A question I often receive is how to deal with wool moths, or at least how to prevent their devastating attacks on our favourite cosy items. I will be very glad to share some simple and effective tips in this post, ranging from preventative measures to curative steps.
How to Prevent Wool Moths
The easiest and most effective way to prevent wool moths is to use your wool items in rotation. Moths simply can’t get cosy if your woollens see the light and taste fresh air, so go ahead and enjoy all your woollen articles in regular rotation.
If you have read my post about the most simple way to clean wool, you already know that regularly airing wool has many beneficial effects for the fibre, and here is one of the chief ones: it prevents moths from settling in.
If you are not wearing your woollen items (because of hot weather for instance) make sure to hang them outside for a few hours. Doing this a couple of times through the Spring and Summer will help to prevent moth infestations. You can also do that through the Winter if you notice that some pieces don’t get used a lot: air them on breezy or frosty days.
2. How to Deal with a Moth Infestation
If my preventative tips come a bit too late, don’t despair, it’s simple enough to get rid of a moth infestation, though it requires a bit of intensive care at first.
First of all, assess the damage. If there are only a few holes, maybe you can repair the item, but first you have to air that piece outside thoroughly (for some days) to kill the eggs. Bright sunlight and breezy days work well, and so does frosty weather. Some people say you can put your woollens in the freezer to kill moth eggs, so if you have no outdoor space to air things that is a good tip to know.
Unless your darning skills are darn good, if the items are full of holes and past repairing, they need to go. The good news is that you can use old woolly things to improve garden soil. I will write another blog post about that soon, but in a nutshell, just put the item on a patch of ground where you want to reduce weeds, and leave it there to biodegrade, where it will also fertilise the soil if you grow vegetables. Be astounded at the results a few months later, and rejoice that your moth-eaten jumper can still be useful!
The next important step is to decontaminate the wardrobe/drawer: hoover it really well one or five times (can never be too thorough with these things!) and use one of my all-natural anti-moth solutions below to prevent recurring issues.
3. Natural Treatments for Moths
These natural treatment for moths are based on powerful essential oils that moths detest. Essential oils act as deterrents and are very effective. Although putting a sachet of lavender flowers in our wardrobes and drawers is really pleasant, I don’t think it is powerful enough to deter moths, so what I am offering is a bit more concentrated, and it has worked for everyone I recommend it to. I also use it to keep my precious yarn stash moth-free.
The simplest natural treatment is to get those little cedar cubes and put one drop of rosemary essential oil on each, then place those cubes in wardrobes and drawers. One drop is enough, because essential oils are incredibly powerful and a little goes a very long way. You won’t need more than one cube per drawer or shelf. Essential oils are expensive, but one bottle can last for a decade, so it’s a good investment when you compare it to a stack of ruined jumpers and blankets.
If you are in the mood for a bit of potion making, here is a fun moth spray to make. In a spray bottle, mix half a cup of water with 5 drops each of the following essential oils: lavender, rosemary, pine, thyme, patchouli. These are my favourites and they work well together, but there are plenty others which can repel moths. Do a quick google search and select those you love most. Spray that solution in your wardrobe and don’t forget the carpets there. You can also use this solution to freshen up your wool blankets, jumpers, socks… it will smell lovely and be sure to deter any moth.
I hope these tips are helpful and wish you the best in your anti moth campaign!
Until next time, take good care.
