Change of season: how to properly clean your wardrobe

The change of season  does not only mean higher or lower temperatures, difference in the hours of light and darkness and a change from heavy to light clothing or vice versa. It also means opening the wardrobes and completely replacing the contents: the garments for the season that we leaving behind must be taken out, folded and set aside for a year.

For this change to be really effective and not cause clothes to smell moldy or be damaged by moths, we can take a few precautionary steps - read on to find out more.

1. Clean the wardrobe

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First of all, empty the wardrobe/cupboard/closet completely by placing your clothes on the bed. Then, with a damp cloth, remove all the dust starting from the highest point, both on the inside and outside. At this point, you are ready for the deep cleaning: you can choose natural DIY remedies but they must be effective in removing dirt and degreasing.

• Vinegar: vinegar is one of the productss of choice when it comes to degreasing and sanitizing. Put it on a non-abrasive sponge or microfiber cloth and wipe it all over the wardrobe, both inside on the shelves and walls, and outside on the doors. Rinse off and let dry, which also allows the wardrobe to air (leave the window open for a few hours).
• Bicarbonate: another great product for cleaning, bicarb can be used by putting 2-3 teaspoons in half a liter of water and mixing well. Spray on all surfaces, rinse off and dry with a clean cloth. Alternatively, if you want more degreasing action, you can mix a tablespoon of baking soda with water to form a gel-like paste, then wipe it all over the cabinet with a sponge and rinse off.
• Marseille soap: the last great ally for cleaning, in addition to degreasing, it also leaves a very pleasant smell. Just put a few flakes on a damp sponge, wipe down, then rinse off and dry.

2. Mothproofing

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At the end of your cleaning chore, the time has come to perfume the wardrobe and you can do this in conjunction with preventing moths from taking up residence. How is this done? Here are some simple remedies to choose from:

• Citrus fruits and cloves: take an orange or a lemon, cut off the skins and let them dry out; then stick some cloves in the skins and put them in the cupboard. They will leave a very nice scent and repel moths.
• Lavender: lavendar is also very useful against moths; you can simply take a dried sprig and put it in a breathable bag to perfume your wardrobes and drawers.
• Spices: rosemary is very effective, as are bay leaves and cinnamon; use them like lavender in a breathable bag to put in drawers and on shelves.
• Essential oils: if you do not want to use dried plants, you can always use their essential oils soaked into a cotton ball. The most effective oils against moths are neem, patchouli and tea tree. But if their smell is unpleasant for yo, you can also use lemon, orange, cinnamon, rosemary, lavender or bay leaf oils.
• Soaps: scented soaps are the most classic remedy for scenting wardrobes. You can use simple Marseille soaps or scented soaps. You can also choose to use the Marseille soap in flakes - which you can also perfume at will, perhaps with an anti-moth essential oil indicated above.

Now you just have to repack your cupboard. Happy change of season!