If moths keep turning up in the kitchen or the wardrobe despite closed doors and windows, the household likely has an infestation, according to Pénzcentrum. Most moths are active at night and hide in dark, quiet spots during the day, and females lay eggs quickly once conditions suit them. The outlet said the fight has to target the breeding site, not the fluttering moths themselves.
Food moths: check the kitchen
Food moths are often brought home from the shop inside flour, grains, seeds or pet food, and are recognizable by their brown coloring. The larvae, not the adult moths, cause the damage, eating food and fouling it with webbing and residue.
According to Pénzcentrum, people should check rice, pasta, muesli, nuts, seeds, dried fruit, spices, sweets and pet food, not just flour. Silky threads, clumped grains or larvae on a product mean it is contaminated and should be thrown out. Larvae sometimes leave the food and pupate on walls or ceilings.
Contaminated products should be discarded, and cupboards, shelves, corners and gaps should be vacuumed thoroughly, with the vacuum container emptied and the bag thrown away. Remaining dry goods should be transferred into tightly sealed glass, metal or thick plastic containers. Old but visibly clean food can instead be frozen at minus 18 degrees Celsius for at least four days to kill eggs and insects.
Clothes moths: check the wardrobe
Clothes moths are small, with narrow golden-yellow wings, and their larvae can digest keratin, feeding on wool, fur, feathers and other animal-based textiles. Again, larvae rather than adult moths do the chewing.
They favor dark, warm, out-of-the-way places such as clothes closets, carpets and hidden corners, and the problem is often noticed late, once holes appear in rarely worn woolen items.
Infested clothing should be washed or dry cleaned according to the fabric, and closets, skirting boards, the underside of furniture and corners should be vacuumed thoroughly. Rarely used wool and fur should be stored in closed containers, and insecticide should only be sprayed on clothing if the label explicitly allows it.
Do lavender and mothballs work
Pénzcentrum said the scent of lavender, cedar, rosemary, cloves and orange peel in a breathable sachet can repel moths, but the effect is temporary and will not clear an existing infestation. Pheromone traps can reveal whether moths are present but mainly attract males, so they do not solve the problem on their own.
Moths may keep appearing for up to three weeks after the source is removed, which is considered normal. If they keep flying around regularly after that, pantries, closets and pet food should be checked again.
Prevention
Dry goods should be inspected right after purchase and not left long in their original packaging, which is easy to chew through. Flour, grains, nuts and pet food are best kept in tightly sealed containers, with the pantry cleaned regularly.
Wardrobes should be aired and inspected several times a year, rarely used items stored in closed containers, and only fully dry textiles returned to the closet.
Pénzcentrum said most moth problems can be solved without a professional if the source is found and removed, but a specialist should be called in if moths keep coming back, appear in several rooms, or the source cannot be located.
