NCFP Household Tip | Moths in the Wardrobe

NCFP Household Tip – Moths in the Wardrobe

Having discovered tiny holes in brand new clothes in the wardrobe here in north Cyprus I decided that the culprits were moths and that it was time to do something about them. My first thought was mothballs and was immediately reminded of the terrible odour of naphthalene. Modern mothballs use a different chemical but they still smell terrible. After a little internet research I discovered some natural alternatives

Lavender

My garden is full of the stuff. The advice is to  fill sachets with dried lavender, or dip cotton balls in lavender oil. Then place in closets, drawers and any other places where clothes are stored.

Mint

This is only just beginning to peek through in the garden. You have to place several dried leaves in a sachet, or place loose leaves among your clothes.

Cedar

I suppose I could chip the bark off the pine trees lining the drive, or store the clothes in one of the pine chest of drawers we brought from the UK but better still we could pick up some cedar chips or blocks from a local gardening shop. I’ve not seen any locally but cedar oil would be more convenient, again if I could find any here.

Cloves, Thyme, Ginseng and Rosemary

A bit more exotic, and hard to find. You  fill a sachet with one or a combination of these four herbs to keep moths at bay for months.

Clothing Storage Tips

Wash all clothing, and dry it in the sun before packing it away at the end of the season. This will help to kill any larvae that may be present in the clothing. Cotton garments can also be ironed as a further deterrent.

Store clothing in sealed containers—chests, plastic storage containers, suitcases, etc.—where moths can’t get to them.

Moths prefer moist environments, so store your clothes in a dry area of your home.

Moths gravitate towards dirt, so vacuum your carpets and baseboards regularly to prevent an infestation or to eliminate an existing infestation. If you’re dealing with a current infestation, change your vacuum bag regularly to ensure you’re getting the larvae out of your home.

Conclusion

In the end, I used lavender oil soaked cotton wool buds placed strategically inside the wardrobes. This smells much better than mothballs although I’m not sure whether it will clash with my perfume when I finally wear the clothes!