Does Cedar Actually Repel Moths?

Cedar-lined storage chests and closets have long been used for long-term storage of out-of-season clothing, in the belief that the cedar will deter moths from destroying the clothing. But does it really work? The damage moths cause to natural fibers is caused not by the moth itself, but by the larvae that hatch out of the eggs the moth lays. Therefore preventing the damage can take two forms, preventing the moth from laying the eggs in the clothing, and killing the larvae as they emerge (or in the egg).

The heavy scent of the cedar is thought to mask the smell of wool, effectively hiding it from the moth seeking a home for her eggs. That is, it doesn't repel moths so much as it camouflages the moth's natural target. If the smell-disguise in fact does deter moths, then any masking smell would work as well, and people have packed old garments away with sprigs of lavender, tansy and rosemary tucked in them for literally centuries.

If the scent-deterrent works (and there's only anecdotal evidence that it does), then it only works on the egg-laying moth. Packing away garments already hosting moth-eggs will yield a cupboard full of rotting wool. Since the larvae are repelled by strong light, shaking and hanging clothing in the sun for a few hours before folding for storage should ensure that what you are storing is larvae-free.

A report from the University of California at Davis suggests that one type of cedar, Eastern Red Cedar (which is actually a juniper), does kill moth larvae over a period of time. The wood contains an aromatic oil that in sufficient concentration, as in an airtight cabinet, will kill small moth larvae. If there is too much air circulation, as in a closet, concentration of the vapors will remain insufficient to kill larvae, although the scent might deter adult moths.

Whether other junipers, or juniper essential oil, which is made from another form of juniper, and from the berries, not the wood, will protect clothing from moths, has not been determined. Even Eastern Red Cedar is only effective against moth larvae for a few years, after which the aromatic oil has evaporated. The presence of a pleasant cedar-scent in grandma's old hopechest is not proof that the box will protect your woolens from munching moths.

One service we offer to our customers is moth proofing for their rugs. After the rug/s are cleaned we can spray a light coating which acts as a bitorent, giving the wool a bad taste to moth. We have found this treatment to be quite effective in the prevention of moth damage. We are in the midst of moth season so if you want to protect your rugs, bring them in to Rug Ideas so we can help you keep those pesky insects away from your pieces of art.

sourced from wisegeek.com

Dr. Khosrow Sobhe (Dr. Kay)
Certified Rug Specialist (CRS)
www.LosAngelesRugCleaning.com
www.RugIdea.com
Tel. 310-770-9085

Moth Season Is Upon Us! :(

This is the time of year when carpet moths show up in your home looking to snack on Oriental and Persian rugs. We are not the only ones who like the longer days, warm temperatures, and sunny weather.  Moths love warm conditions and this is the season to be especially vigilant with respect to our woolen goods, including our cherished wool rugs and kilims.  These moths are tiny things, hardly noticable as they flutter about. Tineola Bisselliella, they’re called.

Carpet moths rarely cause trouble to rugs that are regularly walked on and vacuumed, so try to keep them as clean as possible and vacuum once a week. On the other hand, they gravitate to dark, undisturbed places where they can eat in peace and often they cause really serious damage. They prefer rugs stored in places like basements and closets, but they will settle for Oriental rugs under sofas or beds or where rugs abut walls and are neither vacuumed or walked on and rarely disturbed. Often they chew away at the backs of rugs rather than their fronts. Strangely, the carpet moth seems to prefer dirty rugs, often avoiding clean rugs.

Be careful with moths.  They will literally eat your woolen goods, as wool is protein, and moths just love it.  And although repairing and/or restoring a moth damaged wool kilim rug, dhurrie, or kilim is always possible (we offer reweaving services for this type of damage), the best route would be not to have them damaged at all.  Some steps you can take:  never store woolen goods in plastic, dark, humid, or enclosed spaces; inspect your wool rugs and kilims periodically; expose your wool rug or kilim to the sun; keep wool kilims or rugs in well ventilated areas; never place wool rugs or kilims in areas known to be infested with moths.

If you do happen to have a moth infestation, call us immediately so we can first get the infested carpets deep cleaned to remove all moths and larvae. We can then offer our moth proofing service, which a bittorent that makes the wool taste bad to moths. So no matter what situation you are having with moths and your rugs, Rug Ideas is here to help. 

"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure".

Dr. Khosrow Sobhe (Dr. Kay)
Certified Rug Specialist (CRS)
www.LosAngelesRugCleaning.com
www.RugIdea.com
Tel. 310-770-9085