For the felts in the piano, moths are the critical pest. Here, too, unplayed pianos are more at risk. Moths are often brought in with old carpets or clothing – or with the piano itself. Traces of moths (pupal remains) are easiest to find on the hammers of the action. If traces of moths can be found in one place, they were certainly also elsewhere in the piano.
Old pianos often contain moth sachets or lavender bags. These lose their effect after a while and should be replaced regularly with lavender or similar commercially available preventive products.
A piano infested by moths can only be restored by a piano maker at great effort. As a rule, all the felts have to be replaced.
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