How can I protect my Welsh blanket from moths?

Natural Moth Repellents

You can keep moths away naturally without relying on harsh chemicals. Some of the most effective natural moth deterrents include cedarwood blocks or pellets and lavender sachets, both known for their pleasant scents and repelling properties. Other aromatic herbs like rosemary, mint, and thyme can also help protect your home and wardrobe.

Moths are especially drawn to natural fibres such as wool, silk, and cashmere, which are rich in keratin — a protein their larvae love to feed on. While these fibres are durable and luxurious, they can unfortunately attract clothing moths (Tineola bisselliella). In nature, moths help break down wool, but indoors, they can damage clothing, carpets, furs, blankets, upholstery, and even our beautiful wool throws.

What we know about Clothing Moths

Clothing moths are different from most other moths. They don’t like light and instead hide in dark places like cracks in the floor or furniture, where they won’t be disturbed. They’re attracted to the smell of dirty clothes and the natural oils in fabrics like wool. Once they find a quiet spot, they lay tiny eggs that look like sand. The adult moths don’t damage clothes, but their larvae (the baby moths) do. After hatching, the larvae eat wool and other natural fibres, creating small holes in the fabric. They grow slowly, and it can take months for them to become adult moths, depending on the conditions. This slow growth gives you time to check your clothes regularly and get rid of moths before they do too much damage. They also eat silk and fur.

The Life Cycle of Common Moths

Adult moths don’t live very long - only about 10 to 28 days. Female moths lay between 40 and 100 eggs, which hatch in 3 to 21 days. The baby moths, or larvae, live for about 35 days or more. When they're ready to turn into adult moths, they move away from their food and find small cracks to make their cocoons. Overall, the moth's full life cycle takes around 65 to 90 days in normal home temperatures, and there are usually two generations each year.

How to Keep the Moths Away

• Keep natural wool blankets as clean as possible - washing or soaking them in hot water (over 50°C) kills moth eggs and larvae, and clean wool is less attractive to moths. Use your washing machine's spin cycle or a towel to remove excess water, then hang or lay the item flat to dry.
• If the blanket can't handle hot water, you can freeze it instead - put it in a deep freezer for at least 14 days to kill the larvae.
• If washing or freezing isn’t an option, vacuum the affected area carefully, including all cracks and corners of furniture. Be sure to throw away the vacuum contents outside, check the area often, and keep vacuuming until the problem is gone.
• Don't leave natural wool blankets in one place for too long. Move them around, or check on them regularly. Moths like dark, quiet places where they won’t be disturbed. If you leave your blankets untouched in a drawer for a year, it becomes the perfect home for moths.
• To help keep moths away, store your blankets in a cotton bag filled with dried, strong-smelling plants. People have been doing this for generations, though no one knows exactly why it works. Some common plants used are rosemary, thyme, mint and lavender, many of which are easy to grow in a garden.

Natural Moth Repellents - Make your Own

Making a natural moth repellent sachet is easier than you think. All you need is a handkerchief, (or any other square of cloth) for each sachet, some ribbon, and a handful of dried herbs known to repel moths.

These herbs include:

• Lavender
• Cedar
• Rosemary
• Mint (also good for keeping mice out of the house)
• Thyme
• Cinnamon
• Southernwood
• Cloves

We do all love our natural fibres, be they wool, cotton, silk, and many others, and not forgetting our Welsh blankets and Tapestry blankets. Let's not let the common clothing moth destroy them by using natural moth repellents!!!