Spring and Summer are just around the corner, that means suntan lotion and cool drinks while sitting poolside (or beachside) are in our near future.
However, storing your Fall and Winter clothes for the next few months and storing them WELL is very important.
With the help of Martha Stewart's Homekeeping Handbook we are offering you some advice on how to store your fall and winter items.
-Keep your clothes meticulously clean, (clothes moths hate clean spaces and moth larvae feed off of embedded dirt or perspiration.)
-Vacuum closets regularly
-Before you pack away your wool items for storage, wash or dry-clean them; clean cotton and synthetic items, too, if you plan on storing them with your woolens.
-Brush winter coats before storing them.
-Short term storage: You can use reclosable plastic bags or plastic boxes for keeping out pests.
-Long term storage (years rather than months): avoid plastic containers; these items don’t allow proper ventilation and have the potential to degrade fabrics over time.
However, storing your Fall and Winter clothes for the next few months and storing them WELL is very important.
With the help of Martha Stewart's Homekeeping Handbook we are offering you some advice on how to store your fall and winter items.
-Keep your clothes meticulously clean, (clothes moths hate clean spaces and moth larvae feed off of embedded dirt or perspiration.)
-Vacuum closets regularly
-Before you pack away your wool items for storage, wash or dry-clean them; clean cotton and synthetic items, too, if you plan on storing them with your woolens.
-Brush winter coats before storing them.
-Short term storage: You can use reclosable plastic bags or plastic boxes for keeping out pests.
-Long term storage (years rather than months): avoid plastic containers; these items don’t allow proper ventilation and have the potential to degrade fabrics over time.
Also, here are some preventative items you can use to either identify IF you have a moth problem or just to continue to keep your closet moth-free.
-Pheromone Traps: You can hang these traps and lure the moths with a sex-attractant pheromone. The male moths get stuck on the surface, keeping them from mating with the females.
-Cedar Blocks: These contain oils that kill moth-larvae, but they don’t kill older moth eggs.
-Lavender: You can suspend sachets filled with lavender from closet rods or tuck them into your drawers to protect woolens.
The plus side of this method is that your closet will smell really great!
**This method repels moths but does NOT kill moth eggs or larvae so make sure you don’t have a moth problem before using this preventative technique.
-Cedar Blocks: These contain oils that kill moth-larvae, but they don’t kill older moth eggs.
-Lavender: You can suspend sachets filled with lavender from closet rods or tuck them into your drawers to protect woolens.
The plus side of this method is that your closet will smell really great!
**This method repels moths but does NOT kill moth eggs or larvae so make sure you don’t have a moth problem before using this preventative technique.
**It is recommended NOT to use moth balls or moth crystals. Both of these items contain pesticides that can be harmful to both people and pets.**
We hope that these were helpful hints for you and that you are able to keep your wardrobe fresh and clean and moth free!
