storing clothes in cedar closet....

P

polyesterchesters

Registered Guest
I just got a call from a gentleman who wants me to come clean out his moms estate. He told me that he has all of his grandmothers clothes also (he wants me to buy) and they are all stored in a cedar closet.

Is that bad? I know they will smell of cedar and some wouln't like that... but should I bother if they have been in a cedar closet for 50 years?
 
Well, it's traditionally <i>supposed</i> to be good, since the smell of cedar was supposed to guard from creepy crawlies, particularly moths.

But I understand from Hollis that close contact with wood can let oils seep into the clothes and damage them.

I'd say, though, that her cedar closet might have some space around it, and if the clothes aren't in contact with the wood, they might be fine. To be honest, it's an expensive kind of storage for the time, and I wonder if you might just be able to take it as indicative of the care that they've been stored with?

Hopefully they won't have moth-holes ;)

Lin
 
I agree with Lin. If they were stored in a cedar closet, they are probably just fine. as long as they are not stored in plastic bags in the cedar closet. Smell wise, I think you will find cedar is much less offensive to many than moth odors. in fact, some people buy cedar disks just for the clean scent. If it was a pine closet, i would definitely worry more about acid.

I think that you will be just fine. The only caveat is if the items had been damp at one time and placed against the wood.

Correct me if i am wrong, but i think cedar is the least acidic and the least directly harmful to clothing on the scale of woods.
 
The only issue I can see is if the cedar closet was in a damp basement. I once made a house call where this was the case. The closet was filled with gorgeous clothing from the 30's-50's, BUT everything was covered with mold and mildew. Evidently, there had been water damage in the basement at one time and the closet remained closed up. It was so sad to see all this wonderful vintage just ruined. I had to back out of the closet quickly as the mold smell was overpowering. I advised the owner that the clothing was ruined and had no value and that he should take great care to use gloves and a mask when disposing of it.

Good luck with your haul!
Jody
 
My mother-in-law has a wonderful cedar lined closet in her hallway. That is where she stores all her off season clothing and they are perfect.

Good luck. Maybe this will be a wonderful find!
 
Haven't gone yet..... the guy lives a few hours away and only comes on the weekends to do the work......
this past weekend it rained 3 inches (can't work outside!)
the coming weekend jeff and I will be in Atlantic City
next weekend-----open
weekend after----dominican republic!!!!

I hope we can get our schedules worked out, I would love to do this before vacation..... but I was refered to this man by a realtor friend and he did say it would be ok if the realtor let me in to clean it out...... I am anxious to get in and see what shape that cedar closet is in!!!!
 
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