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General => The Shed => Topic started by: timelady on March 25, 2007, 12:27:45

Title: Moths and merino?
Post by: timelady on March 25, 2007, 12:27:45
No doubt loads of you have heard the news that clothes moths are back in force at the moment, apparently due to our love of natural fibers again. Well, I've never experienced clothes moths so it's new to me. My allotment jumper now has a few holes! Ack! The only other thing so far is a very old knitted waterbottle cover so that's okay. (the allotment jumper is just a charity shop find) I've bought some mothball things and have, on the recommendation of my knitgroup, been putting a couple items in the freezer each night to kill the eggs. I think that's so funny!  ;D

My real question though is about merino wool I guess. I have a lot of expensive cycling clothing that's merino (New Zealand I think?). A few holes wouldn't be a disaster but would rather not get them. Going to freeze that stuff too but there's seems to be no damage to them yet anyway. I'm wondering if the merino is different to the moths in any way?

Any other good tips or tricks for the moths? Just want to get rid of them as quick as possible and keep them away.

Tina.
Title: Re: Moths and merino?
Post by: Robert_Brenchley on March 25, 2007, 17:47:18
Years ago we had moths in a woolen carpet. From what I remember we had to treat the whole thing with insecticide.
Title: Re: Moths and merino?
Post by: manicscousers on March 25, 2007, 20:16:27
just read an article,(spooky) about anti moth cloth..might be worth a go?..
you wil need eaucalyptus leaves from your garden or buy a few stems from the florist for less than a pound

muslin, £5.00 for 2  90 cm squares, John Lewis
scissors
garden string

cut a 15cm square of muslin, tear up the eucalyptus leaves and pile up in the centre, gather in a bundle and tie with garden string..you never know

the only other way I've heard of is pieces of cedar wood or sandalwood, can't remember which,  hung up in the wardrobe
Title: Re: Moths and merino?
Post by: Leonnie on March 26, 2007, 21:42:21
I had moths a year or two ago and use cedarwood balls in the wardrobes now, haven't seen any damage since. :)
Title: Re: Moths and merino?
Post by: Kea on March 27, 2007, 17:19:30
Unfortunately merino is just a breed of sheep (originally from spain I think) it has the softest wool of any breed (though you wouldn't believe it if you saw the sheep!). It doesn't have any special moth proof abilities. try the eucalyptus suggested or camphor or cedar don't forget to renew them when the smell is going. Don't let moths get into your house in the first place, if you have the light on close the windows etc.
I would put the expensive stuff in a plastic clothes bag with cedar balls or eucalyptus....camphor can stain so put it in a cloth bag of some kind.