Know Your Enemy: What Actually Damages Wool and Linen

The moths you see fluttering near a lampshade are not the culprits. Adult clothes moths are harmless; it is their larvae that chew holes in your favourite jumper. These pale, wriggling grubs feed on keratin, the protein found in wool, silk, fur and feathers, which is why knitwear, blankets and suits take the worst hit. They prefer warm, dark, undisturbed places: the back of a wardrobe, the bottom drawer, the box under the bed that has not been opened since last winter.

Linen sits in a slightly different category. As a plant fibre made of cellulose, it is not a moth's first choice for dinner. However, linen that has been worn against the skin, splashed with food, or stiffened with old-fashioned starch sizing becomes far more appealing. Larvae will also chew through linen simply because it lies in their path on the way to a wool coat. Carpet beetles and silverfish cause similar damage, so the advice below protects against all three.

Begin with Clean Textiles, Every Time

Nothing attracts moths faster than the smell of a human body. Perspiration, deodorant residue, perfume, cooking oil and tiny crumbs of food all make textiles irresistible. Clean everything thoroughly before it goes into storage, even if it looks spotless.

• Wool: hand wash gently in lukewarm water with a wool-safe detergent, or have it dry cleaned. Never wring or tumble dry. Press the water out, reshape, and dry flat away from radiators and direct sun.
• Linen: machine wash at 30°C to 40°C for coloured pieces and hotter for whites if the care label allows. Linen is robust, but thorough drying matters more than the wash itself.
• Check the details: turn out pockets, inspect cuffs, collars and hems, and look under the arms of coats. These are the areas that hold the most body oil and the first places larvae start nibbling.

Even a fraction of retained moisture can encourage mould, which itself attracts insects. Make sure everything is bone dry before it goes away.

Choose Breathable Storage, Not Plastic

Natural fibres need to breathe. Seal a wool blanket in a plastic bag and any lingering dampness becomes trapped, creating a humid microclimate that smells musty and offers ideal conditions for larvae.

• Use washed cotton pillowcases, cotton laundry bags or linen sacks for individual garments and folded blankets.
• For longer-term storage, choose a sturdy cardboard box or a cotton-covered storage bag. Line it with acid-free tissue paper.
• If you do use a plastic crate, make sure the contents are spotless and dry, and leave the lid slightly loose rather than clamped shut.
• Avoid vacuum bags for anything you cherish: compression stresses wool fibres, sets hard creases in linen, and traps odours.

Cedar chests are a traditional and genuinely useful option, provided the lid is not airtight and the wood is refreshed. Do not store textiles directly against untreated timber, as oils can mark fabric.

Natural Deterrents That Actually Help

Deterrents do not kill eggs or larvae already present. What they do is mask the scent of your textiles and make adult moths less inclined to lay eggs nearby. Used alongside clean storage, they are a strong line of defence.

• Cedar: blocks, balls or heartwood shavings. Lightly sand the surfaces every few months to release fresh oils.
• Lavender: dried flowers in muslin sachets. Squeeze the bags to revive the scent and replace every three to four months.
• Other herbs: clary sage, rosemary, thyme, mint, eucalyptus, bay leaves and whole cloves all work well on their own or mixed into a sachet.
• Diatomaceous earth: a fine powder that damages insects' outer shells. Use sparingly in drawer runners and cracks, not directly on clothing, and keep it away from pets.

Hang sachets among garments rather than resting them against fabric, and refresh them seasonally.

Good Housekeeping and Regular Inspections

Moths thrive in undisturbed dust. Larvae will happily feed on shed hair, pet fur and skin flakes in the corners of a wardrobe before moving on to your knitwear. Vacuum wardrobe floors, drawer runners, skirting boards and the space under the bed every few weeks, and empty the vacuum outside.

Keep the room cool and dry. Moths prefer warmth and humidity, so aim for around 18°C to 20°C with relative humidity near 50 per cent. Open windows and air rooms regularly. Place sticky pheromone traps low down in wardrobes: they will not solve an infestation alone, but they give you an early warning. If you buy second-hand wool or linen, seal it in a bag and freeze it at -18°C for at least 72 hours, thawing and refreezing once more, before it joins your wardrobe.

Seasonal Rotation and Long-Term Storage

When winter woollens come out of service in spring, give them a proper send-off. Clean, air and fold them flat, with crumpled acid-free tissue at the fold lines to prevent sharp creases. Never hang knitwear for months on end, as the shoulders will stretch out of shape.

Store bags in a cool, dark, dry cupboard rather than a loft or cellar, where temperatures and damp swing wildly. Label each bag so you know what is inside without opening it. Once a season, take everything out, air it in indirect light, refold along different lines, and check for telltale holes or gritty specks of frass. Roll large linen tablecloths and sheets around a cardboard tube wrapped in tissue to avoid permanent creases. A little routine, done patiently, will keep your natural textiles fresh for decades.