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Show Precautions Now Will Prevent Moth Damage Those winter wools you'll be putting put-ting away soon are going to be more valuable than ever next fall. So don't take any chances on moth damage to them this summer. sum-mer. Following are some tips from home economists and entomologists entomolo-gists of the U. S. Department of Agriculture on ways to protect wool or part wool clothing from clothes moths. Take the Offensive There are likely to be some moths in almost any house or apartment at any time of the year. So don't wait until you see a moth or evidence of moth damage dam-age before you take measures to prevent them. One of the best year-round offensives of-fensives against moths is good housekeeping. Keep all floors and nigs well swept. Moths often get a start in the part of a rug under a heavy piece of furniture or close to the wall where it may be diffi-cut diffi-cut to sweep thoroughly. Eliminate all possible breeding places for moths. Never leave wool rags or old wool clothes lying carelessly around the house. Don't let lint or hair accumulate in floor cracks or under the baseboards or dog or cat hairs remain in the basement. Moths like to eat hair, feathers, and fur as well as wool. Ordinarily, moths don't bother clothes that you wear frequently. But they are likely to set up house keeping in a wool coat or dress that hangs in the back of a dark closet for weeks at a time. So even if you aren't wearing garments a lot it's a good idea to take them out and sun and brush them occasionally. oc-casionally. Safe Storage ' For safety and convenience, most women like to clear closets of winter win-ter clothing as soon as possible. These clothes may be sent to reliable re-liable commercial establishments for storage. But they can be stored safely at home if the homemaker takes a little time and care to put them away. Store wool garments, gloves, and shoes separately from articles of rayon, cotton, linen, or silk, which need no protection from moths. Half your battle is won if you make sure you have no moths moth larvae or moth eggs on the clothing before you store it. The moths aren't likely to be on the clothing because they fly away the minute they get out in the sunlight. sun-light. But the tiny, soft, white moth eggs can easily go undected. In 4 to 8 days in the summer an egg hatches into the worm or larvae lar-vae that does the real destructive work. Dry cleaning kills moths destroys eggs and larvae. So does washing with a strong solution of neutral soap. And so will a good sunning and airing if you accompany it with brisk brushing. Moths can't stand the bright sun, the larvae drop to the ground, and the eggs are crushed or dislodged in the brushing. Once you get the clothing free of moths, they may be put away in paper bags, wrapped in paper, sealed seal-ed in boxes or stored in trunks, chests, or tight closets. Paper bags and bundles should be stored where they are not likely to get torn. Moths won't eat through paper but they are opportunists who will take advantage of a tear to get inside. Trunks and chests should have tight-fitting lids. And closets set aside especially for storage of wools should have all cracks in plaster and around baseboards filled with crack fillers a gasket on the door so it can 'be shut tight all around. Extra Protection There's always a chance that there may be some moth larvae rir oirrrc in fl-m nlntYi n cr -wmi cfrirp ously if they are reallyto do the job. Tie these crystals or balls in a cloth sack and hang them on the neck of the hanger inside a paper protector. Sprinkle them generously generous-ly between the folds of clothing in boxes, trunks, ichests. Put . on the top shelf of a closet set aside for storage or hang them in muslin bags from hooks. Naturally, if the gas is to do its work the lid of a ibox or chest, and the door of a closet must be kept tightly closed opened only a short time when it is necessary to put something away or to get out a garment. About one pound of flake napthalene or paradichloro-benzine paradichloro-benzine is a safe amount to use in a small chest, trunk, or wooden box. For a large closet or store room use a pound of crystals to every hundred cubic feet. Cedar chests made of at least 70 per cent solid red cedar protect against moths if the clothes have been brushed to remove moth larvae lar-vae before they go into the chest. And the cedar chest must be tight So it's a good idea to play safe by using flake napthaline, or paradi-chlorobenzene, paradi-chlorobenzene, or mothballs which contain- one or both of these chemicals. chem-icals. As these chemicals evaporate they give off a gas which first discourages the moth larvae from feeding on the wool then kills the larvae if the gas is concentrated enough. They must be used gener- and in good condition. Chests of neutral woods lined with thin cedar ce-dar veneer are not any more dependable de-pendable than any tight chest. For extra protection they need the chemicals mentioned above. For further information ask your home demonstration agent for the government bullet i n "Clothes Moths and Their Control." |