Cedar Magic: The Ultimate Guide to Repelling Moths Naturally

There are a lot of natural ways to repel moths, from Lavender to Cedar, the natural world gives us lots of ways to keep pests at bay without the need for any toxic chemicals. I particularly like to use Cedar oil for moths as I find it the best natural deterrent.  

How to keep your clothes safe from moths naturally

There is nothing quite so depressing as reaching for your favourite woolly jumper, to find a moth has had lunch upon it and it is ridden with holes.

I now have a long check list (below) before I put any of my clothes away to make sure I can keep the moths at bay naturally and keep my clothes safe from pests.  First on the list is to use Cedar based moth repellent - you may ask:

Why Cedar is so good for keeping moths away from your clothes?

The scent of cedar acts as a deterrent for moths, disrupting their ability to locate and feed on certain materials, such as clothing made of natural fibres like wool or silk. Moths are particularly attracted to these materials because they contain keratin, a protein found in animal fibres that serves as a food source for moth larvae.

The reason Cedarwood is so good at repelling moths it that it is full of a wonderful natural compound called ‘Cedrol’ - this gives the cedar its unique woody scent and the amount of it in your Cedar balls or natural Moth repellent spray will affect its pesticidal effects.  I.e The stronger the amount of Cedrol in the Cedar, the stronger the repelling nature of your Spray or Cedar balls!

Transform Your Closet into a Moth-Free Haven

There are many ways to use Cedar to keep moths away - in the original ‘Overboard’ film with Goldie Hawn she demands her wardrobe is made of Cedarwood - as ‘Everyone knows it repels moths!’ however if you don’t have a cedar wardrobe - you could get a cedar-lined chest or indeed cedar hangers to hang your clothes upon in your storage areas.

I don’t have any of these so instead I have a check list (which I swear by) and I haven’t had any moth eaten clothes for years.  But it does take a bit of work to keep your clothes safe.

Checklist to keep Moths away from my clothes naturally

1. Firstly before I put any of my woolly clothes in storage - I wash them - Moths love dirty clothes - so any stains (or sweat) needs to first be removed.
2. I use our natural cashmere shampoo to wash all of my cashmere - it’s also safe to use on silks and all wools - the cedar in the beautiful midwinter scent is a gentle moth deterrent and it smells simply delicious.
3. I always store my clean woollens either in a suitcase (so I can seal it) you can use an under bed storage box or even a cardboard box would do - so long as you tape it up. You just want to make sure the clothes, if being stored for a while, are safe.  As natural pest deterrents do not kill the moths, you need to make sure if the scent fades (which it will over time) no moths can then get back into your box to lay their eggs on your clothes.
4. Now I would spray the clothes whilst in the box or suitcase with my natural moth repellent spray (this makes the most of the spray - as the scent will be concentrated in the box and the fibers of your jumper).
5. Then as a double whammy, I would add some freshly sanded Cedar Balls (as this makes the repelling power of the natural aromatic Cedar oils as potent as possible) within the box to make sure the moths are kept away for as long as possible.  Then seal your box up nice and tight.

How to protect your woollen clothes from moths while hanging in your wardrobe:

If you are simply wanting to protect your woolen clothes whilst they are in use in your wardrobe - I would recommend - always washing them with a cedar based woolen wash like our Cashmere shampoo.  Dirt and sweat attracts moths to your clothes and Cedar oils help to repel them.

When you put your woolen clothes back into your wardrobe be sure to mist them with a Moth repellent (you can also mist your drawers and carpets to keep the moths away).

For an added boost I would pop a newly sanded Cedar ball in a pocket of your clothing (if there is one).  If it’s a really special woolen garment I’ll also hang it in a fabric clothing bag so I can seal in all the repelling odours of the cedar (just make sure it’s breathable not those plastic clear ones from the dry-cleaners and they can make your clothes sweat and attract the moths!! eek).

Hopefully you will have beautifully moth free clothes from here on out! Do let me know if you have any questions and I will try and help.

Talk Soon,

B x