When clothing is stored for a season—or simply left undisturbed in a closet for long periods—many people begin looking for ways to keep those spaces fresh and protect the garments they care about. Traditionally, mothballs have been one of the most familiar products associated with stored clothing. Today, however, many households are searching for a natural alternative to mothballs for clothes storage.
Natural cedar is one option that has been used in closets, drawers, chests, and other clothing-storage spaces for generations. Cedar products are available in several forms, including cedar blocks, planks, rings, chips, and cedar sachets.
Understanding the differences can help you decide which approach is best for your closet and clothing-storage needs.
Traditional mothballs are pesticide products generally made with active ingredients such as naphthalene or paradichlorobenzene. They are designed to release vapors when used according to their labeling, typically in tightly enclosed storage spaces.
For people who simply want a pleasant, natural wood aroma in their closets and drawers—or who prefer to avoid the characteristic smell associated with traditional mothballs—other clothing-storage options may be more appealing.
This has increased interest in searches for mothball alternatives, natural clothes storage products, and cedar products for closets and drawers.
It's important to understand that natural cedar and registered pesticide products are not the same thing. Cedar should not be represented as a replacement for a pesticide treatment when an active clothes-moth infestation requires appropriate pest-control measures.
For routine clothing storage, however, natural cedar offers a simple way to bring the distinctive aroma of real wood into the spaces where clothing and linens are kept.
Cedar has a long history of use in closets, wardrobes, chests, and other clothing-storage areas.
One reason is the wood's naturally recognizable aroma. Eastern Redcedar contains aromatic compounds and natural oils that produce the familiar cedar scent many people associate with cedar closets and cedar chests.
Instead of introducing an artificial perfume into a closet or drawer, real cedar provides the aroma of the wood itself.
Cedar is also versatile. Depending on the form, it can be placed in:
Closets
Dresser drawers
Garment bags
Storage containers
Linen closets
Sweater storage
Seasonal clothing storage
Shoe-storage areas
Luggage
This versatility has led to a wide variety of cedar products specifically intended for clothing and household storage.
Two of the most common options are cedar sachets and cedar blocks for clothes storage.
Both use real cedar, but they work differently from a practical standpoint.
Cedar blocks are solid pieces of wood. They can be placed on closet shelves, inside drawers, or among stored clothing. Their solid construction makes them reusable and relatively simple to refresh by lightly sanding the surface according to the manufacturer's instructions.
Cedar sachets contain pieces or chips of cedar enclosed inside a breathable fabric pouch. Because the pouch is flexible, a cedar sachet can fit into spaces where a rigid block may be less convenient.
For example, sachets can be tucked between folded clothing, placed in the corners of drawers, added to garment bags, stored with seasonal clothing, or placed inside shoes and luggage.
Neither form is universally better. The best choice depends on where and how you plan to use the cedar.
One advantage of cedar sachets is the amount of placement flexibility they provide.
Instead of relying on one large cedar piece for an entire storage area, multiple individual sachets can be distributed throughout a closet or dresser.
For example, one sachet might be placed with sweaters, another among folded shirts, and others in separate drawers or garment-storage areas.
That makes a multi-pack of cedar sachets particularly useful in homes where clothing is stored in several different locations.
The breathable fabric surrounding the cedar also allows the natural cedar aroma to escape while keeping the individual wood pieces contained.
Cedar chips are another form of natural cedar used in storage areas.
Loose cedar chips provide a large amount of exposed wood surface, but loose pieces aren't always practical around clothing. Small wood pieces can migrate around a drawer or storage container and potentially come into direct contact with fabrics.
A breathable sachet solves much of that problem by containing the cedar chips while allowing the cedar's natural aroma to pass through the pouch.
This is one reason people searching for cedar chips for closets may ultimately prefer a sachet format.
Not every product marketed as cedar is made from the same species.
Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana) is the aromatic red heartwood traditionally associated with cedar closets and cedar chests in much of the United States.
Its distinctive color and aroma come from the wood and its naturally occurring compounds.
At Texas Organic Cedar, our sachets contain natural Eastern Red Cedar sourced from our family-managed Eastern Red Cedar forest in Texas. The cedar is prepared for use in breathable sachets without relying on an artificial cedar perfume to create the wood aroma.
For someone looking specifically for the smell and character of genuine cedar rather than a manufactured cedar fragrance, the type of material inside the sachet matters.
Real cedar shouldn't be confused with a heavily perfumed air freshener.
Its aroma is naturally woody and can be more subtle than artificial fragrance products.
The strength of the aroma can also change over time as the cedar's exposed surface ages.
That's normal.
If a cedar sachet's aroma becomes less noticeable, gently squeezing or manipulating the sachet can expose different cedar surfaces and help renew the natural wood aroma.
Solid cedar blocks are commonly refreshed by lightly sanding their exposed surfaces.
Because cedar is a natural material, its aroma will not behave exactly like a synthetic fragrance designed to continuously release perfume.
Wool sweaters, cashmere garments, blankets, coats, and other natural-fiber items are often stored for months at a time.
Before placing seasonal clothing into storage, garments should be cleaned according to their care instructions and allowed to dry completely.
Storage areas should also be kept clean. Periodically vacuuming closets and storage spaces can help remove lint, hair, and other material that can accumulate in areas that aren't frequently disturbed.
Cedar sachets can then be distributed throughout drawers, closets, garment bags, and storage containers as part of an overall clothing-storage routine.
For an active clothes-moth problem, however, proper identification and appropriate pest-management methods are important. Cedar should not be treated as a substitute for addressing an existing infestation.
If you're researching a natural alternative to mothballs, start by considering what you're actually trying to accomplish.
If you're dealing with an active infestation, identify the pest and use an appropriate treatment.
If your goal is routine clothing storage and you prefer natural materials and a wood aroma rather than conventional mothballs or artificial fragrances, cedar may be worth considering.
Then decide which cedar format works best for your storage space.
Cedar blocks work well on shelves and in larger drawers.
Cedar hangers and rings are convenient for hanging garments.
Cedar sachets are especially versatile because they can be distributed throughout smaller and irregular spaces.
Some households use more than one cedar format depending on the storage location.
There isn't one perfect storage solution for every household.
But for people who appreciate natural materials, Eastern Red Cedar Sachets provide a simple way to bring genuine cedar into closets, drawers, garment bags, luggage, and seasonal clothing-storage areas.
Rather than relying on an artificial cedar fragrance, the aroma comes from the wood itself.
And because sachets are small and flexible, they can be distributed throughout multiple storage locations instead of being limited to one closet shelf or drawer.
For more information about choosing between different forms of cedar, read our guide to cedar sachets vs. cedar blocks for clothes storage.
People looking to avoid traditional mothballs often consider cedar products, garment-storage methods, regular cleaning, and other non-mothball approaches. Natural cedar is available as blocks, hangers, rings, chips, and sachets. An active clothes-moth infestation may require specific pest-control measures rather than relying on cedar alone.
Both can be useful. Cedar blocks provide a solid exposed wood surface, while cedar sachets contain cedar pieces inside a flexible breathable pouch. Sachets can be particularly convenient for drawers, garment bags, shoes, luggage, and between folded clothing.
Yes. Cedar sachets are commonly placed in closets, drawers, garment bags, storage containers, and other clothing-storage spaces. Their small size makes it possible to distribute several sachets throughout different storage areas.
Gently squeezing and manipulating a sachet can expose different surfaces of the cedar pieces and help renew the natural cedar aroma. Because real cedar is a natural material, its scent may become more subtle over time.
Cedar sachets can be placed in storage areas containing wool, cashmere, and other clothing. Garments should be properly cleaned and completely dry before long-term storage, and storage spaces should be kept clean.
No. Genuine Eastern Red Cedar has a naturally woody aroma that is generally more subtle than heavily perfumed artificial air fresheners. The aroma comes from the cedar itself rather than an added synthetic cedar fragrance.
Organizing seasonal clothing or storage areas? Use our Home Organization Printables to keep closets, storage containers, and seasonal items easier to organize and track.