Store Winter Knitwear Safely in Cedar Lined Drawers

Why Cedar Earns Its Place in a Knitwear Drawer

Wool is a wonderful fibre and, regrettably, a favourite food of the clothes moth. It is the larvae, not the fluttering adults, that do the damage — and they prefer wool that is dark, undisturbed and slightly soiled. A cedar-lined drawer answers this problem neatly, because the wood releases aromatic oils that moths dislike and will avoid where they can.

Be realistic about what cedar can and cannot do. It will not kill eggs or larvae already tucked into a seam. Treat it as a deterrent, a pleasant-smelling one, rather than a guarantee. Cedar also helps to moderate humidity inside a closed drawer, drawing a little moisture out of the air, and — crucially — it lets wool breathe. Wool that sits in a sealed plastic box for six months can pick up a sour, musty smell and a clammy feel that no amount of airing quite shifts. A cedar-lined drawer offers protection without suffocating the fibre.

Wash, Air and Inspect Before Anything Goes Away

Moths are far more interested in a jumper carrying traces of perfume, deodorant, cooking oil and natural skin oils than in one that is clean. Wash everything before it goes into storage, not when it comes out.

• Wash gently: use a wool or hand-wash cycle at 30°C with a detergent made for protein fibres, or wash by hand in cool water. Never wring — press the water out against the side of the basin or roll the garment in a towel.
• Dry flat: reshape while damp and dry away from radiators and direct sun. Hanging a wet jumper will stretch it beyond recovery.
• Air thoroughly: if you would rather not wash a lightly worn piece, hang it in the shade on a dry, breezy day for two or three hours. Sun fades colour and weakens fibre, so keep it out of direct light.
• Inspect closely: hold each garment up against a window. Check armpits, cuffs, collars and seams for pinprick holes, fine sandy grit (larvae droppings) or silky webbing.
• If you find anything suspect: seal the garment in a bag and freeze it for at least 48 hours, then air it well before storing. Freezing kills eggs and larvae but not the stains they leave.

Fold, Don't Hang — and Fold for the Drawer

Hanging knitwear is the quickest way to ruin it. The weight of a heavy aran or a long cardigan pulls the shoulders out of shape and leaves permanent bumps where the hanger sat. Always fold.

Button cardigans before folding so the fronts sit square. Lay the garment face down, fold the sleeves across the back rather than underneath, then fold in half or into thirds depending on the drawer's depth. On valuable or delicate pieces, pad the folds with acid-free tissue to prevent sharp creases. Very bulky jumpers are better rolled loosely than folded flat, which spreads the weight and avoids a hard line across the chest. If your drawer is deep, store folded garments upright in rows, like files in a tray, so you can lift one out without disturbing the rest.

Layer Your Drawer for Air and Protection

Do not press cedar directly against pale or delicate wool for months on end. The oils can leave a faint mark or a lingering scent, so use slats, blocks or small cedar shapes placed at the corners, along the sides and between layers rather than on top of the knitwear itself.

• Line the drawer base with clean cotton sheeting or acid-free tissue.
• Slip your best pieces into cotton pillowcases or breathable cotton bags before they go in.
• Place cedar at the four corners and one or two blocks in the middle of the stack.
• Skip plastic bags, vacuum bags and sealed boxes entirely — wool needs moving air.
• Lavender bags are a pleasant addition, but the scent fades within weeks and needs refreshing.

Leave a little slack in the drawer. Cramming wool flat against wool traps moisture and crushes the pile.

Cedar Needs a Little Care to Keep Working

The oils in cedar are not permanent. Once the drawer stops smelling faintly of pencil shavings, it has stopped doing much. Revive it once or twice a year by wiping the wood with a dry cloth and sanding lightly along the grain with fine sandpaper — 120 to 180 grit is plenty. Do this before the winter garments go in and again at the start of autumn.

Be cautious with commercial cedar sprays and oils. Many contain solvents that can stain textiles or leave a greasy residue, and the scent is often far harsher than natural wood. Plain wood, refreshed with a light sanding, is almost always the better choice.

The Mid-Season Check

Once everything is away, resist the urge to rummage. Every time you open the drawer you let in warm, damp air and disturb the cedar's scent. A single check in late winter and another in high summer is enough.

Open the drawer, lift each layer and look for the telltales: holes, grit, webbing or the pale, maggot-like larvae themselves. Anything suspicious should be bagged and frozen for 48 hours, then aired in the shade and re-folded. On a dry, breezy day, take the whole stack out for an hour of fresh air — it does wool good and gives you a chance to refold along different lines, which prevents permanent creases.

By early autumn, replace or refresh your cedar, check that every garment still smells of nothing much at all, and you will have a drawer of jumpers ready for the first cold snap — no holes, no mustiness, no regrets.