Anyone who keeps at least a small supply of cereals, pasta, flour, or tea at home has experienced food moths. In addition to spoiling food, this pest can also cause allergic reactions in people with allergies. It seems that it is impossible to get rid of an unwanted insect in the house, but in fact, it is quite a feasible task if done correctly.

OBOZ.UA figured out what steps to take to make the food moth disappear forever and never appear in your home again. It is important not to skip any of these steps.

How to remove food moths

Go through all the foods where this pest could have gotten a foothold. All infested stocks will have to be thrown away, and those that are not affected will have to be poured into glass, plastic, or metal containers with tight lids. This will prevent the moth from getting inside.

All cabinets where infected food was stored will have to be emptied and washed thoroughly with soap and water. It is also a good idea to treat all interior surfaces with a solution of vinegar and water in equal proportions.

If you don't want to get rid of some infested foods because they don't contain many traces of moths, you will need to microwave them at maximum power or keep them in the freezer for several days. This will kill the eggs and larvae of the insect.

How to prevent moths

Like most insects, food moths cannot tolerate certain strong odors. Therefore, certain flavoring agents can be added to food containers. These include:

• garlic
• bay leaf
• cloves
• oregano
• citrus fruit peels;
• lavender.

If you don't want these scents to mix with the food, as this may affect the flavor, you can place everything on the list in a cabinet next to the food. You can place these aromatic foods in small open containers or put them in linen bags.

Earlier, OBOZ.UA told you how to store beans better so that they do not spoil for a long time.

Subscribe to the OBOZ.UA channels in Telegram and Viber to keep up with the latest events.