Yarn in the Freezer?

[jenuine226]

I read somewhere that when you buy yarn (not so much yarn from stores, but yarns from people's houses) you should put it in the freezer to kill any moths/bugs and stuff that may be living in it before introducing the new yarn to the rest of your stash. It seems to me this should only apply to natural fibers yarns, right? Bugs don't eat acrylic or other manmade materials, do they? Has anyone else heard of this?

 

Also, does anyone know how long I'm supposed to leave the yarn in the freezer?

[Catana]

I've never seen bug (moth) damage in anything but wool, but bugs can certainly live in just about any fiber. Freezing is a good way to kill bugs and larvae. Overnight is probably adequate.

[HollyM]

It's really not a bad idea. To the best of my knowledge, yes, they only eat natural fibers, but other critters (fleas, roaches etc) could be nesting in there.

 

Holly

[threeolivemartini]

i have heard of doing htis with cigars that have been infested so i think it would work with yarn too ..

[mimi_mia]

Yuk, I knew I only bought unnatural fibres for a reason:lol

[AidanM]

And here's me just having bought a whole buttload of yarn and stashing it away ASAP.

[losingmymind2]

I freeze bird seed and hamster or guinea pig food for at least 24 hours to kill the miller moth's possibly infesting it. But hey...a new place to stash yarn without the SO finding it? Works for me!

 

Kathy

who's going to be rearranging the freezer tonight if there is any room....meat...who needs meat dear, that's my yarn.

[CraftyChristine]

Yep, I've read that putting yarn in the freezer will help kill bugs and larvae. I've also heard that it helps cut down on shedding when working with angora and other fuzzy type yarns.

 

When my next door neighbor passed away, I inherited her yarn stash and knitting needles. To say she wasn't the cleanest person would be putting it nicely. The needles were salvageable after a hot soapy bath, but the yarn was a complete loss as it was full of tiny mite type bugs *ick*! Getting rid of the yarn wasn't a big deal to me, but I'm glad I was able to keep the needles that were given to me because I think of her and all the wonderful things she knit when I use them.

[buggaboosmommy]

Well, my son has asthma and in Germany it really acted up. We use to freeze his blankie for a few hours each day to kill the bacteria (dust, etc) that collected on it while he slept.

Donna