List of Items Not to Keep in a Cedar Closet

Outerware

• In cooler months of the year, your outerware is very important in first appearances. The scent of your clothes will, of course, make a lasting impression on those you meet. Give heavy items such as jackets, winter coats, ponchos and cloaks a day to air out before wearing them. Sport jackets, hooded sweatshirts, and heavy sweaters will hold onto their scent for a couple days, or until washed. You can remove smaller pieces like beanies, scarves and gloves from the closet the day before an important date.

Accessories

• Typically, accessories are worn outside functional clothing and are highlights in personal presentation. Placing items like shawls, pantyhose, men's ties, or other articles made of porous fabric inside sealed storage containers will help prevent the cedar scent from permeating them. Likewise, briefcases, purses and handbags may be placed in hermetically sealed bags, or otherwise in garbage bags, to provide a barrier between the cedar and those accessories.

Summertime Clothes

• People wear fewer layers during the summer months, which makes the scent of the layers that are worn all the more crucial. When summer hits you can take steps to vanquish the cedar odor from your closet space. Since the strongest cedar scent comes from new cedar lumber and contact with air causes cedar to age, you can aim a fan into your closet to increase the circulation of air. This step will also cool your home.

Chemical Remedies

• Vinegar is widely used as a natural home deodorant, and it also works on wood. Just cut some vinegar with water in a spray bottle and, after totally clearing your closet, mist the cedar. Alternatively, an open box of baking soda will passively freshen the air, as will a ventilated container of activated carbon. These items will alleviate the scent in your cedar closet if you prefer to store your clothing in it all the time.