http://www.care2.com/greenliving/packing-those-sweaters-away-safely.html
Packing Those Sweaters Away Safely
By Annie B. Bond
Now that spring will soon arrive and warm weather will take hold, we can pack away our woolens until next year. There is no longer any good reason to use napthalene moth balls to protect woolens from wool moths; they are carcinogens and highly neurotoxic.
Instead, learn how to compose a sweet smelling sweater chest using the herbs that weavers use to repel wool moths! Weavers can’t take the chance of moths eating their skeins of wool, so their choices of repellent herbs really work.
Find out the simple steps to repelling clothing moths n*aturally, keeping your woolens safe all spring and summer long.
Before packing woolens away, there are a number of important
steps to take to prevent moths, including washing the wool. Here you can
learn about how to wet clean wool without shrinkage, how to
make your own natural moth balls (repellent sachets), and what
to do if you already have clothing moths.
How to Repel Clothing Moths
1. Clean woolen items before storing.
To wet clean wool: The key to not shrinking wool is to never
twist it, agitate it, or wring it out. Gently swirl the wool in
the water, then rinse and press the water out. Wool is an acidic
material, so use a shampoo with its acidic pH. Or an acideic detergent. Any soap or detergent with a pH
above 8 will harm wool. To lower the pH of a soap or detergent,
add 1 tablespoon of white distilled vinegar or lemon juice before
washing. Water temperature when washing wool should be around
100 F. Block wool — lay it flat and shape it — before drying.
2. Air woolen clothing in the sun for a few hours before
packing them away.
3. Make your own moth ball alternatives.
Natural Moth Balls (Repellent Sachets):
These sachets are lovely to tuck into sweater drawers
and hang in closets. Most health food stores sell bulk
dried herbs.
2 ounces each of dried rosemary and mint
1 ounce each of dried thyme and ginseng
8 ounces of whole cloves
Combine the ingredients in a large bowl. Blend.
Make sachets by choosing a 4 x 4 inch
piece of natural fiber with a tight weave, such
as silk. Sew three sides together, then fill with the
herbs and sew the fourth side shut. You can adapt this
pattern to any size you want (2 x 2 is the traditional size
for the undergarments drawer, for example). A good idea for
small sachets is to fill cotton teabags sold for
making your own tea (these are often sold in health food
stores). If you are really in a rush, just tie the herbs
up in a cotton bandana or handkerchief; place the
herbs in the middle, gather the edges together, and
tie with a ribbon.
Variation: Other herbs that are good for repelling moths
include lavender, lemon, sweet woodruff, and tansy.
4. Completely seal clean woolen items in bags, boxes, and
chests. Cedar chests help repel moths, but they must be sealed.
5. If you see moths, freeze the item of clothing for two days
in the freezer.
related stories
-
(6 comments)
-
(22 comments)
-
(2 comments)
Robyn
Melissa
Deepak
Eric
Dave
Dr. Brent
Isha
Susan
Delia
Michelle
Wendy
Megan
Hilary
Ann
Judi
Ronnie
Kelly
Lily
Terri
Betsy
Cait
Andrew
Jana
Annie B.
Veronica
68 comments
add your comment »i have used Lavender sachets in my wardrobes for years, moths hate the smell, i fill 4x4 inch muslin squares with dried lavender, sew ends and attach a piece of string, so you can hang your sachets up, or, just put them on the pole that is already in your wardrobe, and every now and then, give your sachets alittle squeeze this release more fragrance into your wardrobe, and i have not had any problems with moths, not one. and i have been using lavender sachets for over 20 years in all of my wardrobes, and as i knit alot i have quite a few jumpers, cardigans, and knitted tops, and none of them have ever been eaten, or invaded by the moths.
send green star
why is this inappropriate?
I have a lot of fresh mint growing in my garden. I assume I have to dry it in order to use as a moth repellent. What's the best way to dry it without making it rot?
send green star
why is this inappropriate?
thanks for the information, found it to be very useful!! thanks again!!
send green star
why is this inappropriate?
My cupboards are infested with cockroaches, and my mother uses mothballs to kill/deter them. Will these natural mothballs work?
send green star
why is this inappropriate?
This was the most amazing article I've read in a while. Its wonderful to know that so many natural ingrediants can be used instead of chemicals.Thanks for the info.
send green star
why is this inappropriate?
Whatever you do, make sure that if you use newspapers, cedar chips, or essential oils you also take care to separate them from your sweaters. A double thickness of plain muslin or other uncolored cotton will work fine. Do NOT hang sweaters, as one reader mentioned; they will stretch out and you'll have a bad case of 'hanger shoulder'. The herbal sachets sound like a great idea; again, make sure they are well separated from the clothes. I may be part moth; I hate the idea of plastics, too, but they are effective. I've even known folks who used the large plastic trashcans with lids (new) and simply taped the lids on with duct tape after filling them with the clothing to be stored. Take a tip from the companies that sell expensive sweaters and make simple cotton 'envelopes' for your sweaters. Again, plain cotton or muslin 2-1/2 times the length of the folded sweater and just a smidge wider. Fold the bottom up about 3/4ths of the way & run a simple seam up each side. You can use a button & loop, or a buttonhole, if you want to go to that much trouble, or just a bit of hook-&-loop fastener. Putting each sweater in its own envelope helps prevent the possibility of color transfer, and it's just an extra nice touch.
send green star
why is this inappropriate?
Thanks for the tip. I'll try it . I put them on hangers
send green star
why is this inappropriate?
Appreciate all of these tips, but the one for using the tea bags from health food store is great...and I intend to put it to practical use in a few days.
send green star
why is this inappropriate?
I have some old Native American hand loomed rugs
from the southwest we bought during the 1940's.
When stored, they were put in containers and
packed with red/white cedar cuttings...it works!!!
send green star
why is this inappropriate?
excellent ideas. I have been using the wet wash of some small items for a long time and the sunlite. For the last few years I have made the herbal sachets that work great! Smells a lot better than mothballs too.
send green star
why is this inappropriate?
Facebook account: