The moth maggot is the larval stage of the moth that appears after the moth eggs hatch. Moths like to lay their eggs near clothes and pantry (food storage cabinets) because these places offer a large selection of food that the maggots can enjoy after hatching. If you find moth maggots on your clothes or pant, you can tell the damage caused by the maggots nibbling on those items. Luckily, you can get rid of them by cleaning out cupboards, dealing with the spread of moth maggots in pantries, and repelling moths.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Cleaning Closets
Step 1. Remove all items
Remove all items from the closet, including items that are not clothing (eg shoes or other items). You need to clean everything so that if you have shoe racks or other items (especially those that are specially grouped), you need to take them out so they can be brushed thoroughly.
Step 2. Clean the cupboard using a vacuum cleaner
Use a coupling or a small vacuum cleaner to clean the bottom, walls, shelves, and top of cabinets. When you're done, transfer the sucked dirt to a sealable plastic bag. Remove the plastic bag from the house as soon as possible.
Make sure you can also reach the corners and tops of cabinets
Step 3. Rinse the walls and cabinet shelves
Pour the soap or detergent into a bowl or bucket, then fill it with water. Stir the water to mix it with the soap. Dip a clean washcloth in the soapy water mixture and scrub the walls and cabinets. Make sure you keep the washcloth dipped in the soapy water mixture while cleaning the entire wardrobe.
Step 4. Wash clothes and other fabric items
Set the washing machine to the hottest setting (or use hot water when washing) as maggots cannot tolerate heat. The water used must have a temperature of about 48 degrees Celsius for washing to be effective. Allow the wash cycle to last for 20-30 minutes to ensure that all maggots and moth eggs are removed.
The dry cleaning method can also kill moth maggots
Step 5. Freeze items that cannot be washed
Maggots can't survive very cold temperatures so the freezer makes a good “pesticide.” Put items that cannot be washed in a protective layer (eg plastic bags). Place the bag in the refrigerator for (at least) 48 hours to kill any maggots attached to the item.
Step 6. Do not store worn clothes in the closet
If you intend to re-wear your clothes more than once, find another place to store them until you are ready to put them back on (a second or third time). Moths like clothing that is exposed to sweat or food, so such clothing can attract attention.
Step 7. Store clothes in an airtight container
Don't allow moths to lay eggs by storing rarely worn clothes in an airtight container.
- Some easy-to-use container options include sealed storage boxes, sealed airtight plastic bags, and regular plastic bags.
- For added protection, apply adhesive tape to the seal/lock part.
Method 2 of 3: Handling Moth Maggots in Sepen
Step 1. Look for signs of maggot spread
Look for small worms or maggots that look like grains of rice that move, including their nests in food containers or pantries. Also pay attention to the remnants of peeling skin. Look for moth maggots and cocoons in dark corners and pantry areas.
The maggots grow until their bodies reach a length of about 1.7 centimeters, and have black or brown heads
Step 2. Check if the food supply is contaminated with moth maggots
Moth maggots that live in the kitchen enter the house through food. If you bring home food that is contaminated with eggs or moth maggots, the maggots will quickly spread to other foods. Therefore, trace the pantry and check for signs of maggot spread. You may be able to find maggots, egg shells, or nests.
- Types of food that moths like, among others, are cereals, flour, wheat, seeds (bird feed), dried fruit, candy, pet food, dried herbs, nuts, and powdered milk.
- Even if you don't see maggots or egg shells, the presence of nests indicates that your existing food supply has been exposed to maggots.
Step 3. Place food items contaminated with maggots in an airtight bag and dispose of them from the house
Maggots can't penetrate an airtight plastic bag, so you can prevent their spread by putting food contaminated with maggots in the bag. Dispose of the bag containing the food item as soon as possible. Don't leave food that has maggots just like that because it could be that you haven't closed the plastic bag properly.
Step 4. Sort the remaining ingredients
Unfortunately, you'll probably have to throw away almost all of your groceries. Types of food that moths normally eat, such as wheat and cereals, should be discarded. If you choose other types of food in containers that you can't wash, you'll also need to throw them away.
Step 5. Wash all the items you want to return to the pantry
Moths like to lay their eggs in the corners of items so there may still be moth eggs in the items in the pantry. To prevent the maggots from spreading again, wash these items in warm, soapy water.
- Check for small cracks such as jar lids or valves in plastic-wrapped items.
- You can also kill eggs and moth maggots in food by refrigerating the food, heating it in the microwave for 5 minutes, or baking it at 60 degrees Celsius.
Step 6. Replace the cabinet shelf base
If you're using a shelf for a closet, you'll need to take it out and throw it away, as it can harbor eggs and maggots. If you want to place a new pantyhose or pan, wait for the spread to stop and all moth maggots to be eradicated before you install the new base. If not, you'll have to replace it again when the moth maggots come back.
Step 7. Clean the cupboard using a vacuum cleaner
Use the vacuum hose attachment to suck out any visible maggots and nest debris. Also suck up dirt in nooks and crannies if possible, as tiny maggots and moth eggs tend to "hide" in dark spots.
Step 8. Rinse the shelves and pantry walls
First, scrub all surfaces, including the walls and the top of the pantry, using a patchwork cloth that has been moistened with the soapy water mixture. After that, use a mild bleach mixture. You can make your own mixture or buy cleaning products that contain bleach. After that, spray the rack with white vinegar and scrub all surfaces again.
- To make your own bleach mixture, dissolve the bleach in a 1:9 ratio of water.
- Don't forget to scrub the corners of the pantry.
Step 9. Clean existing food containers
Rinse the food container in the dishwasher with hot water (if available). If not, wash the food container thoroughly by scrubbing it while soaking it in a hot, soapy water mixture. After that, rinse with vinegar. You need to follow this step carefully because a single moth maggot hiding in the container can spread back throughout the pantry.
Step 10. Use an airtight container
Prevent the spread and contamination of new foodstuffs by storing them in airtight containers.
- When you buy wheat, flour, or food, you can store it in the refrigerator for a week to kill any maggot eggs that may be in the food product.
- You can also refrigerate food ingredients until they are ready to be used or consumed.
Method 3 of 3: Repel Moths
Step 1. Use moth-proof paper or sheet
You can buy paper products or moth-proof sheets to place in your wardrobe, drawer, box, bag, or pant. This product can kill maggots and moths.
Step 2. Place the cedar ball product in the clothes storage area
Cedar ball products are a more natural substitute for pesticides. This product contains cedar oil which kills small moth maggots, although it does not have a major impact on large maggots or adult moths. You can hang this product in your wardrobe or put it in a drawer, although using it may not solve the problem of spreading moth maggots immediately.
You can also use a cedar hanger product
Step 3. Use camphor
To be more effective and safe, use camphor only if you store clothing in an airtight container. Place the camphor in an airtight container containing the clothes, then close the container. Although it doesn't work right away, camphor contains chemicals that can produce steam. When the product evaporates, the vapor can kill moths (in any stage, including the larval stage).
Wear gloves when using camphor because camphor is a toxic product
Step 4. Place the bay leaf in the kitchen cupboard
Naturally, the moths will steer clear of the bay leaves that you (probably) already have in your kitchen. As a safe and easy moth repellent, place a few bay leaves in cupboards and pantries.
Step 5. Make your own herbal pack
Moths usually avoid the smell of lavender, peppermint, cloves, thyme, and rosemary. You can put dried herbs in a hollow bag, then place the bag in wardrobes, drawers, and other storage cabinets. The herbaceous scent emanating from the bag can keep insects away.
You can use one or several types of herbs in one package
Tips
- Wash all used or old items before storing them in the wardrobe or attic.
- Moth maggots love natural fibers, such as cashmere, wool, cotton, silk, fur, and shearling (sheepskin).
- Moths have a life span of 10 days.
- If you feel that there is a problem caused by the moth but you can't see the maggots, you can use a pheromone trap to attract male cloth-eating moths. If you catch it, there's a good chance that there are moth maggots around the closet/room.
- Airtight containers can keep moths and maggots away from items/food.
- While people usually feel that moths eat their belongings, it is the maggots of the moths that are most at risk of eating clothes and groceries.
- Do not store dirty clothes in cupboards, drawers, or other storage areas.
- Moths do not like light.
Warning
- While they can prevent moths from spreading, cedar products (eg cedar ball) are only useful when the scent is still strong. Therefore, use several products and replace them with new products regularly.
- Avoid using moth spray in food storage areas. The chemicals contained in the product are often harmful to humans, and (of course) to moths.
- Treatment of very severe moth nuisance or spread can take up to 6 months.
