how do people protect their wool from moths?  i have mine in tub with some stuff to keep the moths out.  i see lots of people have theirs hung on the wall and on shelves.  my husband has cedar and says he will do something with it to protect the wool but doesn't know how much protection they need.  if he puts a little cedar post in the wall and i hang the cone on it, will that be enough?  

Comments

Sat, 04/14/2018 - 14:42

sandra.eberhar…

I keep wool yarn in heavy zip lock plastic bags.  Putting a cone on a cedar peg will not protect it.  You have to have a barrier between the insects and the wool.  Putting cedar in the bag with the wool adds protection (I use a piece of paper towel with lavender oil), but the cedar odor does not protect unless it is contained (hence the traditional cedar chest).

Sat, 04/14/2018 - 21:31

ellen santana

thank you.  maybe i can get a clear plastic tub so i can look at it.  i have enough other stuff on the shelves.  es

Thu, 04/26/2018 - 21:04

beaverly

Plastic (film) will not do the job.  Moths eat right through it.  The only protection that is (actually was) dependable was the permanent mothproofing afforded by Mitin FF concentrate.  Pro Chemical once carried it.  It was made by Ciba-Geigy, but Ciba sold their specialty chemicals division over a decade ago and I have not been able to find a comparable product or source of such product since. 

Mitin FF was developed during World War II - protection of the woolens used by the military in the US and Great Britian, and subsequently in clothing, blankets and carpets.  It made the wool fiber unpalatable to insects.  It did not kill the insects.  I had the MSDS for it and had it reviewed by both my county and state health departments for safety as re human contact.  Both reported no safety issues for humans.  It was merely a colorless dye, applied in the dye bath.  I still wear a British military sweater, bought at a military surplus store years ago, which was never specially stored.  It has never been attacked by moths.  No doubt it was Mitened.

One option to consider today is use of dry ice (carbon dioxide).  Pack your wool - fiber, yarn, or wool product - in plastic buckets used by the food service industry.  Toss in some dry ice which will force out all the oxygen in the container, and seal tightly immediately.  I have also found the nylon (NYLON not plastic) Space Bags developed by NASA to be moth proof (not penetratable by them).  Dry ice can be popped into them too.  Or, use a cube of insect strip in the container.  Just be sure to first air the contents thoroughly, outside, when it comes time to wear or otherwise use the wool item.

I suggest we wool users - fiber or converted - all pressure the chemical industry and its distributors to put Miten FF back on the market.

Good luck,

Beaverly

 

Wed, 05/02/2018 - 01:57

sandra.eberhar…

Thin plastic bags will not provide a barrier.  I use heavy duty bags, really large, heavy zip locks designed for storing big things.  I don't like to treat my wool with chemicals toxic enough to kill bugs, but according to research that I did, Mitin bonds to the fiber, and does not wear off.