As the seasons change, it's the ideal time to think about how you store your clothes. If you keep them in a little-used closet or attic, your possessions may be at risk of being eaten by moths. To prevent this from happening, consider storing your items with moth balls. Keep reading to learn how mothballs work and what kind of pests they deter:
What are mothballs?
In essence, mothballs are a form of solid pesticide that transitions directly into a gas. According to How Stuff Works, mothballs are generally composed of naphthalene or paradichlorobenzene. Each of these is harmful to moths in gas form. When breathed in, moths and their larvae die. The fumes from mothballs are quite strong and often unpleasant to people. While handling mothballs isn't necessarily harmful, you'll still want to limit your exposure and wash your hands afterwards.
Why use mothballs?
Mothballs are a great way to prevent moths from eating your clothes. The same insects can also devour paper products such as books. The chemicals contained in the balls can even keep other kinds of insects at bay, such as mosquitos and cockroaches. If you intend to store clothing or paper products for long periods of time, consider using mothballs for an extra layer of protection.
How to use mothballs
Follow these steps to properly use mothballs to protect your possessions:
Other considerations
Mothballs can be harmful to pets and children, so make sure that you store them in out of reach places. Similarly, when you remove your items from storage, wash your clothing again and air them out until you can no longer smell the pesticide. If your moth problem isn't solved with mothballs, you may have to call a professional pest control company.
You probably already know that most people are repulsed by the simple sight of cockroaches. If you are personally dealing with a cockroach infestation, the feelings of disgust are probably even more intense. Unfortunately, the cold winter weather tends to be one of the reasons this pest ends up in your home in the first place, according to Any Pest. While you may know that you don't want to share your home with cockroaches this winter, there are a number of interesting facts about this pest that you've probably never heard.
Because of the high amount of traffic and the versatility of the facilities, pests are naturally attracted to long-term care institutions. Many nursing homes, rehabilitation centers and other care facilities include on-site kitchens and cafeterias as well as private rooms and common spaces. All of these places are susceptible to attracting pests because of the presence of food, water and viable habitats.
During the summer months, some people love to go camping with family and friends. Yet this fun trip can be ruined with a few unwanted visitors, most notably different types of bugs. Crawling spiders, hungry mosquitoes and buzzing flies can become annoying quickly. How can you avoid these pests when you're outdoors? Consider these tips to keep bugs out of your campsite.
Carpenter ants can chew through the strongest studs and stringers in a house as they hollow the wooden beams out for nesting. The resulting damage can weaken the home's structural support and require expensive repairs. Professional pest control workers can remove a colony of ants, but the best practice for homeowners is to learn the best ways to keep out an ant colony and prevent the problem before it begins.
As the weather cools, you'll probably see fewer pests than you did during the warmer months, but that doesn't mean they're all gone just yet. Some insects can actually come out in full force during the autumn, while others might seek refuge in your warm home. Here are some key tips to keep in mind as fall gets underway:
As the middle of summer approaches, you need to be vigilant about keeping your garden free of pests. Many insects breed during the summertime, which means they're on the lookout for great places to lay their eggs. For many bugs, that means near a source of food. In fact, some species of insects will lay their eggs inside budding vegetables and fruit so their larvae have something to eat as soon as they hatch. That's why you have to keep harmful bugs out without damaging the bugs that could help you, such as bumble bees.
