Darn moths!

[fifi]

First of all ladies, I apologize for being absent of late, but work is getting the best of me...

In honor of the fall equinox, I'm changing out my summer wardrobe for the winter. I pull out my vintage suits, and I find that moths have gotten to some of them! I'm soooo angry. I hate moths! I have everything cleaned before I put it away, AND I store all my best wool vintage in a cedar-lined closet. I know I can have the holes re-woven (love my tailor), but I'm just wondering what everyone else does to ward off the dreaded beasts. They are the bane of my existence!

Whitney

 

[Lauren]

Hi Fifi! Check out this post here on ways to store vintage threads, including different avenues of warding off the dreaded beasts:
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=4317

 

[crazydaisy]

Ok guys, looks like I got a nice little present from buying vintage.... !

I know there is a lot of info on how to keep moths at bay (wish I had read it in time!) but it's too late for me. How do you deal with an actual infestation?

 

[Smuterella]

Oh dear - I used this company.

http://www.pesthelp.co.uk/weshop/Carpet_Beetles___fabric_moths.asp

there is lots of useful info here:

http://www.which.co.uk/advice/how-to-protect-clothes-from-moths/index.jsp

The first thing I'd do if I were you would be to bag up any cashmere and wool items and put them in the freezer.

good luck!

 

[crazydaisy]

thanks smuterella! that company looks great, i'll phone them to see what they advise me to do.
so far I found the moths only on my carpet underneath the bed - but I have still to check the rest of the flat - and judging by how they look like they must be the case bearing moths...god i am terrified of worms of any kind!!

 

[Smuterella]

thanks smuterella! that company looks great, i'll phone them to see what they advise me to do.
so far I found the moths only on my carpet underneath the bed - but I have still to check the rest of the flat - and judging by how they look like they must be the case bearing moths...god i am terrified of worms of any kind!!

Thats what I had, case bearing moths in a wool rug. I'm sorry to scare you but there were loads and loads of little wormy things. Please put your precious vintage away... I'll worry.

 

[crazydaisy]

god...that is not good news at all...i have wool rugs too, on top of my carpet, which is think is synthetic...i'm so scared! while i didn't accumulate a huge quantity of vintage just yet, i have plenty of wools and silks, as I like too natural fibers... i'll go empty my freezer...

what actual products have you used from that company, Smuterella?

 

[job]

I hear of vintage hats with moth nibbles and I have one myself but does anyone have or know of new hats getting moth bites. I would really freak out to break out my felt hats to find them damaged.

 

[Katinka von K.]

I hear of vintage hats with moth nibbles and I have one myself but does anyone have or know of new hats getting moth bites. I would really freak out to break out my felt hats to find them damaged.

I´m afraid moths don´t make a difference between old and new. If it´s delicious, they´ll eat it.

I´ve had a moth problem for some time now. I´m freezing all my natural fiber things for a few days after purchasing them and use anti-moth papers all around the appartment and in the closet. It´s gotten much better but there must still be one or two spots where they hide and I have no idea where

 

[Miss Golightly]

After reading this I ran up to my closet and put even more cedar moth balls amongst my clothes! I remember reading in the book Practical Princess how the author got an infestation of moths and the work and cost of removing them was absolutely astonishing.

I hope you manage to get rid of the infestation once and for all Katinka and save all your lovely vintage things.....

 

[JennieWren]

As Smuterella said, freeze the item for 24 hours. Then unfreeze for 24 hours, to let any eggs (which will not be killed by the initial freeze) begin to hatch, then freeze the little suckers again for another 24 hours to kill them. Clothing moths cannot chew through cellulose. So wrap all your woolies (and yarn) in tissue paper to protect it when you pack it away. Eucalyptus is a natural moth repellent, you can add some oil to water in a mister and mist the paper that you wrap your clothes in, if you can stand the smell that it. I hate the smell of eucalyptus.

 

[FroekenToft]

What I have learned is that: unless you own a really good freezer you should freeze your items for at least a week - and no unfreezing in between - that'll just make the eggs coldresistant. Remember to freeze your items in an airtight plasticbag - and wait 24 hours to open the bag after you have taken it out of the freezer - the fabric has to slowly warm up to the enviroment.