Make it last
How to Store Wool for Summer: Clean, Cedar, Not Plastic
Moths eat dirty keratin in the dark. Wash first. Store clean, dry, and inspectable. Cedar is a scent. Sealed plastic is a sweatbox in an attic.
Updated 27 Aug 2026 · 6 min read · how to store wool sweaters for summer
Clean is the only storage strategy
Larvae want keratin plus food stains plus dark still air. A washed sweater in a closed drawer is a poor buffet. A “I’ll wash it in September” pile is a farm. Wool wash now, even if the piece looks fine.
Cedar, plastic, and vacuum bags
Fresh cedar oil discourages adults in a small closed space. Sand the block in spring; a smooth 2019 cube is furniture. Mothballs work in a sealed chest and are a toxic roommate in a bedroom. Skip them.
Sealed plastic in a hot loft cooks residual moisture into mildew. A breathable bag in a closet you actually open is better. Vacuum bags are for duvets, not for a $250 crew you want to loft in October.
Fold, space, inspect
File-fold knits so you can see them. Leave a finger of air. Check once in July. If you find frass or irregular holes, freeze the lot and read the moth guide — do not perfume the drawer and hope.
Questions, answered
- Can I hang wool sweaters in a garment bag all summer?
- Hanging stretches the shoulders. Fold knits. A coat can hang on a wide hanger in a breathable bag, not a dry-cleaner polyethylene shroud.
- Do lavender sachets work?
- They smell like you. They do not kill larvae. Same category as stale cedar: optional, not a plan.
- Should Superwash merino be stored differently?
- Same rules: clean, folded, dry. Superwash is still keratin. Moths are not impressed by a polymer coating.
