Pest control is a key to keeping your garage clean.
While there are several ways to keep bugs away, most people opt to use mothballs.
This is mainly because of their highly toxic nature.
Considering their poisonous nature, these naphthalene balls are regulated and only prescribed for some parts of a home.
In this regard, Should You Put Mothballs In Your Garage?
Definitely, YES. It is entirely safe to use mothballs inside your garage any time of the year to control mice and other annoying critters. However, most people prefer to do it during winter. Most bugs and rodents seek places to hide during this time of the year, and your garage might attract them. Considering that no one wants to share their space with pesky creatures, putting mothballs in areas that look too attractive for bugs can help keep them away.
Notably, while garages are less visited during winter, if well insulated, they may be one of the best places to spend time during the cold season.
To add on, there might be valuables that can get damaged by rodents or mites. Using mothballs in the garage will help control rodents and pests, preventing the damage they may cause.
Read on to get more insights on how to use mothballs and other ways of controlling pests and rodents in the garage.
Why Do Mothballs Work In The Garage?
Mothballs do not have adequate pesticide content that can kill rodents.
However, their pungent smell works excellently to repel rodents and other pests. The repelling aspect prevents pests and rodents from getting inside your garage.
Due to less human activity in garages during the cold months, pests come to nest here to stay warm. This is especially true if you have some houseplants in the garage.
Thankfully, there are many ways of controlling pests, one of which is using mothballs.
Putting mothballs around will help keep most critters away; you just need to be strategic. For instance, you can place them near the entrance and objects that seemingly attract bugs.
Placing pellets around the exterior perimeter of your garage can work excellent to protect most of your valuables in the garage.
Of significance, mothballs are regulated, so make sure to check local ordinances before using them. Otherwise, you may face the law.
How To Utilize Mothballs Near Parked Cars In The Garage
When you store a car in the garage for a long time, there are high chances that its mothballs will hide in the car.
You may try to put a few mothballs to control mites from settling inside your car.
Consider the following steps when using these small pesticides in your car.
Step One: Plan For The Attack
Plan on how you will attach the mothballs at specific places in the car and how to source enough mothballs.
Step Two: Prepare The Material
You will need a few materials to hang the mothballs so that there will be adequate airflow.
You can use screens or imagine any other material that is readily available and can work well for you.
You will also require a pair of scissors, hole-making equipment, wire cutters, wire, and duct tape.
Step Three: Make A Pouch
Cut the balls into shapes of your choice and Place them in duct tape.
Fold the tape to the sides and corners until you form a porch that is flat to the sides.
Step Four: Make Holes On Both Ends Of The Pouch
Drill out holes on the ends of a pouch where you will insert strings.
You will then use the inserted string to hang the pouch with mothballs. Tighten the wires with pliers and twist them hard until it is secure.
Step Five: Find Space To Hang The Balls
Within your car, find space to put the mothballs.
Select an area with less movable features but with enough air circulation.
It is also advisable to put the mothballs in an area with less warmth and protection from direct heat.
Where Else Should You Place Mothballs?
Apart from the garage, mothballs can be used to repel rodents in other areas of the home. Here are some of the areas where you can use mothballs.
1. Near The Houseplants
Houseplants contribute significantly to the entire house’s beauty and brighten the appearance of your home.
On the other side, houseplants attract pests and bugs, which can be annoying.
For instance, moths and tiny flies may be attracted to your houseplants and eventually spread in your home. Even worse, these bugs can easily damage and kill your plants.
Using mothballs around your houseplants will significantly help you control bugs near your houseplants and the entire home. One good reason for using mothballs is that they do not harm plants at all.
2. Near The Silverware
If you have some silverware that you use on a few occasions or for sentimental reasons, you can add some mothballs to the storage area.
The mothballs will prevent the silverware from getting rusty over time.
You can add a few mothballs to the drawer or bag where you store silverware, and remember to air it out before reusing it. Thoroughly clean the silverware before using it.
3. In The Closet
Mothballs are primarily intended to be used inside a closet to keep moths from your stored linen.
If you are folding clothes for extended storage, for example, when storing warm sweaters after winter, you can put some mothballs to prevent moths from laying larvae on your clothes.
When using a closed storage container, closet, or drawer to store clothes and wish to protect them from vapor, adding mothballs to the storage space can help.
Similarly, if you like storing clothes in the attic or basement, you can as well add mothballs.
Of importance, you should not put mothballs in all materials of clothes.
Ideally, mothballs will only work best on natural fibers like silk or wool.
Naturally, pests do not attach to synthetic fibers; therefore, putting mothballs when storing synthetic material is just a waste of resources.
4. Near Bug Infestations
When bugs have infested your houseplants, you can use mothballs to eradicate them.
Put the plants in a clear, properly sealed plastic bag.
Add some mothballs and seal the plants for up to a few weeks. Ensure that the plant has adequate water before you seal it.
The concentrated fumes of the pesticide will kill off any pests present in the plants. Even after you have removed the plants from the sealed bag, the residue will continue to repel pests after some time.
Conclusion
Mothballs are poisonous, and one has to take precautions when using them.
They are mainly used when storing linen for a long time to prevent the formation of clothes moths.
To add on, you may use them in your stored car to prevent the formation of moths, bugs, and other pests from getting inside.
These pesticides can also be used in different areas of a home to repel or kill pests and rodents but should always be handled with care because they are poisonous.
Sources
https://www.readersdigest.ca/home-garden/tips/extraordinary-ways-use-mothballs/
https://www.instructables.com/Keep-rats-out-of-your-car-with-moth-balls/