HOW TO MOTH-PROOF BLANKETS

It’s that time of the year to put woollen blankets into storage for summer. It’s a good idea to wash them before packing them up, and this mixture adds a little bit extra to make sure moths stay away.

2 tbsp eucalyptus oil

1 cup methylated spirits

225g soap flakes (Lux flakes are good)

Shake all ingredients together in a screw-top jar until dissolved. Add 1 tbsp of mixture to every

4 litres of water and soak the blankets for an hour. Then hand wash or wash on your machine’s wool cycle, but do not rinse. Wring the blankets dry or put them through the gentle spin of your washing machine, then dry outside on a windy day, out of direct sunshine. Do not rinse the blankets as the eucalyptus oil needs to stay in the wool to not only soften it but also deter moths.