Cedar Balls for Moth Repellent

Moths can spell disaster for your clothing, often leaving wool-based material riddled with holes. Cedar balls provide a natural alternative to chemically based moth balls for dissuading these pesky insects from looking for a meal in your closet.

Identification

Cedar balls consist of small round chips of aromatic cedar wood that typically measure less than 1 inch in diameter. The fragrant, woodsy aroma that emanates from cedar serves to repel moths.

Usage

Sprinkle cedar balls in your dresser drawers and scatter them between wool coats and sweaters when you first put them in storage. Refresh the scent by rubbing the balls with a piece of sand paper, suggests Deirdre Imus, author of "Green This!" For maximum natural protection, wash your wool clothing thoroughly to remove moth-attracting food stains before storing alongside cedar balls in a well-constructed cedar chest or airtight tub.

Considerations

Like other cedar-based products, cedar balls don't kill moths; they just deter them. In the event that your clothing already has moth eggs laid in its folds before you put out cedar balls, you may still suffer extensive clothing damage from the young moths after they hatch, since larval stage moths are actually responsible for the fabric chomping these insects are notorious for, according to author Kathy Wollard.

References

• "How Come?"; Kathy Wollard and Debra Solomon; 1999
• "Green This!"; Deirdre Imus; 2007