Most people have clothing for summer and winter, except for those lucky individuals that live in tropical climates, where a sweater is a term for individuals that perspire too much and a parka is a place to leave your car.

Then there are those poor souls from England, and Vancouver (myself included) where we too, only have one season. It is called “Wet”, but for everyone else, there is good reason to store your unneeded clothing during the off season.

Wool sweaters and down jackets are some of the most prone to being damaged by moths, mildew and mold. Wash and dry very thoroughly before storing, and never store in a plastic bag, or air proof container. The best storage container is likely a rattan trunk, which permits free circulation of air through the clothing. Here are some tips for other types of materials:

Furs

If the garment is small, store at home in a cold dry place. Cover with cloth or washed muslin. Otherwise, use professional cold storage.

Leather and Suede

Store in a cool, well-ventilated closet. Cover with cloth or washed muslin. For soft leather, pad with white tissue paper and fold flat.

Linen

Roll if possible.  If you must,  re-fold periodically to avoid creases. Cover with cloth or washed muslin.

Metallic’s

Roll with white tissue paper or washed muslin to separate each layer.  If  you must fold, place white tissue paper between each layer and re-fold periodically to avoid creases. Cover with cloth or washed muslin.

Quilts

Fold and store flat. Cover with cloth or washed muslin.

Rayon

Store flat. if you must hang the garment, pad it well with white tissue paper. Cover with cloth or washed muslin.

Silk

For sheer or knitted silks, store flat. If you must hang the garment, pad it well with white tissue paper. Cover with cloth or washed muslin.

Velvet

Pad with white tissue paper and hang on a padded hanger, supporting skirt area from loops attached at waist. Cover with cloth or washed muslin.

Wool

Clean thoroughly, pad with paper, fold, then wrap in white tissue paper. Add mothballs to storage area.

Fighting Mildew:

Ventilate storage areas when the weather is dry and cool. Pack storage areas loosely so that air can circulate around clothes. Don’t use starch or fabric finish on items to be stored.

When storing clothes, use a chemical desiccant such as silica gel or calcium chloride, but don’t let it touch the garments. Place Para dichlorobenzene mothballs or crystals inside closets and drawers; they prevent mildew and absorb moisture.

To reduce dampness in closets, wrap some chalk together and hang them up.

To protect garments from snags, and possibly acid damage from wood, line your dresser drawers with quilted fabric or good quality shelf paper that is ungummed. (Gummed paper attracts insects and is hard to remove).

For sweet-smelling clothes, put unwrapped bars of scented soap, empty perfume bottles, or fabric softener sheets into drawers.

Consider professional cold storage if you have any of the following:

• furs or fur-trimmed clothes
• a climate that is very hot or humid;
• inadequate storage space
• chronic problems with carpet beetles, silverfish, moths, or mildew

Before you put clothes in storage, make sure they’ve been cleaned thoroughly; insects are attracted by dirt, especially from perspiration, food, and beverages.  Storage areas should be clean, dry, free of insects and away from light, which can fade some colors (especially blues and greens) and promote hatching of insect eggs.

To wrap folded garment and to line dresser drawers, use white tissue paper or washed muslin.  At least once a year, replace the tissue paper and wash the muslin.

Store clothing in places that have moderate temperature or humidity; avoid extremes, such as a hot attic or a damp basement.  Garments made of natural fibers (cotton, wool, silk, and linen) need to breathe, store them in a well-ventilated area in containers with ventilation holes.

When you take your clothes out of storage, put them in the dryer for about 10 minutes on the air-only cycle (no heat).  This will help get rid of wrinkles.

Mothballs and crystals won’t kill those moth eggs that are already present in clothing when it’s stored. Clean clothing thoroughly before you put it away.

Because mothballs and crystals emit a vapor which is heavier than air, suspend them in containers above clothing. Keep them away from children and pets (they are poisonous if eaten).  Old stockings or socks make good bags for mothballs.

If you’re using moth crystals, sprinkle them on the adhesive side of masking tape and hang them up.

To dispel mothball odor, add a pomander or an herbal potpourri to the storage area.  Either suspend it or pack it in a small sack. A very simple herbal is five or six bay leaves strung together.

To protect sorted clothing from moths, a cedar chest must be made of cedar heartwood at least 3/4 inch thick. It should also have felt gaskets to make it airtight. Although cedar will kill newly, hatched or young worms, it won’t kill eggs, half-grown worms, the pupae or chrysalises, or moths.

Handbags and Purses

To maintain the shape of your leather bags, stuff them with tissue or plastic bags.  Then, to keep them from sticking together when you store them, place each in a flannel bag or a pillowcase.

To brighten a patent-leather bag, spray on a little glass cleaner, then wipe with a paper towel.

Keep the metal trim on your bag from tarnishing – apply a coat of clean nail polish over it.

Every now and then, it’s a good idea to clean and condition your leather purses.  Wipe them them with a damp cloth and mild soap, or apply a colorless leather conditioner with a dry cloth.

In addition to these dust mites, their feces, and all that dead skin they are waiting to munch on, your bed also collects dust, lint, hairs, and other assorted debris that is floating around our homes.

Regular cleaning of your mattress, and the bed linen keeps these potential allergens in check. It also will increase the life span of your sleeping habitat.

The mattress should be flipped over a couple times per year. It is a great idea to co-ordinate it with changing your clocks to and from day light savings time, or on Independence Day and New Years Eve, if you don’t have much of a life outside your home.

The first time flip it over side for side, and the next time flip it over end for end (A note left between the mattress can remind you which way it is suppose to be flipped). This equalizes the wear of the mattress, and minimizes peaks and valleys. It is also a good plan on “flipping day” to vacuum the entire mattress and box spring. If you use a plastic mattress cover, wipe it down after vacuuming with a disinfectant.

Plastic covers are a must for young children who might have a periodic bed wetting accident. If you don’t have a cover when one of these accidents happens, check out the tip in our data base on cleaning urine from a mattress.

Futons

Although thought to be owned only by starving college students, there are those of us who have grown to love our futons. Like mattresses there are dozens of different firmness levels, and methods of construction depending on the manufacturer.

Typically there is a foam core, wrapped with cotton, in a heavy cotton fabric envelope. When cleaning, you should avoid getting a futon too wet, as it takes forever, or possibly longer, to dry completely. A moist futon is a bad thing, as warm, moist, dark areas tend to grown things (like fungus and mildew) that we don’t normally want to sleep with. Stains should be removed with as little water as possible, and usually blotting with a damp rag will remove most surface stains.

Futons should be rolled up every couple of months, and allowed to stay rolled up tight for an entire day, if possible. Turning them frequently will also lengthen their useful life significantly.

Sweet dreams