How To Get Rid of Moths in Garage? (13 Effective Ways!)
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How To Get Rid of Moths in Garage?
Do you store your winter clothes in the garage during summer? Did you find them riddled with holes, when you took them out this fall? You are not alone. Most of us end up in this situation. Your garage has been infested with moths. So how to get rid of moths in garage?
You have to get rid of the moths in garage, before they have a chance to get to your clothes and lay eggs. Or at least before the moth larvae start chomping on your favorite sweater.
You can get rid of moths in garage by:
- Proper cleaning & storage of your clothes
- Killing them with insecticides or moth traps
- Repelling them with essential oil scents like cedar
- Preventing their entry using garage door screens
- Reducing their population outside your garage
Why is your Garage Infested with Moths?
Moths, unlike butterflies, fly in the night to gather nectar. They are attracted to bright lights. Many theories have been proposed as to why moths are attracted to bright lights but none have been proven conclusively.
So if your garage door is open and the lights are on, you are inadvertently inviting the moths to infest your garage. Of course, garage door lights do add to the curb appeal of your home!
Some will eventually find a way to get into your house as well.
If they are not clothes moths or pantry moths they may not be harmful. Nonetheless, they are still a nuisance. They will attract geckos (house lizards), while they are alive. If the gecko misses them they will still die, creating a mess on the floor and attracting scavengers like ants and flies.
Proper Cleaning & Storage of Clothes in the Garage?
Once winter is over, you want to store away your winter clothes. To make space for your spring & summer outfits you may choose to store them in the garage over the summer. But, you must take precautions so that “clothes moths” do not feast on them.
1. Dry Clean before Storage of Winter Clothes
Irrespective of where you store them, get them dry cleaned before storage. The garments may look clean and you may be tempted to skip the dry cleaning part. Do not do that!
The winter garment, even if it has been sparingly used will have some invisible stains and certainly some perspiration on it. These oxidize and attract insects, particularly clothes moths.
2. Warm Water and Sun’s Heat Kill Moth Larvae
If dry cleaning is not an option, wash them in warm water and dry them in medium heat or in the sun. This will let you get rid of the moths larvae by killing them and not letting them thrive in the garage.
(Of course check the washing & drying instructions on the garment first).
3. Freeze Moth Larvae to Death
If you suspect that your clothes have already got the moth larvae, get rid of the moths larvae by freezing them to death. After placing your clothes in Spacesaver Premium Vacuum Storage Bags place them in the freezer for 48 hours. The cold will kill them.
4. Always use Airtight Storage Bins or Bags
Use Spacesaver Premium Vacuum Storage Bags to store individual items or small groups of items.
The vacuum bags can then be kept in Ziploc Airtight Storage Bins.
Kill all Moths in Your Garage With Sprays or Traps
To get rid of moths in garage you have to kill them by using an insecticide or by trapping them.
5. Use Insecticide Sprays to Kill Moths
Insecticide sprays kill many insects including moths. They use a chemical called pyrethrum. The best way is to fog the garage before retiring for the night.
Raid Flying Insect Killer is an effective insect killer and will help you get rid of moths in garage.
6. Use Moth Traps and then let them Die
You can use Moth Traps to get rid of moths that have infested your garage. They are better than insecticide sprays as they are non-toxic.
Sometimes, you have no choice but to hang your sports gear in closets or cupboards in the garage. The Moth Traps come in very handy in such cases.
MothPrevention Powerful Moth Traps uses “Powerful German Pheromones” embedded in glue boards to attract & trap male moths and break the breeding cycle.
7. UV Light Moth Traps
The traps use UV light bulbs to attract moths. Once the moth enters the trap, some models will zap them, others will trap them with a piece of sticky disposable paper.
Take your pick, but I prefer the silent version. Throw away the stick paper after enough moths have been trapped.
I like the Faicuk WS108 Wall Sconce Fly Light Trap. Not only does it trap moths it looks beautiful too!
8. Heavy Duty UV Light Bug Zapper
If your garage is infested with moths then you need a heavy duty UV Light Bug Zapper. The UV light attracts the moths and an electric current zaps them to death. The dead moths collect in a tray which needs to be cleaned out.
If you do not mind the sound it makes when it kills, Zap It Electric Indoor Bug Zapper is a real beast. It will get rid of all the moths in your garage in no time!
9. Use Natural Repellents to Get Rid of Moths in Garage
There is a wide range of moth repellents that are available. They use a strong smell to keep the moths away from your clothes, carpets & pantry.
Some of the popular ones are:
- Cedar – Cedar is a natural and very effective way of repelling moths. The repelling property is attributed to the natural oil in cedar wood. Shop for CedarFresh at Amazon.
- Lavender – Lavender sprays or cotton wool dipped in lavender oil is a natural way to repel moths. Moths hate the smell that we love!
- Peppermint, Eucalyptus & Citronella – These essential oils work just like Lavender oil. You can even blend them if you like.
Moth balls – Naphthalene moth balls have been around for ages and continue to be used. The fumes kill moths, their eggs and larvae that eat natural fibers in clothes
However, moth balls are also toxic to humans & pets. It is best to avoid them if possible.
Prevent Moths from Entering Your Garage
As with any other insect or pest, you need to ensure they can find nothing to eat in your garage. You also have to physically block their entry.
10. Keep the Garage Clean
You must treat your garage as a part of the living space of your home. So you must apply all the practices of good housekeeping to your garage as well.
Basically this means that you must declutter, organize your garage storage and use airtight plastic storage containers as far as possible. Use overhead storage to save space and make your garage feel roomier!
You must also regularly and frequently clean up your garage. A clean and well organized garage will give the moths fewer places to hide.
11. Use Yellow Lights
Moths are attracted to bright lights. They are more attracted to white light than yellow light (has to do with the wavelength of the light).
So, if possible, use yellow light bulbs rather than white lights in your garage.
12. Use a Garage Door Screen
Try to keep the garage door closed when the garage indoor lights are on. If you want o keep the garage door open, that is OK. Just use a garage door screen.
LIAMST Magnetic Garage Door Screen has some outstanding features:
- FRAMELESS, durable, detachable, & stores away easily for the off season.
- LOOKS GREAT
- PREMIUM FIBERGLASS MESH made from the strongest antioxidant glass fiber material
- HIGH tear resistance, wear resistance & fire resistance
- STRONG MAGNET is used in the middle seam and the bottom iron block
- EASY TO INSTALL
13. Get Rid of Moths Outside the Garage Too!
The moths that infest your garage do not breed in your garage. They breed outside your garage. Usually in wet areas around your garage. Weeping Tiles or French Drains can help keep the garage perimeter dry.
Further, to stop them from breeding around your garage, you can use outdoor moth traps near your garage door, patio etc. to control the moth population. Since garage door light are often on all night, you certainly need a moth trap or zapper. Electrical outdoor mosquito & flying insect killers will usually trap & kill moths too.
Bottom Line
There are over 160,000 species of moths in the world and each has its own characteristic.
The common clothes moth (Tineola bisselliella) will devour your precious silk scarf, but then the domestic silk moth (Bombyx mori) is fed on mulberry leaves and is the source of the silk in your scarf.
Adult moths live only to mate and reproduce. The larvae (caterpillars) do all the eating. When moths infest your garage & your house they bring destruction to your clothes, carpets & pantry. So, you have to get rid of the moths. You can do this by:
- Killing the eggs & the larvae by dry cleaning clothes, washing clothes in hot water or freezing clothes.
- Killing the moths with insecticide sprays or moth traps
- Using Moth Repellents, preferably essential oil based
- Creating Entry Barriers like garage door screens & outdoor traps
- Killing Moths outside the Garage
Thank you very much for reading the post. I do hope you found it informative and useful.
