DIY Moth Repellent Sachets

Moth Repellent sachets

Added 7/19/21- These are more important than ever now that we live in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Moths are RUTHLESS!

Living in the Pacific Northwest requires moth repellent. Growing up in North Carolina, a moth getting anywhere near my favorite sweaters was practically a nonissue. Windows were usually closed up all summer (I always say it was 68 degrees all year long). But in Seattle, air conditioning is not the norm, and windows are usually open during the warmer months. I actually kind of forgot about those pesky moths until a few summers ago when several of our sweaters were eaten up. Now every Spring, our sweaters are cleaned well, folded and stored for the season, and I make up a big batch of this lavender and cedar mix and fill up lots of muslin bags. It seems to work, and has the added benefit of making our closet smell great.

sachets6

DIY Moth Repellent Sachets

Supplies:

Moth Repellent Sachets

I use the aroma beads soak up the Cedarwood essential oil. (Nice to use in a closet all year round.) Follow instructions on the package for ratio of beads to liquid. Err on the side of less is more to avoid staining anything the sachets will sit on in your closet.
Moth Repellent Sachets

After sitting overnight, my beads felt dry to the touch after absorbing the oil. In the photo below left, I’d just added the oil. The right photo was taken the next morning.

Moth Repellent Sachets
I can’t leave anything alone and decided to use my hand carved stamps on the muslin bags.
Moth Repellent Sachets

Lastly, mix equal parts aroma beads and dried lavender. Or make some sachets with only lavender.

Moth Repellent Sachets

Moth Repellent Sachets

Be warned that making these can cause you to spend an unnecessary amount of time cleaning your closet. Stuff these all around your sweaters (and make enough to put in your drawers as well). You can also soak a few cotton balls with the cedar oil and put them in your drawers.
Our closet smells amazing!
Moth Repellent Sachets

Moth Repellent Sachets

8 Comments
  • Erin | house on hill road

    July 1, 2013 at 7:26 am

    damn. that is one clean closet. (and thank you. fatty has a moth problem – going to show him this and put him to work!)

  • Seanna Lea

    July 1, 2013 at 7:58 am

    I’m with Erin. My closets are clean too (because we are selling a house, not because I’m super neat), but that is super clean!

  • Molly

    July 1, 2013 at 9:50 am

    Cool that you grew up in NC!!! We just moved there from east Texas at the end of May. We’re in(or near) Burnsville, about 45 minutes northeast of Asheville and the cool mountain air is woooonderful! Humidity not so much though. I will have to make some sashets to counter the musty smell my vintage quilts are acquiring in the wardrobe on our landing/living area. We are currently living in a bachelor pad apartment above my dad’s gallery and woodshop. Its not all the way insulated and there is no ac/heat so the windows have to be up a lot.

  • blair/wisecraft

    July 1, 2013 at 8:58 pm

    Girl, you should see what’s around it. Hot mess.

  • blair/wisecraft

    July 1, 2013 at 8:58 pm

    As I told Erin, it was quite a different story outside the lens frame.

  • blair/wisecraft

    July 1, 2013 at 8:59 pm

    Hey, you’re in a beautiful area of NC! I love the mountains there so much. And I think these sachets would actually work well for musty odors, let me know if you give it a try.

  • Sarah

    July 2, 2013 at 1:37 pm

    That looks like a great project! I just planted a bunch of lavender this year and right now it’s going crazy blooming–I’ll have to harvest some and get to work. Great to know about Zenith Supplies, too!

  • Heather

    July 5, 2013 at 5:37 am

    This looks like a project I can do. Thanks for the tutorial. Also, I’m really looking forward to your post about how you hand wash sweaters.

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