Aromatic Cedar in a Closet

August 8, 2012, by Debra Lynn Dadd

Question from Ingrid

I am designing a closet for a client. She has a moth problem and I was going to back some of the walls with aromatic cedar. However, she was told that aromatic cedar is 'toxic'. I think the wood dust is toxic, when the material is sawed, When it is installed maybe someone could be allergic to it ? Also does it really keep the moth's larvae from eating the natural fibers ? What is the best natural solution? 

Debra's Answer

I found a great webpage called Wood Allergies and Toxicity that addresses the toxicity of all types of wood. It has an extensive "Wood Toxicity and Allergen Chart" that reports Cedar, Aromatic Red as an irritant to eyes and skin, but nothing more. Many people with MCS, however, react to cedar badly, so it's often not recommended for that reason, but it's not particularly toxic otherwise.

Aromatic cedar is a natural wood that has been used for natural moth control for who-knows-how-long. There is some question, however, as to whether or not it kills the moth larvae, which is what eats the wool. Technically, it's not necessary to kill the moth larvae, only repel them away from your stored items. Cedar will do that.

In my book Home Safe Home (now out of print), I wrote that the best way to protect your clothing from moth larvae is to make sure they are not on your clothing when you put clothing in the closet.

Once you know your clothing is free from larvae, as a back-up you can use natural repellants. If you don't want to use cedar, these plants are known to repel moth larvae:

If you can't find cotton sachet bags, use cotton baby socks and fasten them shut with a safety pin.