Moths, a similarly unpleasant topic of conversation as athlete's foot, are the biggest enemy of wool clothing.
You've probably had these annoying things in your closet before. Most of the sweaters I make for Jawoll Baby actually have moth holes and were therefore thrown out.
And once the moths are there, they are difficult to get rid of. That is why prevention is important here - and nature offers us all kinds of help. The aromas of cedar and pine wood, neem and lavender are particularly effective - moths don't like them at all and don't lay their eggs in the first place.
It is the moth larvae that cause clothes to have holes in them because they love the creatine that wool is made of.
So what should you do? Place generous pieces of cedar wood in the closet or put lavender or neem oil on a carrier (cardboard, wood). Since we have a garden with lots of lavender plants, I collect the flowers on the stem in late summer and dry them. I then fill these into small bags and place them all over the house and in the closets.
Despite all of this, we have already had clothes moths. Moth traps and chasing them wildly are no help. I have had good experiences using the moths' natural predators. I ordered parasitic wasps from Plantura. These come in a subscription over several weeks and eat all generations of moth larvae.
The parasitic wasps themselves are not visible and they have done a good job for us – we have not seen a single moth in the house since then.
So if you can no longer stop the moth invasion at home, I can recommend parasitic wasps.
Freezing can also provide immediate relief: take advantage of the cold temperatures and hang your woolen clothing out for a few hours in sub-zero temperatures. You can also put individual items in the freezer.
Storage is also important: When the season is over, wash the woolen items so that there is no hair, skin or odor on them and, ideally, store them airtight in a vacuum bag, a sealed box or a cover with the natural fragrances mentioned above.
With these tips you can prevent moth damage to your wool clothing.
