Moths are tricky. Learn how to protect and care for your clothing and precious home textiles by identifying and dealing with moths.
Summer is a season of warmth, long days, and outdoor activities. Unfortunately, it is also peak season for household pests. If you have recently opened a pantry door only to have a small moth flutter into your face, or if you have discovered fresh holes in your favorite lightweight wool cardigan, you are not alone.
Finding a moth in your home is usually followed by a quick diagnostic check: Is it in the kitchen near the cereal, or in the bedroom near the sweaters? Most homeowners assume they are dealing with either a Pantry Moth or a Clothes Moth. However, there is a third category of domestic pests that complicates the situation. The Brown House Moth and the White-Shouldered House Moth are the "omnivores" of the moth world, capable of infesting both your food stores and your wardrobe.
If you have ever dealt with a moth infestation, you may have wondered whether cleaning alone is enough to prevent it from happening again. Many people assume moths only appear in dirty homes, but the reality is more nuanced. While cleaning plays an important role in moth prevention, it is not the only factor. Understanding how cleaning helps, where its limits are, and how it fits into a broader prevention routine can make a real difference in protecting both your clothes and your food.
When most people think about moth problems, they picture summer months and warmer weather. In reality, moth activity often begins much earlier in the year than expected. By the time holes appear in clothing or insects are spotted in the pantry, moths may have already been active for weeks or even months.
