MOTHS IN THE KITCHEN

I currently have a problem of moths in my kitchen cupboards and it is driving me crazy. I want to make sure they go and NEVER return. 

On a previous post I have advised that you freeze all your grain purchases in the freezer for at least 6 hours or overnight. I have heard some people only freeze for a couple of hours but I will not take any chances with these little suckers, I will freeze for the maximum time which is usually over night.  While I am writing I have remembered there was a purchase of bread crumbs, which I forgot freeze and this could be the culprit! I inspected the box and unfortunately it was infested with moths and their eggs and even larvae. Basically it was a little town of moths hanging out, muliplying and replenishing!!! Needless to say it was chucked out as well as a bag of aborio rice which was also infested. Before I chucked them out though, I taped up or covered any openings and tossed them into the freezer to make sure they were dead before I threw them out. 

The two items which cost me a total of about $6 or so is now gone.  In the past I have thrown out a lot of food and money due to these horrid creatures. So of course, I am fed up and want them out for good.

Usually, I clean out my cupboard and wipe down the shelves and hope that will do the trick, but unfortunately this is not good enough. I have done a little research and found some solutions to my problems.

1. Clean out the cupboards with either soapy and/or vinegar water and allow to dry. Vacuum the cupboards to make sure as many crumbs as possible are sucked away as this is a source of food for the disgusting creatures!

2. I have read that fresh sprigs of rosemary keep them away and also bay leaves spread around the cupboards and placed on lids of containers.

3.  Pheremone traps also come in handy. These are sticky and attract the moths and then they get stuck. These are good to use after you have cleaned out your cupboard so you can monitor how effective your methods have been. If it attracts alot you will need to go through your cupboards and see where they are living.

4. It is also good to clean out your toaster regularly too so there is nothing to attract the moths into staying around.

Where do these varmits come from? The saddest and somewhat scarey truth is that the moths come from the food you purchase in the supermarket. When purchasing grains and other food in boxes, pouches, and bags be sure to examine them as best you can for any signs of infestation. You can then freeze your items at home before you store them in the appropriate containers.  A container with a lid that is closed as tight as possible is the best way to keep the moths at bay.

I will be purchasing some bay leaves and rosemary(I might dry it) as well to see if this works. I will also be purchasing the pheremone trap too and I will keep you informed of how effective these methods are.  

Good Luck with your efforts and if you have any tips you'd like to share I would love to hear from you.