Here is an interesting article on clothes moths:
http://www.epestsupply.com/moths.htm

Excerpt: "Clothes moth larvae are particularly damaging to fabrics stained with materials such as oil from human hair, human sweat, urine, beer, tomato juice, milk, and soft drinks. These caterpillars require a certain balance of nutrients in their diet to develop properly, and they especially need vitamin B. First instar larvae cannot survive on "clean" wool, but require the nutritional supplements found in soilage (body oils from the wearer of a garment)."

Cedar oil doesn't have much effect on adult moths, but can kill very young larvae.

Cedar tends to gradually lose its effectiveness against moths, and needs to be refreshed with cedar oil. You need to use the pure essential oil, not the thinned cedar oils you find in hardware stores. Look for what you need in shops that sell quality essential oils, such as aromatherapy shops. Paint it on the existing cedar boards, balls or cubes. The cedar wood can absorb quite a bit of the oil before it becomes oily to the touch.

There are also pheromone traps for certain types of moths. They just attract the males, but they will indicate that you do have a moth problem.

I know that most people dry-clean their woollens, but that stuff is toxic, and the shampoo & conditioner method has worked for me for about twenty years. I've used it for clothing, woollen underwear, and blankets. As long as you don't overheat the wool when drying, or keep it in the dryer too long, it works beautifully.

Sue

Frostbite, there are probably people who are legitimately allergic to wool, but probably not as many as think they are. I suspect that most people who say that they "can't wear wool" first tried wearing coarse, rough RECYCLED wool, and not virgin wool, esp of a fine type like merino.

There is a VERY great difference between the two.

Buy your wife or girlfriend a fine merino wool scarf in a color YOU like, and wrap it around your bare neck. I'll bet you a doughnut that you'll "forget" to give it to her, and keep it for yourself.

Sue

All woolens, ESPECIALLY SURPLUS should be professionaly drycleaned before storage. The commercial cleaners will apply mothproofing in the cleaning process. After cleaning any number of the storage methods are usefull. The main criteria is a tightly controlled environment non condusive to moths and other harmfull insects. A good housecleaning ( especially in older wooden framed buildings) followed by a general insect fogger before storing in your prefered container or closet is a beginning programme. You can then use a low wattage light in a closet , the nominaly usefull (but aesthetically pleasing) cedar and even a open container of pungeant pipe tobacco to discourage mature moths.

Ok I'll start my programme by vacuuming my apartment carpet. I've been procrastinating on this for weeks, if not months...

Frankie

I just found two tiny brownish larvae embedded in the fibers of an old wool blanket lying dirrectly on my apartment carpet (I removed them with tweezers). They don't look like moth larvae though. I think I will still quarantine the blanket in the freezer or when the temperature drops below freezing, store them ouside for a couple of days. The owner of the building will have the carpet cleaned before winter.

O.K., then try a slim one (i.e. Leatherman PST II, or equivalent )

Actually I understood why multitools are so popular over here. It's that many here are into firearms and even consider EDC one and carrying also a multitool makes more sense in that case. I'm not very knowledgable in firearms as those are illegal where I live, but I'm just guessing that a multitool maybe useful.

Sue

I worked in a fabric store for nearly five years and am a seamstress. Wool in any degree affects me, and burlap is worse. I once came into contact with a plastic bag that had come into brief contact with a small piece of burlap and still had a reaction. Wool is out for me. I avoid getting anywhere near burlap and I know of one woman who was told never to touch it again by her doc.

And just to set the record straight I don't have a wife or girlfriend- just ask my husband!