How to store cashmere sweaters so moths stay away

Store cashmere sweaters in 3 steps: clean them, fold them, and seal them in a plastic bag or a lidded box.

Get it wrong and the fix is slow. English Heritage says killing every stage of the moth takes at least two weeks in a freezer at -18°C.

Quick facts

• Clean first: English Heritage advises cleaning and bagging wool before summer, read 15 October 2026.
• Fold: along the 2 side seams, then in thirds; never on a hanger.
• Freeze moths out: -18°C for at least 2 weeks, then 24 hours before opening the bag.
• A colder freezer: Consumer Reports gives 72 hours below -20°F, or a week otherwise.
• Check: 2 times a year, in spring and in autumn, for small holes or webbing.

Should you wash cashmere before storing it?

Yes. Moths go for good wool, and English Heritage names cashmere among their favourites. Clean every piece before it goes away.

Consumer Reports suggests hand washing delicate knits with a wool detergent, and warns that knitted wool in a washing machine is very likely to shrink. Press the water out in a towel and dry it flat, away from heat.

How to store cashmere sweaters in a closet

Fold, never hang. A hanger pulls the shoulders out of shape. Fold each sweater along the side seams, then in thirds, and keep the heaviest at the bottom of the stack.

Then seal the stack. English Heritage recommends plastic bags, ideally vacuum sealed, or boxes with lids. A Smithsonian textile conservator quoted by Consumer Reports suggests a tightly sealed tote or a vacuum bag.

Cedar on its own is not enough. New Mexico State University notes that its oils can dry up after several years, so treat a cedar block as a helper, not a lock.

How to store cashmere for summer

Do all of it before the warm months. Clean, fold, seal, and check the pieces once in spring and once in autumn for small holes or webbing.

What if moths get in?

Freeze the piece. Seal it in a plastic bag and keep it at -18°C for at least two weeks. Leave the bag shut for 24 hours after it comes out, so no water forms on the wool.

Before you buy your next sweater, read how to judge cashmere before you pay and our cashmere guide.

Common questions

Should cashmere be folded or hung?

Folded. Hanging stretches the shoulders.

Does cedar keep moths away from cashmere?

It helps, but its oils fade after several years. A sealed bag does more.

How long do you freeze cashmere to kill moths?

At least two weeks at -18°C, per English Heritage.

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