Avoid Moth Damage when Storing Seasonal Clothing

“The wasting moth never spoiled my best array; the cause was this, I wore it everyday” ~Alexander Pope The good Mr. Pope had it right three hundred years ago when he observed that by wearing his favorite clothes on a regular basis he never suffered their loss from moth damage. There are a couple of reasons this is true. First, the simple act of wearing the garment frequently will disturb the peace and tranquility the moth larvae (the real culprit behind moth damage) need to thrive. The tiny little critters will be brushed away by your routine activity. The second reason it's true, is that, as Martha Stewart says on her Basics of Mothproofing blog, moth larvae dislike bright light, so they rarely attack frequently worn clothing. In short, the moths lay their eggs in dark places where they hope they will be undisturbed.

On the other hand, the fact that these garments are frequently worn does make them prime candidates for moth damage when you put them away for 'the season'. As all the experts agree, trace perspiration, body oils, food spills and other nutrients picked up by clothes attract and nourish these pests, and when your clothes are sitting idle for the season it makes for a hearty moth larvae meal! That's why we echo Martha's advice and urge you to wash or dry clean EVERYTHING before you pack up your winter clothing for storage. Changing your closets for the season is also a good time to weed out the unused and unwanted. 'when in doubt, throw it out.'

As added protection we sell moth repellant garment bags here at Kite’s which help keep moths away. In addition, if you want to avoid dealing with the seasonal storage struggle altogether, we offer on-site, temperature controlled clothing storage. We'll clean and store your clothes here with FREE Pick-Up and delivery included. Once you are ready for your items, we will clean them once again if needed, and bring them directly to you!

Store your Garments like the Museum Pros!

Did you know that the textile conservator at the Metropolitan Museum takes great care to keep conditions at a constant 68 degrees Fahrenheit with a humidity of 55 percent; a built-in air conditioner and air purifying unit ensure that there is no change in the condition of the air?

Individual pieces are protected by unbleached muslin, cotton batting and acid free tissue. Routine maintenance on all systems, as well as the artwork are conducted annually to make sure everything is working right and in good condition.  If that doesn't speak to the importance of proper conditions for storage and maintenance, I give up!

While you might not want to go to the lengths that the Met does to protect its treasures from the atmospheric conditions that can harm it, there are still some steps you need to follow to protect your wardrobe for out of season storage:

First: Never store anything (garment, draperies, rugs, comforters, etc) without first dry cleaning or laundering it.  Even if the item looks, feels and smells clean, the fact is it has perspiration, dead skin cells, body oils and a host of other proteins that are a magnet for moth larvae, silverfish, dust mites and other insects that can seriously damage your clothes.

Next:  Pick a place to store the garments that is cool (around 68 degrees Fahrenheit is perfect), dry (about 55% relative humidity is ideal), dark, and has superb air circulation and air changes.  This pretty much rules out attics, basements, storage bins and closets on outside walls.

Last, but not least- don't pack the clothes tightly or cover them in plastic.  Your fabrics need to breathe. Protect them from airborne dust, dirt and particulate by covering them in unbleached muslin or a clean, unbleached white sheet. 

Remember, we also offer On-Site Garment Storage.  If you are short on space, feel free to ask about our climate controlled storage facility. We'll clean and store your clothes for out of season storage and handle them as your personal treasures deserve to be handled. FREE Pick-Up is also available! Once a new season rolls around and you are ready for your items, we will clean them once again if needed, and arrange FREE delivery for you!