This guideline looks at cost effective approach on solutions to get rid of fish moths. The solutions proffered in this guideline stems from work experience dealing with this uninvited guest, tips from professionals and overall combed research on the internet.
Please, kindly understand that while this home made solutions in this guideline are effective and proven, however, they are not substitute for engaging with professional pest control and fumigations experts.
Before I dissect and furnish you with the solutions to get rid of fish moths, it is expedient you have a brief understanding of what causes the presence of fish moths in your house and apartment in the first place.
Fish moths can only run on horizontal and inclined surfaces and quickly flee when exposed to sudden light in the room.
Effective Methods to Get Rid of Fish Moth in Your Apartment Permanently
To permanently annihilate and get rid of fish moths, due diligence needs to be carried out. A thorough and well laid out plan harnessing both preventive and extermination measures should be engaged with.
The 10 ways to get rid of fish moths naturally from your cloths and apartments are:
1. Regulate And Control Humidity, Heat, and Microclimate
One of the major causes of having fish moths in your apartments, cloths and bathrooms is due to favorable microclimate conditions, and this favorable conditions is anchored on 90 percent of the right temperature and humidity for the fish moths.
In some cases, even though you carried out preventive measures based on your chosen pest control initiatives, causing a paradigm shift by regulating humidity and adjusting temperature is highly crucial to eliminating fish moths.
With advancement in technology, using portable devices like air dryer, heaters, heated towel rails and optimal regular ventilation has proven to help destroy fish moths naturally.
In essence, just by making the following favorable environment uncomfortable for Fish moth, they can easily be get rid of naturally.
- Warmth enviroment: ( 22–27°C)
- High humidity (75% and above)
- Darkness
- Secluded/hidden places of hiding
- Access to water and moist
Just present the opposite version of the above mentioned points and you will see the fish moths dissipating quickly than you can imagine.
2. Use of Cloves
Many people do not know that the use of Cloves is equally great for killing fish moths, the only disadvantage is that cloves has a very strong concentrated scent which can be difficult for you to remove from your cloths or places/surfaces where you applied it.
How to use it:
- You need to use it as a spice; using the clove as a spice enables the concentrated inflorescences scent to be generated which hitherto kills the insect
- Secondly, you can use clove to get rid of fish moths by applying clove oil as a spray wherever you find the fish moths.
3. Use of Epsom Salt
Sprinkle epsom salt directly on fish moths or in areas where they are frequently seen. Leave the salt for a week, then vacuum it up, with any of South Africa’s best vacuum cleaners. Repeat the procedure to observe changes. Epsom salt can harm or cause death to fish moths due to their thin body integument.
The use of Epsom salts is both cost effective and cheap and has proven to get rid of fish moths naturally without having to spend a fortune!!
4. Diatomaceous Earth
A diatomaceous earth looks similar to Epsom salts and it also acts very much similar in effects like salt but its advantage is that it works faster on the fish moths.
How to use it:
To get rid of fish moths using Diatomaceous earth, just scatter or sprinkle it in known areas where fish moths live and hide in and around your apartments, cloths, bathroom etc.
It works due to its powerful dehydration effect it causes not just to fish moths but most pests in general. On contact with it, the moth dies.
The best form of using it is to sprinkle it in its dry states!!
5. Boric Acid
While the use of Boric acid is not a natural way to killing fish moths, however, being a chemical, it is proven to help annihilate the pest with optimal results.
How to use it:
Just mix the boric acid powder with starchy foods e.g. corn grains, figs, beans, potatoes, and bananas etc. After mixing it thoroughly, place it where fish moths are seen in the house, however, be careful as it is dangerous for humans e.g. the children.
6. Household Cleaning Products
On a general note, a clean house, bathroom is usually not a breeding ground for fish moths. The meaning of this is that you should endeavor to make sure your apartment is clean.
You can leverage this using most common household cleaning products ( chlorine based in recommended). Use these cleaning products to mop and clean everywhere in the house.
7. Insecticides
Do not just spray insecticides everywhere in the house or apartment but rather to target known habitats and places where fish moths hibernates in clusters.
Using insecticides in aerosol, spray, or concentrate forms in places where the fish moths are has proven to work effectively by totally destroying them.
Try it!!
Please note that repellents may not be strong enough to kill Fish moths, however, they are excellent in helping to deter them.
So use repellents if you do not have fish moths or have lots of it!!
How to use Repellents:
In areas where you have your cloths, place repellents there; other areas to target includes your cupboards or areas in your bathroom with dirty laundry etc; just place the repellents there and it will deter the fish moths away.
8. Cedar Oil
The use of cedar oil works best in repelling fish moths, however, it it not powerful enough to kill or get rid of them.
Though, it is a natural means to deal with Fish moth, it is recommended to use it if you do not have lots of Fish moths or you are trying to prevent your house from having them.
How to use Cedar oil
You can either spray or place soaked cotton pads; I will explain below:
- Get a small cotton pad, soak it inside the cedar oil and gently place it fish moths are mostly seen or gathered.
- Get 500ml of normal water, add approximately 15 drops of the cedar oil in it and then spray in targeted areas.
9. Cinnamon
Cinnamon, though not as powerful as Epsom salts to get rid of fish moths, however, it works great in preventing and repelling them.
Cinnamon powerful scents are a distaste for Fish moths and hence, they move away from anywhere having the scents.
How to use it:
Simply use Cinnamon sticks, powder or mix with water and spray it. The best way is to spray and apply it on surfaces where Fish moths are located and seen.
10. Citrus, Cucumber Skins And Bay Leaves
For optimal results in repelling and deterring Fish moths from your cloth, bathroom and apartments, getting fresh oranges, lemons has proven to work great.
How to use them:
- For the oranges, you can use either the peels or the pulp.
- Place them in targeted surfaces and areas and once they are dry, change the peels and pulps
- For dried bay leaves, just spread them on surfaces you have seen Fish moths and it will repel them all.
Before I round up and give my final conclusion on the above listings, I will want to briefly lay emphasis on some preventive measures you need to implement to get the best out of the above mentioned natural ways to get rid of fish moths.
- Identify The Pests Habitat: Targeting where Fish moths live, gathers and hibernates is important so that your extermination model will work with precision
- Change and Alter the Microclimate: I made mention of this earlier, please scroll up to check it.
- Seal And Close All Entry Points: Minimize the infiltration of insects by addressing minor damages through repairs and renovations, creating a barrier against fish moths.
- Preventive Measures: Implement preventive steps to control various pests, protecting your home from potential threats beyond fish moths.
Conclusion
Epsom salt is the best way to get rid of Fish moths naturally. It is both cost effective, cheap and highly effective.
