CLOTHES CARE
Clothes Moths
These are endemic throughut the UK , and are particoularly prevalent in the South of England. Since the withdrawal of most products containing pyrethrum, clothes moths have been increasingly difficult to control. There are products available that work with some measure of success, but most of these really require the burning of insecticide “bombs” which can be a little worrying within a wardrobe.

These moths are very selective in their eating habits. The better the fibre, the more they will choose it. If there is a choice of lambs wool or carpet wool, they will choose the lambs wool but if the choice is between lambs wool and cashmere, then they will select the cashmere. Further, they are just like children they will eat the softest – the nap on a cashmere overcoat is ideal!

Rotate your clothes! Wearing, pressing, and cleaning are the best defence against moth.

Dry Cleaning
Most dry cleaners offer a very good system and service. But do you really need to clean at all?

Most people clean far too often. Dry cleaning chemicals are very strong and powerful, and will degrade both fabrics and the manufacturing processes if used excessively. Instead of cleaning on every occasion, use the option of pressing. Every dry cleaner offers a pressing service, which is far less expensive than dry cleaning, but infinitely better for the clothes. Its up to you – you have to ask for it!

Laundering/Washing
First, last and everything in between, READ THE INSTRUCTIONS! As well as the hanging tickets, all clothes should have a care label stitched into the seam. Those instructions are not for interpreting – they mean what they say.

Treat washing powders with enzyme treatments with great care. Although these have been in the domestic market for quite a long time, many do not appreciate the way they work. These enzymes “eat” protein, and are very effective at removing protein stains – meat sauces, egg, etc. But they cannot differentiate between proteins. These enzymes will just as happily be getting to work on wool, silk, or cashmere protein, as an egg stain.

Regularly washing a protein fibre in an enzyme wash will weaken the structure significantly.