THE PROPER CARE OF NATURAL FIBERS

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After being washed, sweaters and other knits should be spread out on a towel . . . patted into their original shapes . . . and left undisturbed until they're almost dry. Skirts and trousers should be hung on clip-type hangers or secured to regular hangers with snap clothespins. In either case, when the woolens are still barely damp, they should be pressed with a steam iron. Deal with the inside of the clothing first, being careful to iron all the seams flat, and then turn the garment over and press the right side. When ironing the outsides of wool apparel, some people like to use a pressing cloth (simply a piece of tightly woven fabric — such as a worn pillowcase — that's placed over the garment to protect it from direct contact with the iron).

Once your woollies are clean and fresh, you'll want to store them carefully. I make cloth sachets and stuff each one generously with cedar chips, which I buy in bulk at a dime store. Then I hang several sachets in each closet and place one in every dresser drawer, allowing the pungent woodsy aroma to discourage moths. (Thus I never have to worry about my children or pets eating a mothball . . . nor do I have to contend with the pervasive odor of commercial mothproofing preparations.)

My grandmother also relied on dried rosemary leaves — or a mixture of equal parts of southernwood, wormwood, and lavender — when stuffing her insect-deterring sachets. However, whether you use cedar chips or an herbal concoction of your own, be sure that the sachets are amply stuffed and that the finished packets are distributed evenly throughout your closets and drawers.

When I'm packing my woolens away for the summer, though, I use a different technique. I just store the clean clothes in a trunk, with old sheets separating the layers, then strew cedar chips in the folds of the sheets and tuck a cedar sachet into each corner of the trunk.

If you prefer, you can hang your clothes up in a fabric garment bag — or protected by an old sheet — and attach a sachet to every other hanger or so. (Do not wrap your apparel in plastic, because it'll trap moisture and prevent the cedar-permeated air from penetrating the woolen fabric and warding off moths.)

. . . COTTONS . . .

Most folks know that woolens require special handling, but you might be surprised to learn that cotton fabrics benefit from careful treatment, as well. Again, it pays to buy quality materials . . . keep the clothes clean and mended . . . avoid harsh cleansers . . . and store the garments properly. I wash cottons in cold water with mild soap (rather than shampoo), and I use the same vinegar rinse that serves my woolens so well. In fact, I stopped using strong detergents and bleaches altogether after my grandmother showed me that sunlight brightens white fabrics just as well as the chemicals do. Now, I simply hang the clean, damp clothes in the sun to dry, and then press them as usual .

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