Contrary to popular belief, adult moths don’t actually feed on fabrics. It’s their ravenous larvae that can become your favorite sweater’s biggest foe. Feeling itchy yet? It’s ok, here’s the good news. The oils from true cedar wood repel moths that might otherwise lay eggs in your fabric…and if there aren’t any moth eggs, there won’t be any moth larvae. Whew!
Those same volatile cedar oils in high concentration can also kill small moth larvae, and these oils are in highest concentration in new cedar. A newly made cedar chest or brand new cedar closet, when tightly sealed, will also give your clothes a nice woodsy smell while protecting your clothes from moths…a win-win!
But beware; cedar’s repellent properties dissipate over time, so your grandma’s cedar chest won’t have the protective qualities of new cedar. You can, however, lightly sand and apply cedar oil to restore your cedar’s repellant nature. It will help a little, but nothing really compares to fresh cedar.
Cedar-lined closets are also less effective at protecting clothes from moths than closets and chests crafted from actual cedar. You also want to make sure you wash any clothes that may have been in an area plagued by moths before you put them into your new cedar closet or chest, because if your clothes are already infested, cedar – no matter how brand spanking new – is not going to help.
The bottom line is that if you don’t want your clothes resembling Swiss cheese, you may want to move that cedar chest, armoire or closet project to the top of your to-do list! For cedar or any other quality lumber products, just visit M & M Enterprises – your local lumber yard.