Letters
Life with Wool: Guess Who Came to Dinner?
Greetings from Maine!
It’s April. While the daffodils remain a distant dream, their delicate green fingertips wiggle a little higher out of the earth each day. The snow drifts are gone, replaced by freezing and thawing that turns our roads into rollercoasters.
April is the month when our earliest ice cream stands reopen for the season. And while braving the frost-heave slalom just to stand in line for ice cream when it’s 38 degrees out may not be your cup of tea, it’s the most exciting thing going on here.
It won’t be safe to put seedlings into the ground for another six weeks, though the old-timers insist on waiting until July 4th. But we’ve made it to April, the ice cream is back, and that means spring is here. Can warm weather be far behind?
By this point, our woolens have been out and about and exposed to the wilds of our bodies, our closets, and our dressers since October. Life with wool involves keeping our woolens in motion, both on and off our bodies. Wool doesn’t need to be laundered nearly as often as synthetic fibers do, but it still needs a shake and a good airing every now and then.
In an ideal world, we all will have dutifully kept our woolens puffed and fluffed and worn in a balanced rotation all winter long. But in the real world, or at least the one in which I currently reside, things have a way of going sideways as winter progresses. By now, a lot of my woolens have found their way into the darker recesses of my drawers and closets.
As we know, if we leave worn and forgotten woolens in dark, undisturbed places for long periods of time, we might as well dim the lights, put on some Barry White, and hang a flashing red neon sign that says, “MOTHS WANTED, APPLY WITHIN.”
Despite being more vigilant than I have been in years, I finally had my first applicant of the season show up a few days ago. He was wearing his usual tan suit, as thin as a grain of rice and barely the height of my pinkie nail. He was loitering on the wall by the staircase leading up to my studio, doing the moth equivalent of smoking a cigarette and looking for someone to ask, “Was it as good for you as it was for me?”
“No, it was not!” I replied, dispatching him with a thwack.
Should you see a clothes moth, which we all will at some point in our wool-wearing lives, know that you aren’t looking at the cause of the damage—you’re looking at the result.
That moth tells you that a female moth has successfully laid eggs, those eggs have successfully hatched into larvae, the larvae have eaten enough keratin (a.k.a. your favorite green pullover) to pupate, flutter over to the wall leading up to my studio, and be squashed by me.
Moths aren’t renowned for their flight skills. Females often prefer to run or hop, while males will flutter in search of a mate. But they don’t travel far. The presence of this moth told me where to focus my hunt.
After circling the area around my staircase, I located the source of the infestation: a much-loved cashmere sweater that my mother had entrusted to me for mending—a sweater I hadn’t thought about puffing or fluffing because it wasn’t in my closet, so it wasn’t in my wardrobe rotation. It was sitting in the infirmary waiting in vain for a nurse to stitch it back to wholeness.
She’d asked if she should wash it first, and I’d insisted no, that would just make it fall apart. So she handed it over to me, I set it aside, months passed, and here we were.
The preferred diet of clothes moths is the keratin in wool and other protein fibers. But what they really want is keratin that’s been flavored with perspiration and body oils and food stains and pet dander and anything else we may inadvertently drop on our clothes. For them, that’s the powdered sugar on the donut. They’ll eat clean wool if they must, but they’d much prefer something with extra flavor.
Having found the source of the problem, I popped that sweater into a 125F oven (the minimum is 120F) for a 30-minute bake.
I find heat a faster and more effective treatment than freezing woolens, especially since freezing requires a consistent 0F or below for at least 72 hours—tricky if your freezer gets opened a lot.
At the risk of being gruesome, I’ll just say this: When I took the sweater out of the oven, I could see what had been eating it. And I could also see, very clearly, that the larvae wouldn’t be eating anything again.
The sweater is now safely sealed in a Ziploc bag until I can give it a proper mending—a mending that will be far more involved because of my negligence. But it’ll be a fine way to pass the time until it’s warm enough to throw the windows wide open and yell “It’s spring!” to the world.
That’ll be my clue to open up the closet and give everything a proper shake, fluff, and how-do-you-do.
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Clara Parkes: the Dexter of Moth Dispatch.
I am proud to accept this title!
Great article! Clara always injects humor into a topic!
More greetings from Maine, here – where yesterday it snowed (lightly) leaving the ground white again this morning. Thank you, Clara, for another of your wonderful postings and a timely reminder to all of us to be on the alert! Over many woolly years, I’ve found two things to be helpful in discouraging clothes moths: they seem more interested in dark places, so my sweaters are on open shelves exposed as much as I can to light (I being too lazy for individual plastic bags). The second is cedar oil in little spray bottles that lightly scents the woollies and does seem to deter the critters. In many years and two houses I’ve managed to avoid attracting them completely – so far. Still: time to inspect, shake and air!
Plus cedar oil makes everything smell sooooo good, right?
Great article by Clara! Since moths dislike anything scented (unless it’s human sweat, of course!) I put bags of my homegrown lavender with my woolens. And just to double down and let those pesky pests know I’m serious, I also grab those envelopes of Christmas scent on the 50% off sale after the holidays as well as the Trappify moth traps from Amazon. No moth is safe around here!
I’ve been handwashing my woolens and laying flat to dry at the end of the season and then storing in ziplock bags. Is that too much? I can really shake, fluff and air if the item is not obviously soiled?
That’s perfect! You’re doing right by your woolens. The shake and airing is a helpful mid-season add-on, if you find some things aren’t being worn as frequently.
The lowest temp I can set my oven is 175 degrees. I’ve been “baking” my woolens at that temperature. Do you think it’s too hot?
My daughter puts her woolens in the car on a really hot sunny day and lets solar power take care of the job- seems to work for her.
Do small packets of cedar shavings in closets and drawers help to protect woolen items?
The theory is that strong scents overwhelm the deliciously alluring fragrance of keratin so that moths don’t smell it – so I think the key is keeping the shavings fresh. But also, keeping the woolens clean so there’s less temptation in the first place.
Carpet beetles hurt too.
Thanks!
OOF, those can be so devastating!
Assuming there is no powdered sugar on the donut, are there some fibers that cloths moths prefer more than others? For example, is sheep’s wool preferred to alpaca? And do blends make a difference? For example is sock yarn (wool blended with nylon) less attractive than pure wool? When it makes sense, I’d like to choose the least attractive (from the moth’s perspective) fiber.
Greetings from Virginia, where Spring has arrived, but it feels Maine-like today at 25 degrees. I really enjoy your writing – both educational and fun. And is it ever too cold for ice cream? Not in my world, that’s for sure, but I’m always happy when our outdoor venues open up this time of year. A sure sign of sunny days ahead 🙂 Thank you for the smile today!
Hello right back to you! I agree with you that it’s never too cold for ice cream. I’ll stand outside at any temperature for a good cone.
I wish this article had been published yesterday morning! Fifty years ago, I knitted an afghan for my younger sister as a wedding gift. (I have no recollection of this project but this is the story she told me). Apparently she loved it so much that at some point she stored it away for safe-keeping (insert eye roll here). You can guess the result—multiple moth meals in evidence.
I agreed to do repairs and she mailed it to me. I was terrified when the box arrived——perhaps laden with evil bugs! I researched moth remedies on Ravelry and first settled on the freezer method—till I realized there is no room in my freezer for an afghan! Second choice: bake it! the lowest temp on my oven is 135, so I baked it for 35 minutes (with a pan of water on the rack below—to keep it moisturized). It emerged unscathed, and I tossed it in my front loader with some Eucalan for a wash. It spent the day hanging out on a railing over the stairs, and is now ready for repairs. But, first I have to find some off-white yarn that will blend with the original color.
I can attest to the ease of the oven method! you can find a photo of the afghan in my Ravelry “mamased” projects.
Oh my goodness! I’m so glad your sister found the damage before it reeeeeeeeally got out of control – and I’m glad the oven technique forked for you. Good luck with your mending!
Would a dry tumble on high in a dryer do the trick? Must consult my dryer manual for temp.
I love to read your articles! This was very helpful. I plan on ordering some cedar shavings soon as I pack away the winter woolens.
Thanks Clara for the humorous advice about moth amelioration. I have a lot of yarn and woolens (and some silk scarves), which I try to keep in plastic. Inevitably, I find that I’ve left something out and the moths have gotten into it. I found out they like silk scarves too. Boo. Whenever I find unprotected woolens, I check them for signs of moths, then put them in plastic bags. But it’s an ongoing battle! Do moths go after acrylic or wool blends?
I found a small colony on a neglected old bathrobe in the back of my closet. Yes, they’ll go for synthetics if all else fails. And cotton! They ate the entire on/off cord on a light in the dark part of my attic.
In nature, they live on discarded fur and feathers.
I’ve had moths go after blends, alas. If they’re really hungry.
By the way, Julia Farwell Clay has a bunch of useful posts on her Instagram about dealing with moths. @farwellclay
What about putting yarn or sweaters in the freezer? Is that not effective?
It IS effective except that you really need to keep them below zero the whole time – and I live with someone who loves to open the freezer and gaze upon its bounty until it beeps a reminder. Also, space can be an issue. That’s why I prefer the oven technique.
I have not tried it, but it is one of the methods recommended in Ravelry forums—they say to freeze for 3 days, remove for 3 days, then freeze again for 3 days (to kill the larva that have hatched from any eggs). The problem I had is not enough freezer space for an afghan!
Brilliant!
Good tip on oven baking for wool moths. I had a 2nd chest freezer for some years for my wool and roving (5 sheeps, lots of inventory) until my husband said unnecessary add to the electric bill. And I never thought freezing was very effective. Re: ice cream in winter – ice cream cones in Anchorage in winter were always popular :).
Ahhhh that’s a good point about the electric bill. I always fantasize about getting a walk-in freezer and storing all my woolens in it – then again, I suppose if one were in a position to have a custom-built restaurant-sized walk-in freezer just for wool, one wouldn’t be worried about an electric bill. But still.
educational and insightful – Clara’s trademarks. I appreciate the perseverance. I would have given up so much earlier.
I didn’t know you could put your woolens in the oven! Your story, of course, fills every knitter with horror. I keep a clothes moth trap in my closet, and the things I see on it make me very uneasy. I was just thinking this morning that I need some more giant plastic bags for some yarn I think I’m going to use immediately, but it’s been languishing in a shopping bag for several years. Out here in the country, moths aren’t the only invaders, but I wouldn’t bake those in the oven. Thanks for the tips, but not the horror of thinking about it!
So sorry about the nightmarish visions! Another thing you can do, now that summer is on the horizon, is put your woolens inside your car on a hot day and let the sun bake them instead of your oven. An hour in 80-degree temps should get the car up to 123F, according to the Internet.
I also recently saw a moth and have been on an intense anti-moth clean. Good luck to the both of us on keep the situation contained
Courage to you! We shall overcome!
Those b*st*rds are not escaping from that fiery furnace. No ma’am.
No they are NOT.
Massachusetts here: THANK YOU for the reminder! My lay-about stash projects and current woolens in winter rotation thank you. Good to know that moths don’t travel far from their “happy place” so I know where to look for the scene of the crime. Thx for the fun read!
You’re welcome, Gitte!
I second all the applause you are receiving for this article. I do have questions please. How does the nylon in sock yarn deal with the oven heat? I expect 125 is too low to melt nylon or turn it into flames, but I want to be sure. Definitely will put on the exhaust fan and open windows.
Also, my oven is used to prepare frozen pizzas so I was surprised to see the lowest setting is 140 degrees. It’s an ancient gas stove no computers so I’m expecting to just turn the dial appropriately lower and see if it comes on. Do you have experience with this? What do you suggest, please?
You’re wise to ask this question. Most nylon variants have a melting point around 428F, although there’s one that’ll melt closer to 325F. But those are still far above the 125F. If it’s helpful, most dryers will heat to 125-135F. So if it doesn’t melt in the dryer, it won’t melt in the oven. But do be careful about any kinds of trims or buttons, because you never know there.
This article. This pain. I share it. Big chunks of my stash were neglected as I was away for a long period so when I came back to I had to deal with the consequences. Lessons learned and now dedicating a bit more time on storage to protect for the future.
Oh my…..(ok, heart, you can stop thumping so wildly now)…I have a storage and laundering system that works for me (as I am the keeper of all of our woolens). However, the fear of those m*ths out here in the country keeps me vigilant.
How timely is this post? I signed up for Kate Atherly’s mending workshop this Friday, so any little issues I find with snags, pulls by cat claws, and dog bites in knitted goods that turn into holes hopefully can be addressed. But I forgot about the dreaded ‘holes of unknown origin’ category!
Thanks for the reminder, Clara!
A few weeks ago I saw a moth and screamed , clapping my hands to squish it!
My family laughed at me but it was war! Thank you Clara , I will be on the look out for yarn that needs to be baked!
If I see a clothing moth in flight, I immediately try to smash it between my hands. Companions startle. The dog barks. My heart pounds. Hate surges.
Keeping most of my yarn in the garage (freezing in winter, hot hot in summer) and stored in clear plastic totes with gasket seals and a bar of Irish Spring soap seems to be mostly working for me. Of course, lots of wool tends to migrate into the house, hence the ongoing moth trauma drama!
Thank you for this tip for woolen and cashmere clothing. I too have been a victim of that moth. The oven trick is easy and something I can do. I live in an old house and I think they have set up housekeeping in it. Thanks again.
Great article. My oven setting does not go that low, but the microwave works as well. I had a major moth infestation from some donated yarn. To microwave, I place a cup of water in with the yarn or garment and set to 1 minute. The steam helps to keep the yarn and label from drying out and helps the heat to penetrate to the center of the skein. Allow the skein to dry before packing in ziplock bags. Caution: be careful that your yarn or the label have no metallic threads or ink. Of the hundreds of skeins, I only lost two, but the house smelled bad for a bit. One of the tags was attached with a string with a metallic thread, the other contained a dead stink bug body that ignited. Now I always microwave new yarns before adding it to my stash. It also works on a hot summer day to load up the car with yarn, garments and a thermometer then park in a sunny parking lot. The temperature needs to be maintained at 120 degrees for 30 minutes or more.
I’ve been knitting since I was eight, a daily necessity.
I shall now go heat up all my woolies!
Clara, I genuinely wish you had included photographs of the moths and larvae. I discovered the results of my first moth assault recently, and am still in shock. I don’t thin I’ve ever seen a wool-eating moth in my house (or anywhere else) and now all I’ve seen is what I think are empty larval casings. And fiber damage that made me feel sick.
Quick question, I have purchased cashmeres that have attacked by the Moth. How do I best match the yarn & darn it to match the machine knitting?
THANK YOU FOR THIS
I live in a place where it stays below zero F for weeks and weeks.
Did I put my woolens out?
NO. no, I did not.
But now I can bake them, and I know the temp and length of time it takes. THANK YOU.