Spray starch and Moths!

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11-13-2010, 05:07 PM

#11

moonangel12

Junior Member

Join Date: Sep 2010

Location: NC

Posts: 211

Ugh - pantry moths are horrible! We have had our fair share of them, and they do get into EVERYTHING. I had to toss a whole thing of Costco size Nesquik mix b/c they got in it. Even sealed packages - grossed DH out to no end when he realized where the holes in his crackers came from one evening (just opened the pkg, too). Cake mixes, flour, pasta, crackers, snack foods, etc. Check them all! If the pkg is sealed, squeeze it to see if they have eaten through to the contents. The little web things are the biggest indicator, though. I trashed the majority of our pantry one time and got some sticky traps for them. I have heard that they can get bad in bulk bin items so to be careful with them.

11-13-2010, 08:05 PM

#12

amma

Power Poster

Join Date: Jul 2007

Location: Out searching for some sunshine :-)

Posts: 58,856

I have been using plain old cheap starch for years, and no moths here :D:D:D

11-13-2010, 08:29 PM

#13

sewingladydi

Super Member

Join Date: Jan 2010

Location: Woodhaven, Michigan

Posts: 1,981

I starch all the time and never seen a moth. I agree it's probably those little kitchen ones. They are annoying little critters.

11-13-2010, 09:01 PM

#14

BellaBoo

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Join Date: Jan 2009

Location: Front row

Posts: 14,646

I have never seen moths anywhere in my sewing room. I do have some wool fabric stashed so I guess I better make sure it's safe. I think they would be there first before anywhere else.

11-13-2010, 09:16 PM

#15

sueisallaboutquilts

Power Poster

Join Date: Feb 2010

Location: Ohio

Posts: 17,068

I never heard of a connection b/t moths and starch, hmmm......
I wash quilts after they're finished so maybe that's why I haven't had a problem?? I really don't know.
I've never stored starched fabric either.

11-14-2010, 06:55 AM

#16

CoriAmD

Super Member

Thread Starter

Join Date: Feb 2010

Location: Lake Orion, Mich

Posts: 1,630

Thanks all for the suggestions. I have already gotten rid of any food that was open or could be attack by the critters. And yes, some of them were in some nuts I had in the pantry. Maybe that is where they came from in the first place. Gross indeed!

11-14-2010, 07:52 AM

#17

pocoellie

Super Member

Join Date: Apr 2007

Location: Alturas, CA

Posts: 9,393

I believe that the moths are just a coincidence with regards to your starched fabrics. If you have a problems with silver fish, then you should probably not starch your fabrics until you're ready to use them.

11-14-2010, 08:08 AM

#18

OmaForFour

Super Member

Join Date: Oct 2009

Location: Maine

Posts: 1,376

I use Best Press (lavender scent is beautiful) and never have moths.
If you can't find the cedar block, try some cedar kitty litter in one of those laundry bags for the washing machine so that it doesn't go all over the place.

11-14-2010, 08:18 AM

#19

janb

Senior Member

Join Date: Mar 2010

Location: Northeast Colorado

Posts: 422

Quote:

Originally Posted by Farmer Girl

You need to go check out your flour canister, bags of shelled nuts, crackers, etc. The little devils come in with flour as far as I can tell here at my house. Look for little webs in the top of anything open in your kitchen, spices included. Since I have been keeping my flour in the freezer, no problem, but two years ago I had to get rid of almost everything in my kitchen. I'm sure they came in with the flour, but before I discovered them, they were in everything. Yuck.

We also started seeing little flying things....we threw away anything that was opened and started clipping the tops of the inner package and closing the boxes...GONE are the pesky things.