Natural Alternatives To Mothballs

Mothballs are small balls containing certain chemicals that inhibit moths from nesting or damaging things that are stored away like fabrics. This ball of chemicals can really guarantee effectiveness but they can be hazardous because of the fume it emits. The chemicals in mothball are toxic and can cause health problems especially if ingested or inhaled by small children.

Here are alternatives to using mothballs.

Thorough Washing

Before you store your clothes make sure that you have thorough washed and dried them. Moths are attracted to human smell like perfumes or colognes so if clothes still has that smell expect that moths will be drawn to them. Washing also removes any eggs already clinging to the clothes thus reducing more problems later on.

Ensure that you take your clothes stored for a long time at least ones a month and expose it to sunlight then brush them off before returning to your sealed container.

Cloves

Cloves are not only used in getting rid of moths but it also gives off a pleasant smell. It is a natural moth deterrent minus the harsh chemical and irritating smell of mothball. To use this, just fill a sachet with cloves and hang it in your closet.

Water

You can make a moth trap by filling a basin with water then placing it under a light source. If you have a light near your sink you can fill the sink with water instead. You have to leave the lights on. Moths are attracted to light so they would go near the light and would get burned then the moment they will fall, they would go directly to the water.

Lavender

Another natural moth deterrent is lavender. Lavender may smell pleasant to us but moths don’t like its smell. You can fill a sachet with lavender and hang it in your closet or put inside the drawer. You can also utilize lavender oil by dabbing a few drops on a cotton ball and putting it inside a sachet and hang. Just be careful not to put the sachet near your clothing because it might leave some stains.

Home Spray

To make moth deterrent home spray you just have to mix ¼ cup of neem oil with ½ gallon of water. Add a small amount of liquid soap to the solution and mix. When it is thoroughly mixed, transfer the solution in a spray bottle. You can spray this directly on moth to kill them and inhibit them from breeding.

Proper Storage

Store your clothes in sealed plastic containers to prevent months from penetrating. However, it is important to make sure that clothes are properly cleaned and free of moth eggs before storing.