Posted on March 2nd,
2010
by Berit Griffin
Moths: the bane of our bedrooms, the scourge of our sweaters. What can be more annoying than taking a sweater out of a drawer to discover the tell-tale hole of the moth? If you have a cedar chest or cedar closet, your battle against moths has gained a formidable weapon. For those who aren’t blessed with a cedar closet and don’t want to invest in a cedar chest, there are some good options. Re-nest gives a run-down of moth prevention without resorting to toxic chemicals and foul-smelling mothballs.
The first thing you should do is wash your clothes thoroughly. Moths are attracted to the skin cells, oils, etc. that we leave behind. It’s best to wash clothes in hot water to kill moth eggs and larvae. Please remember that wool should be washed in cold water only to keep it from shrinking. The Laundress has a tutorial on how to properly hand-wash wool sweaters.
After your clothes are clean, prepare their resting place: vacuum and air out the closet and consider wiping out drawers. The best way to store clothing though, is in airtight containers. If you have the space, try freezing clothing!
Incorporate the old standby of cedar. You don’t need a whole closet; look for cedar balls or planks to keep the moths away.
As we head towards spring, hopefully these tips will help keep your seasonal clothing safely stored and moth-free!
Image courtesy of ehoyer on Flickr
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