3 tips on Storing Sweaters

Spring has sprung, so now it is time to get out your spring clothes and put your winter ones away. Here are 3 tips on storing sweaters safely.

Storing Sweaters: Put them away clean

Don’t store anything that’s funky smelling or dirty as moths are attracted to food and body odor. Clean everything before storing.  First decipher what can be washed and what needs to be dry cleaned. You can most likely safely put away the heaviest sweaters, or the ones you just can’t wear one more time. Here are a few tips to figure out what to do with each garment:

If the tag says “Dry Clean Only”, do just that. But you might have some fabulous thrift finds that don’t have clear care instructions.  Wool is generally dry cleaned, but you can safely hand wash many wool sweaters with Eucalan Fine Fabric Wash. Eucalan has lanolin in it so you do not rinse it out and your sweaters will come out  super soft.  Sweaters made of Silk, rayon, cotton and anything that’s embellished (sequins, beads, etc) will also benefit from cleaning with Eucalan. Lined sweaters and sweaters made out of velvet, viscose, acetate should be dry cleaned. If it’s a blend, always err to the highest percentage of fiber that the item contains.

Cotton is generally the easiest fabric to be cared for and can be machine washed and dried. Though if you have something that seems delicate or hasn’t been preshrunk, we recommend machine washing on delicate or a hand wash setting and drying flat. Better safe than sad about losing your favorite sweater!

One step you don’t take chances with is drying. Always skip the machine and dry flat to avoid shrinkage and puckering! Do not ring out your sweaters. Roll them in a towel to remove excess water and lay flat to dry. Drying racks are perfect for optimal flat drying!

Storing Sweaters: Closet solutions

Now that everything is clean, it is time to put it away. Keep everything in an airtight container to protect from moth infestation.  Sterilite Storage Boxes  are the perfect solution, they’re clear so that you can identify their contents at a glance, and snap securely shut, keeping out moisture, bugs and soot.

Storing Sweaters: No bugs allowed

To keep clothing fresh while avoiding smelling like you raided grandma’s closet, throw in some Moth-Tek Moth Ball Packets. The lavender scent  will repel those munchy little moths, but won’t leave any lingering scent.