Wool keeps best over summer when it goes away clean, folded flat and wrapped in breathable cotton, in a spot that is dry, dark and cool, ideally below about 20 °C. Clothes moth larvae feed on the keratin in sheep's wool, merino, alpaca and felt, and they are drawn to sweat and food traces left in worn garments.
Why must wool be clean before it is stored?
Clean wool is far less attractive to clothes moths, because the larvae seek out the sweat, skin oils and food traces that a worn garment carries. A jumper that looks clean after a few wears can still hold enough of them to feed larvae for a whole summer.
Wash or air every piece before it goes away, following its care label. Most knitwear, scarves and blankets can be hand washed or put on a wool cycle at 30 °C with wool detergent, then dried flat. Coats that cannot be washed should be brushed with a clothes brush, especially at the collar and cuffs, and aired outdoors on a dry day. Make sure everything is completely dry before it is packed; damp wool in a closed box is how mildew starts.
Should knitwear be folded or hung?
Fold knitwear and store it flat, because months on a hanger stretch the shoulders and lengthen the body. Knitted fibre is elastic under short loads but slowly gives way to a constant one, which is why a jumper hung all summer comes out with points at the shoulders.
Fold sweaters in thirds lengthwise, sleeves inside, then in half. Put the heaviest pieces at the bottom of a stack and keep stacks low, four or five items at most, so the lower layers are not crushed flat. Woven coats and structured jackets are different: they hold their shape on a broad, shaped hanger and should hang, with space around them for air.
What actually keeps clothes moths away?
Clean garments, closed breathable storage and a check every few weeks keep moths away more reliably than any repellent. Cedar blocks and lavender sachets help as mild deterrents to adult moths, but they do not kill eggs or larvae already present. Refresh cedar by sanding it lightly once a season, when the scent fades.
Clothes moths prefer dark, undisturbed places, so the most useful habit is to open storage boxes and move the contents once or twice over the summer. Signs to look for are small irregular holes, silky tubes or webbing on the fabric, and fine dust-like droppings in folds.
If you find larvae, act on the affected pieces at once. Seal each one in a plastic bag and freeze it for at least a week at about −18 °C, then let it return to room temperature slowly in the bag before washing. Vacuum the drawer or box and wipe it down before anything goes back in.
Where in the home should wool be stored?
Store wool somewhere dry, dark and cool: a wardrobe shelf, a bedroom chest or boxes under a bed, rather than a damp basement or a hot attic. Humidity encourages mould and moths alike, heat speeds up moth breeding, and sunlight fades dyed wool over a season.
Use cotton bags, linen pillowcases or lidded boxes lined with cotton. Avoid long-term storage in sealed plastic unless the pieces are completely dry, because plastic traps any moisture left in the fibre. Vacuum bags protect against moths but press the air out of knitwear and can leave hard creases in felt, so they suit only items that recover easily.
How should specific wool pieces be stored?
Each type of wool piece needs the same basics, with small differences in folding and shape. This guide covers the pieces most homes put away each spring.
| Piece | Before storing | How to store |
|---|---|---|
| Knitted jumpers and cardigans | Wash or air, dry flat | Folded, in low stacks, in a cotton bag or box |
| Alpaca scarves and beanies | Air or hand wash at 30 °C | Folded loosely, not rolled tight, in a cotton bag |
| Wool coats | Brush, air outdoors | On a broad shaped hanger in a breathable garment bag |
| Wool felt slippers | Brush out, wash only if the label allows | Stuffed with paper to hold shape, in a box |
| Merino blankets | Wool cycle at 30 °C, dry flat | Folded, on the top of a stack |
| Wool and alpaca socks | Wash inside out | In pairs, flat, in a drawer with cedar |
Felt slippers are easy to forget because they live by the door rather than in a wardrobe, but they are pure wool and just as appealing to moths. For how merino, alpaca and regular wool differ in wear and care, see merino, wool or alpaca: which fibre for which job, and for the felted range from Omaking, a family shoe workshop in Estonia since 1927, see wool slippers.
What should you do when the wool comes out in autumn?
Air everything for a day before wearing, then check each piece for holes and give it a light brush. Any creases from folding usually drop out overnight on a flat surface, or with a little steam held a few centimetres away from the fabric.
If a scarf or beanie has pilled at the edges, remove the pills with a wool comb or fabric shaver rather than pulling them. Alpaca pieces need the same gentle handling as in spring; the care routine is in does alpaca wool itch, and how to care for alpaca. Pieces stored this way come out in autumn as they went in, and the alpaca scarves and knitwear you already own stay in use for many more winters.
