If you’ve started noticing that your garage is full of moths, then you might be a bit worried. Moths aren’t necessarily dangerous to you but they can cause you quite a few problems.
For example, moth larvae are well known to eat through clothes and they also get into dry food such as pasta or bread.
You might not have to worry about this too much if the moths are just located in your garage but it’s also true that many Americans have garages that are directly connected to their main houses.
If you’d like to get rid of these moths before they can become a big issue, then there are certain things that you can do.
Read on to learn all about your options for getting rid of moths.
1 – Cedar
Cedar can actually be very helpful when you’re trying to get rid of moths in your garage. You see, cedar is a scent that can keep moths at bay if you utilize it correctly.
Cedar possesses certain pheromones that act as a repellent to moths and many other types of insects.
You can use this to your advantage and just fill your garage with cedar in various spots. This will prevent the moths from wanting to be anywhere near your garage and your problem will be solved.
You don’t necessarily have to use cedar in its natural form to get this done either.
Many people simply cedar oil in some type of spray bottle to get the same effect. You could use an oil diffuser in your garage along with cedar oil to deter the moths from coming into your garage.
If you’re looking for a practical solution that will also help your garage to smell nice, then this is going to be quite appealing.
2 – Special Sticky Traps
It’s going to be a good idea to make use of sticky traps that can catch the moths if you want to get rid of them.
These sticky traps are pretty much what most people would call flypaper and they work really well to get rid of moths in garages. You can even cover the flypaper in moth pheromones to attract them to it.
Once the moths come into contact with this sticky trap, they are going to get stuck and will be unable to get free. Eventually, the moths will die and your problems will be solved.
This is a great way to get rid of many moths in a short period of time but you might also want to use a deterrent method such as the one listed above to keep other moths from coming back to your garage at a later time.
3 – Crushed-up Herbs
You might not think that something as simple as crushed-up herbs could help you to get rid of moths in your garage but you would be wrong.
What you need to do is get some herbs such as bay leaves, rosemary, thyme, lavender, and cloves. You crush those herbs up and then hang them in little bags that you will place at particular points in your garage.
Moths very much hate the potent smells that these herbs give off and they will act as an effective moth deterrent. It’s also possible to create an essential oil using these herbs and use it in a diffuser in the same way that you can use cedar oil.
Either way, this can work to keep moths out of your garage and most people will find the smell to be fairly pleasant if not a bit strong.
4 – Clean Floors
Sometimes people get a little too relaxed about cleaning their garages and this is why you see so many moths showing up there.
Lots of dust and dirt can attract moths to your garage and this could be why you’re having issues. If you take the time to clean your garage floor every week, then you’ll be less likely to have problems moving forward.
Just note that this might not be the only reason why you’re having issues with moths. It’s simply a good idea to clean your garage up nicely so that your garage area will be less attractive to moths. This is another simple prevention method that you should be mindful of.
Cleaning the area thoroughly is a good idea even when you get rid of the adult moths. You see, moths are going to leave behind larvae and these are the things that will do the real damage. They can get into clothing items and cause you all sorts of problems if you don’t take care of them.
It’s generally recommended to clean up any area that you find moth larvae in. You can clean the area thoroughly using vinegar and water to get rid of the moth larvae and keep them from being an issue.
Cleaning isn’t something that you can ignore when you’re trying to eliminate moths for good.
5 – Freeze Clothes or Items That Show Signs of Moth Activity
Some people use their garages to store winter clothes or old clothing items that they aren’t sure what to do with. If moths or moth larvae got into those items, then you aren’t going to want to just place them back where they go and forget about things.
It’s actually going to be best to freeze clothes and other items that show signs of moth activity.
If you have a large freezer of some sort, then this will be very easy to accomplish. What you need to do is to go ahead and place your clothes or other belongings in the freezer.
These items need to stay in the freezer for a 24-hour cycle and this will ensure that any moth larvae are truly killed off.
You shouldn’t skip this step if you have a freezer that you can use. It’s best to make absolutely certain that moth larvae are killed off or you’re going to just have to deal with moth issues again once a little bit of time has passed.
Do the right thing for your garage and your home by placing clothes and belongings in the freezer if they have been impacted by moths in some way.
6 – Start Storing Clothes in Airtight Containers
If you’re going to store clothing items in your garage moving forward, then you should try to take certain precautions against moths.
One of the easiest things that you can do is to just use airtight containers for storing clothes. You can buy various types of totes that will lock and be airtight if you want to buy some.
Just hanging clothing items up somewhere in the garage will not be good and you will be more likely to encounter moth issues if you do this. It’s understandable that you need to store some clothing items in your garage when you’re short on space but it’s just better to use airtight containers that will keep the clothing items safe.
This advice applies to storing clothes in your house as well as in your garage since moths can become problems just about anywhere.
It’s also good to know that you need to do your best to store clothing items in dry areas. The airtight containers will help but you should also be mindful of any moisture issues that could develop over time.
Make good decisions when storing clothes so that you won’t run into various moth problems that will ruin them.
7 – Professional Pest Control
Of course, you could simply call in professionals to help you deal with your moth problem if it is very problematic. Not everyone has a lot of time and energy to get rid of moths on their own.
If you consider yourself to be a busy professional, then it might make sense to call in the experts and let them figure out how to best get rid of the moths in your garage.
Professional moth extermination is actually very thorough and it isn’t unusual at all for these companies to be able to handle things expediently. They will get rid of your moth issues in a timely fashion and you won’t have to worry any longer.
If you just want to be done with the moths in your garage without having to utilize the methods above, then calling in a pest control company makes sense.
The only real negative aspect of this idea is that it is going to cost you money. If you want to handle your moth issue in the most cost-effective way possible, then cleaning and using something such as cedar oil is much more practical.
It just comes down to how much money you have, what you’re comfortable spending, how much energy you have, and whether you wish to solve the problem yourself.
Get Rid of Moths Once and for All
Now that you have read the advice above, it should be much easier to get rid of moths once and for all.
You know what needs to be done and you understand the steps that you can take to remedy things. All that is left to do is to take action in whatever way makes the most sense for you.
If you get rid of the moths in your garage using some of the above methods, then you should just remember to try to deter them from coming back. Taking the right steps can keep your garage from turning back into a haven for moth activity.
Be mindful of what you’re doing and just make good choices so that you can move forward with confidence.
I have a bachelor’s degree in Computer Information Systems and over 10 years of experience working in IT. As a homeowner, I love working on projects around the house, and as a father, I love investigating various ways to keep my family safe (whether or not this involves tech). I’ve also played guitar for almost 20 years and love writing music, although it’s hard to find the time these days.