When it comes to taking care of your precious clothes, it is crucial to clean and organize your closet. Doing so doesn’t just prevent your clothes from wrinkling and creasing, but it also gives you a neat wardrobe worthy of a double-tap and the status of “wardrobe goals.” And while folding and hanging your clothes and vacuuming your closet seem enough, you might want to check your closet for insects and other pests that may destroy your outfits.

Here are five steps in keeping your wardrobe pest-free and protecting your clothes from damage.

Wash Newly-bought Clothes Before Storing Them

Whether they’re from the mall, thrift store, or an online retailer, wash clothes you’ve bought before placing them in your closet. The clothing items you’ve purchased may carry bugs or eggs in them. Likewise, your wardrobe may serve as the perfect environment for these unwanted critters to grow and multiply.

Deep-clean Your Closet

Deep-cleaning your closets is crucial, even if they don’t have any bugs yet. Doing so keeps your wardrobe dust-free and prevents it from potentially being the nesting ground of insects that will ruin your clothes and shoes. If you have built-in cabinets similar to what Vitas Tondo’s units have, inspect the walls and the gaps between the wood and concrete. See if there are any holes that could be entrances to an ant or termite colony. You might need to call for professional help if the settlement is too massive for you to handle alone.

Inspect for Bugs

Termites and ants aren’t the only pests you need to worry about. If you love animal-based textures such as wools, fur, silk, and feathers, be wary of carpet beetle eggs and larvae as these tiny brutes wreak havoc on your precious clothes. Besides carpet beetles, moths love to feed on clothes soiled with perspiration. Both pests thrive in the dark corners of your cabinet.

If there are bugs, dry clean your clothes, especially those with special textures, to keep them in pristine condition. Store them in air-tight bags before keeping them in your vacuumed and deep-cleaned closet. Doing so saves you the headache of throwing out your beloved luxurious clothing items.

Seal Cracks and Holes

After purging your wardrobe of the bugs and their larvae, it’s time to seal any cracks or holes that might allow other pests to come in. Patch up cracks and gaps on the concrete back of your cupboards and cabinets with mortar or cement. Replace any damaged wooden panel of your closets with fresh ones to avoid termites from coming back. Caulk is a cheap and convenient way to repair damaged sidings and seal gaps.

Toss in Mothballs, Cedar, or Lavender

Now that your closet is spic and span, toss in a few mothballs to ward off pests. Mothballs contain Naphthalene, which means their noxious vapors will surely knock out those unwanted pests in your wardrobe. However, they can cause nausea, headaches, and vomiting.

If you want something more natural, cedar blocks and chips are safer alternatives. Place them in your closet like how you do mothballs. These gradually lose their scent, so it’s best to sand them lightly every few months. Dried lavender and lavender essential oils are fragrant alternatives. Add 30 to 40 few drops of the oil or a few lavender sprigs in a mixture of vinegar and distilled water and spray it in your closet as needed.

To stay in style, take care of your clothes. Store them properly to maintain their quality and pristine condition. By following these five methods, your clothes will last practically a lifetime, and you’ll save money from throwing out ruined clothing due to pesky little pests.