Just
some helpful advice for storing clothes, whether for the season
or for a longer duration.
Store
clothes where the temperature will remain under 75 degrees Fahrenheit
so fabrics will not dry out. Some may even be able to store their
clothes in a temperature controlled room. You can also store in
dressers in a dryer, cooler room. You don't want to store clothes
in a humid, musty basements or attics, though. Not only will clothes
absorb the smell, but they will attract bugs and insects to feed
on your clothes.
If you
are continually storing clothes throughout the year, consider designating
a certain closet and turning it into a cedar closet by installing
aromatic cedar paneling on the walls, doors and ceiling. They say
it's best to 'restore' your closet every season - or when the strong
cedar scent is gone. The closet will need to be sanded or re-treated
with fresh cedar.
You
should never store your clothes directly on the floor. Hang them or
put them in a dresser or on shelves.
Remove
all ornamental jewelry or pins from clothing. Also, remove items from
pockets so the fabric isn't weighed down over time.
Always
clean your clothes before storing them. Launder them regularly or
take them to the dry cleaners if required. Make sure you remove stains
as best you can before storing away. Some stains, such as sugar based
stains (red wine, juice, lemon, etc.) can spread through the fibers
over time.
Inspect
your clothing under bright light for hard to see stains as well. Oil
and light colored liquids may be harder to spot, but over time will
leave permanent stains. Also, underarm stains left alone will eventually
turn yellow or even discolor the garment.
Take
care of soiling around the collars, cuffs and underarms of shirts
to make sure you get those removed. Allowing the soiled areas to remain
during storage will result in a stained garment next season that won't
be too easy to clean.
Use
plastic, wood or padded hangers for hanging garments. Throw all metal
hangers out! Be nice to your clothes.
If you
will be using mothballs in your storage, do not let them touch the
clothes or garments. Try hanging them in netting, nylons or even an
old pair of socks. This will keep your clothes from being ruined by
them. Note: the mothball odors is not easy to remove from dry clean
only garments.
If you
find that your storage place has moths or evidence that there once
was moths, remove all clothing and launder as required. You should
also clean out the storage space with mild soap (I recommend liquid
Castile soap) and warm water.
If you
are stacking your clothes, place acid free tissue between each garment.
Another option is washed, unbleached muslin.
Never
store clothes (such as your dresses, gowns, etc) in the plastic bags
you get from the cleaners. These types of bags will trap moisture
and eventually ruin the garments. If you want to use garment bags,
use cloth bags that allow air movement so the fabric can breath. These
types of bags also promote staining.
When
you store coats or jackets, it's best to stuff the arms with acid
free tissue paper or washed, unbleached muslin to help keep their
shape.
Place
Acid free tissue paper over the top of the garments (that are hanging)
to prevent dust from settling on the shoulder area.
Another
option is to designate a certain closet for storing your clothes.
Hang the clothes on the rod, spaced enough to allow the fabrics to
breathe, and put a cotton sheet or washed, unbleached muslin over
the clothing to prevent dust settling and fading from light. Make
sure you don't cram too many clothes on the rod, or they will get
wrinkled.
Fabrics
such as silk and wool should never be stored in airtight containers
or chests. These types of fabric need to breathe and will be ruined
if stored wrongly over a long period of time. Silk and wool also tend
to attract moths.
Cotton,
linen, rayon and silk attract crickets and silverfish (though silverfish
cannot digest the cotton or linen), so don't leave any temptation
on your clothes for them, such as: food particles, spills, perfume,
etc.)
If you
don't have space to store clothes or maybe you travel too much to
bother with it, find a quality dry cleaner that offers temp-controlled
storage. The price is worth having to replace your wardrobe each season.
