Clothes moths

We all look forward to the arrival of summer: barbecues on the terrace, swimming, sunshine, vacations, picnics in the park...

For a knitter this season also marks the beginning of a terrible threat: the arrival of the terrible clothes moths!

From the keratophage family, this bio-composting insect is capable of degrading the keratin present in fibers of animal origin. As a result: they enjoy our beautiful balls of wool! Their population increases particularly in summer when it is hot and humid (25ºC and more).

How can we protect ourselves against this scourge and enjoy the summer without turning our knitwear into an all-you-can-eat buffet?

Our advices:
1. WASH THE KNITTS with EUCALAN to remove leftover sweat and sweat odors. (Animal smells attract them).

2. Store them in protective covers or duvet covers with sachets of moth-proof vegetable potpourri:

Our recipe:
. Black peppercorns
. Cinnamon sticks
. Lavender Flowers
. Cloves
. dried rosemary
. Bay leaves

It is very important to clean and circulate air in closets and cabinets before storing knitwear. Moths prefer dark and dusty places.

You can add a few drops of lavender, eucalyptus and white cedar (Thuja occidentalis) essential oils to your cleaning product to make it more powerful. (If you can own a cedar chest, store your woolens in it because they are naturally moth-proof!).

Your precious supply of wool also needs to be protected during the summer. Store your balls in bins with mothproof bags inside. If you prefer you can store the wool in cotton duvet covers so that air circulates. Avoid storing wool in plastic bags because plastic tends to retain moisture, which can lead to yellowing of the material or even mold.

Using a diffuser you can start scenting the house from April with the mixture of essential oils mentioned above to discourage moths from settling in the house.

Last advice: Do you suspect the start of an invasion? Before the disease spreads, place your wool or woolens in a dish and in the oven at 100°C for 30 minutes! Don't worry, Céline has already done this, wool is absolutely harmless, however, the heat will nip the moth in the bud. A radical and more effective solution than the freezer which blocks development without killing the eggs.

Back to blog

Leave a comment

Please note, comments need to be approved before they are published.