The Spices You'll Want In Your Closet To Keep Moths Out

Nothing's worse than carefully curating a closet only to find moth holes in your clothing. These usually appear on items made of natural materials like wool, cashmere, or silk, so anything from your suits to your peacoat to your silk dresses can be eaten; not to mention your expensive cashmere sweaters and scarves. This can be a tragedy since staples like these cost quite a bit of money to collect. Rather than having pests burn a hole through your wallet, you can keep them away from your closet with the help of a few spices, such as cinnamon and cloves.

This is a great, all-natural way to eradicate moths by using something you probably already have in your home. Rather than going to the store and buying a new chemical spray, you can go the green route and pour a few spices into satchels to keep them at bay. Here is how to do it.

If you notice a couple of small holes in your items, then you need to mothproof your clothing, stat. These pests look for soft, natural places to lay their eggs because they munch on the material when they hatch and become larvae. So, the goal is to deter the adult moths from landing on your clothes in the first place. To do so, make several spice satchels and slip them into pockets, hang them off of hangers, and leave them on shelves. Fill these packets with a combination of strong-smelling spices, such as a couple of cinnamon sticks, 1 tablespoon of cloves, and 1 tablespoon of black peppercorn. Since bugs usually use their sense of smell to navigate or find food, strong odors can confuse and repel them, forcing them to lay their eggs in friendlier conditions.

Acting as a repellent, these pouches can prevent new moths from coming in or push the old moths out. But you will also need to take extra steps to exterminate them. "Insects don't like extreme temperatures, extreme cold or heat. You can put your item in the dryer for 30 minutes or try a deep freeze,"  Chelle Hartzer, an entomologist, told Today. You can also take your clothes to the dry cleaners, depending on their care instructions.