They are after the “food” that we leave on our clothes through stains, body fluids, and body soil. Unfortunately, they often find their way into heirlooms that are in storage. There are, of course, chemical insecticides that can help control the infestations. If you don’t like to use strong chemicals, there are also some commercial products like Zevo that use natural oils or homemade green methods of pest control that can be used. These treatments are typically much safer around children and pets and can be effective when used with attentive sanitation and repeat treatments. Vacuum thoroughly by going in different directions on the floor and carpet to remove adults, eggs, and larvae. The vacuum bag should be disposed of outside of the home as quickly as possible or the vacuum cup emptied into a plastic disposable bag to prevent re-infestation. Check other areas in your home for infestations—especially food storage areas—and discard anything that is infested. Items that cannot be discarded must be treated to kill eggs and larvae. You can freeze small items for 48 hours or heat them to a temperature above 120 Fahrenheit for several hours to kill the beetles. Wash or dry clean infested clothing before returning them to the clean closet. No fabrics should touch the cedar directly or staining can occur from the natural oils in the cedar. Place cedar chips in a cotton bag and hang it where the bag will not be touching other fabrics. Always wrap folded items in a cedar chest in acid-free tissue paper before storing. If you suspect an infestation, freeze clothes for 72 hours to kill the moth eggs and larvae. High temperatures can also kill insects in woolen materials. The temperature should be 110 to 120 Fahrenheit and maintained for 30 minutes or more. Take woolen garments outdoors every month or so, brush them, and expose them to sunlight as an effective method in controlling moths. 20 Mule Team Borax can be used as a relatively safe roach control that kills roaches by dehydrating the bug’s exoskeleton. Small children and pets should not be allowed near the application because borax is toxic if ingested. Sprinkle the borax powder mixed with a bit of sugar (three parts borax with one part sugar) in roach hiding places. It is slow acting and can take up to a week to control the roaches. Reapply as roaches consume the borax mixture to keep infestations under control. Apply a desiccant like silica powder to absorb moisture in the area of infestation. Lower the temperature to below 60 Fahrenheit to slow reproduction. Use sticky insect paper to capture the insects during nocturnal activity. Removing outdoor debris and firewood from around the foundation of your home and reducing moisture levels will also help. However, you will need commercial pest control to rid your home of termites.
