DIK-3 and DIK-6 – reviews
DiK-3 has been known for a long time; many analogues have been created on its basis, even by such well-known manufacturers as Raptor. It draws only 4.5 W of electricity. There are two modifications of the model - those that work with plates and those that work with liquids. Initially, DiK-3 was intended to kill mosquitoes, but it also turned out to be effective against moths. The effect does not appear immediately; the device needs to work for at least 12 hours to achieve a visible result. Now there is a new model on sale - DiK-6 , its cost is about 50 rubles without plates. You can choose any plates.
Fumigator DiK-3
Fumigator DiK-6
“The fumigator Dik-3 saves us from mosquitoes in the summer at the dacha. We noticed that the moth had disappeared, a very cool effect,”
“Sprays work well against moths, but in the country house there was only a DIK-6 fumigator. There were a lot of moths in the pantry. We turned it on at night, there is little electricity, there is almost no smell. The next morning the moth was all lying on the floor with no signs of life.”
Fumigator Raid - reviews
Raid fumigator is sold together with mosquito repellent plates. But these plates also do an excellent job against moths. There are models with intensity regulator and timer. You will have to pay extra for such “bells and whistles”. The cost of the Reid fumigator is from 150 to 350 rubles, which is several times more expensive than DIK-6, but the difference is minimal.
Reviews about Reid fumigators:
“My son broke an old Dick-3, and as luck would have it, a moth appeared in the house. I bought a fumigator with Raid liquid. Of course, it’s not cheap, you still have to buy a bottle of liquid when one runs out, but it costs more than the plates and doesn’t last long. The effect is the same as from the simplest records. Helps."
“I wanted to buy the simplest fumigator, but the store only had Mosquito Raid. The seller said that it would also help against moths. The price is tolerable if you take a simple model without intensity control and timer. It definitely helps."
Fumigator Raptor - reviews
Raptor fumigator is very similar to the good old DIK-3, but costs a little more. It doesn’t stand out as anything distinctively new; its efficiency is at the same level as the others. The cost of the Raptor fumigator is about 300 rubles, the cost of the plates is about 70 rubles. What do customers say in reviews about the effectiveness of Raptor?
“The cost for a piece of plastic with a heating element is overpriced, but oh well... The main thing is that it helps. Kills mosquitoes, flies and moths outright.”
“I never knew that mosquito repellents have the same effect on moths. Every day I turn it on for several hours, there is almost no smell, but the insects noticeably get drunk and then die.”
Fumigators will help cope with moths, but will not destroy the larvae, so they need to be turned on regularly. In terms of efficiency, they are almost all the same, the main difference is the price. If you want to buy an inexpensive fumigator, then you should take Dick-6 .
Examples of side effects
If we talk about fumigators, then numerous complaints have been recorded about them (allergies, headaches, etc.), and from the safety precautions on the packaging it follows that it is better to use the fumigator to a minimum. In the case of paper products (hanging plates, etc.) - the same thing, although there is no fumigator.
It is worth mentioning separately about chlorpyrifos, which is also widely used in insect repellents. We read the following about him:
“This substance belongs to organophosphates, a very toxic group of pesticides,” says Viktor Malinsky, candidate of chemical sciences. – They were first synthesized in Germany during World War II as nerve gases. Later they migrated to “peaceful” chemistry.”
Four years ago, the Americans decided to subject this “peaceful” chemistry to revision. Then a law was passed according to which pesticides that are especially dangerous for children should be excluded from use.
Studies have shown that household use of chlorpyrifos can lead to a situation in which the dose of the chemical is hundreds of times higher than the maximum permissible level.
And most importantly, rats exposed to chlorpyrifos gave birth to offspring with brain damage.
From nerve gases, chlorpyrifos inherited the ability to affect the nervous system. Even short-term contact with it can cause headaches, nausea, sensory disturbances, paralysis, and in severe cases, coma and death.
Surprisingly, even experts still don’t know about the ban on chlorpyrifos in Russia. The Research Institute of Disinfectology heard this information for the first time, and for the employees of the Research Center Bytkhim this message turned out to be an unpleasant surprise - now the institute is developing new drugs based on this dangerous substance.”
Therefore, study and strictly follow safety precautions, otherwise you will poison both the pests and yourself and your children!
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Moths can become a perpetual problem in the home if no insect control methods are used. Moth balls, various aerosols, sprays, tablets, hanging bags of herbs are tools that help in this confrontation. It is difficult to choose the most effective remedy if you do not analyze all the characteristics and methods of influence of the drug on the pest. The type and behavior of the insect, the phases of its development and reproduction should be taken into account. Only after weighing all the pros and cons will you be able to make the right choice and get rid of the harmful “fly”.
Moth sections and their effectiveness
Moth sections are the most common insecticides for home use to combat these insects. They are popular among housewives. This is due to the pleasant smell in the cabinets and harmlessness to other living organisms. The significant drawback is the same as that of fumigators - the sections are absolutely safe for larvae. Available in dry form and in gel form, packaged in a plastic container with a hook like a hanger. The cost of one section is from 80 to 150 rubles. Mainly sold sections are from Raptor and Mosquitall. What reviews are there on the moth section?
“In the spring, I always hang winter clothes in a closet with Raptor moth sections. There has never been a moth and there never will be. Plus it acts as an air freshener in the closet, I’m very pleased with this product, no comments.”
“I hung a Mosquitall moth section next to my expensive suit. The second year - the suit is intact, as are the neighboring clothes. I change them every year, although I should do it earlier.”
Moth development stages
Any type of moth has four stages of its development:
Eggs that the female lays in an apartment all year round in dark places with the possibility of further feeding the offspring. That is, immediately for fur coats, carpets, furniture, woolen clothes, and cereals.
The eggs hatch into caterpillars, which are the main pests. They are the ones who spoil things and food in closets, hiding in lint, fur, and grains. It is almost impossible to see them while the clothes are not yet damaged. But it is easy to detect newly appeared holes around them.
The pupa is the stage when a caterpillar matures into an adult.
A full-fledged butterfly that cannot cause any harm other than laying eggs. It is a misconception that it is the adult moth in the house that spoils things. Flying out of the closet into the light, the butterfly indicates the fulfillment of its main duty - laying on average about a hundred eggs. You can only chase her for your own peace of mind.
Mechanical protection – covers for clothes against moths
Covers for clothes allow you to protect them during off-season storage in closets. This method can mechanically protect clothes from moths, but does not allow the fabric to breathe (if the cover is made of non-breathable materials); subsequently, the clothes may smell bad, emitting a musty odor. For long-term storage, it is worth using covers with air-permeable material. Clothes should first be washed, steamed and dried thoroughly. Just in case, it is advisable to place a moth section in the case, this way you will 100% protect your clothes. A little further we will talk about how to properly prepare a closet for moving winter clothes into it.
Where to buy and what brands are there
Greenfield balls are talc balls with a lavender scent. A 100 gram package is enough for use in a large closet.
“Clean House” balls reliably protect wool, fur, and leather items from insects. The Clean House moth repellent guide guarantees the ability to get rid of not only moths, but also other pests such as bedbugs and cockroaches.
Lavender plastic Mosquitall sections can be placed on a shelf or glued to the side of a cabinet. For use in a large closet, two sections are enough. They have a sharp, concentrated odor and are supplied in purple containers.
Forse guard balls based on lavender oil are also widely used and come inside plastic containers. They can be hung on hangers with clothes, placed on the bottom of closed packages with winter outerwear, or in boxes with winter shoes.
The same composition of Tornado moth balls. When reusing, you should increase the number of balls if the cabinet is often opened.
Wooden, cedar and sandalwood balls impregnated with camphor or naphthalene are used against moths. They have a persistent herbal odor that repels adults and also destroys larvae.
You can buy drugs in specialized departments. If the drug is not available in the store at the moment, you can use the online ordering service.
Important! You cannot buy or use drugs purchased in spontaneous markets. Counterfeiting can have a negative impact on human health.
Preventing the appearance of moths in an apartment - what do you need to know?
To rid an apartment of moths, it is necessary not only to choose a product that is convenient for use, but also to properly treat the places where insects spread.
Preventing food moths from appearing in the kitchen
- All food supplies are carefully sorted. Cereals and pasta that show the slightest sign of insects or damage to the packaging are subject to destruction.
- Food storage areas are treated with means to destroy moths and their larvae. To prevent further breeding of insects, folk remedies are laid out: lavender, orange peels, geranium leaves.
- The surviving butterflies are destroyed manually.
Advantages and disadvantages
During the evaporation of the product used, the smell of lavender is released, as well as substances that have a detrimental effect on the reproduction of butterflies (butterflies lose the ability to lay eggs). Moth larvae and previously laid eggs are also destroyed. The period of action of the balls is up to six months; when completely evaporated, replace them with new ones. Positive qualities include convenient use.
A negative characteristic may be the evaporation and smell of lavender. The fumes from the drug are harmful to humans and can cause allergies. Individual intolerance to lavender may also be a contraindication for use. These contraindications include the smell of mothballs.
Important! Moth balls should be used strictly according to the instructions and work with gloves. After carrying out work, wash your hands with soap.
