2 Steps To Refresh Your Cedar
Lots of people, and maybe you too, want to keep their closets smelling and feeling fresh and moth-free. So they trot out and buy themselves planks of cedar in various iterations–cedar block hangers, cedar hangers, cedar balls, cedar drawer dividers, cedar shoe inserts–it’s really quite impressive how many ways they’re figured out for you to incorporate cedar into your life.
Speaking of: life. It happens, and time passes, and pretty soon your effervescent cedar is just a stale chunk of wood. Moth-repellent-less. Smell-less. Doing absolutely nothing for nobody.
That’s generally the condition in which I find my clients’ cedar paraphernalia–dead on the vine if cedar blocks grew on vines. They’ve been completely forgotten about because really, who has time to think about tending to the state of their cedar blocks? (Clarification: this is hardly a reprimanding.)
But let’s say some lady comes along and goes, “Hey, look; your cedar blocks are dead.”
And you go, “Oh, huh, I guess they are.”
“You want to bring them back to life?” She asks.
“Can I do that?” You ask.
Ya-huh, you can.
Here’s how:
1. Sand that puppy softly
Using a fine piece of sandpaper, sand each side of the cedar implement. You don’t want to go pretending you’re on This Old House, you just want to sand away the top layer. This will rid the cedar of the blocked, dust-coated layer that’s preventing its natural oils from coming forth. After you’ve sanded, you should be able to pick up that cedar smell again.
Wipe the cedar block with a damp cloth and allow to air dry for a minute or two.
Let’s say the cedar just ain’t aroma-ing like you want it to. Then, my friend, move on to step 2…
Step 2. Add the flavoring
You can use either a cedar spray or a natural cedar oil to give the cedar block more of a punch. Cedar oil is usually the more natural route since many cedar sprays have added perfumes. C’est la vie.
If you’re using a cedar spray, [follow the directions on the bottle] give your cedar a generous spraying. Then allow to sit out and dry.
If you’re using a cedar oil, use a cloth to rub the oil into your cedar block. If things get overly slick, you can use a clean cloth or paper towel just to buff away any excess. Allow the cedar to dry and the oil to soak in thoroughly.
Since what I know of the general population is laziness, please do go ahead and skip the sanding step and head straight to Go, step 2, if having to sand is going to prevent you from doing the task at all. I won’t tell Martha, promise.
Step 3: Return to basecamp
Scoot those smelly parts back into the nooks and crannies of your closets and then give yourself a pat on the back; you’re a regular Bob Vila. Or whoever.
Image credits: photography by Amelia Alpaugh for Refinery 29
14 Comments
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14 Comments
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on May 27, 2015 at 6:46 am
Hi Annie. Thanks for your thoughts. But how do you suggest handling a cedar chest? I’ve had one for 40 years, and keep all my wool sweaters in it (plus some others). It has a well-worn finish on the outside. If I oil the inside, it will get on the sweaters. Thoughts? Thanks.
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on May 27, 2015 at 9:43 am
Hi Kathy,
Totally the same regime, but I might opt for a spray rather than an oil if you’re okay with that. Otherwise (and either way) make sure you give the chest a full 24-48 hours for the oil/spray to soak in before putting your sweaters back. For added protection, you can also wrap the sweaters in some acid-free tissue.
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on May 27, 2015 at 1:30 pm
why don’t i have cedar??
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You’re my fav.
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on April 21, 2020 at 2:52 am
I’m doing red cedar Sachets starting with shavings and coating the shavings with Red Cedar Oil. Would you do an alcohol mix for drying then spray on the shavings in stainless steel bowl is my idea, coating and thusly reinvigorating nooks n crannies. Allowing dry before stuffing into linen handmade Li’l pillow Sachets. Your thoughts please??
Thanks much!
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on March 12, 2017 at 3:28 pm
Thanks for your tips. I just ordered some cedar essential oils to refresher up the blocks in my closet.
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on October 10, 2017 at 10:09 pm
Please help… I live in an apartment. I have a sliding door mirror closet. I’m noticing that some of my leggings and tank tops have small holes in them. What would work to get rid of those pesky moths in my closet? I purchase cedar blocks from Lowes and I placed them in my closet. Don’t laugh I didn’t spray them or use oil. I thought you just place them in the closet. Please help… What should I use.. Oil or spray….
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on January 27, 2018 at 5:40 am
hello, anne I’m looking at using peppermint essential oils and want to soak into a piece of wood to use around the house ,maybe you know the best way to do so or is it as easy as it sounds, soak in oil, wait it to dry out and then use?
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maybe some old cedar balls? as soakers
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on July 15, 2018 at 3:47 pm
I need to know where I can purchase the Cedar Spray?
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on June 27, 2020 at 1:34 pm
I have cedar blocks. I am reading differing opinions about how far to sand. Some people say that you sand until you PASS the red layer. Others say that you sand until you REACH the red layer. Annie, because I like your name (mine is ‘Annie’) I want to go with your prescription. How FAR (according to Annie) should I sand?
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on November 16, 2021 at 2:41 pm
Thank you. I love your sense of humor…you know us so well.
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on November 23, 2021 at 11:55 pm
Has anyone tried running the blocks through a very low setting of a table saw to remove a fraction of an inch of the surface? I tried sanding with a course sandpaper using a palm sander. I did not get any real improvement in the strength of the cedar odor.
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on January 4, 2022 at 8:24 pm
If you have a planer, I believe it would be safer. Also make sure it’s real cedar, Mom picked some up somewhere along her 84 years and needed revived. I started with 220 and worked back to 60. Nothing was happening. Took a carving knife and cut a chip from the bottom it must’ve been pine. Her really old cedar blocks and hangers revived quite nicely with 220. The tops of the hangers I buffed to 600 but probably didn’t need to go that high
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Hi Annie. Thanks for your thoughts. But how do you suggest handling a cedar chest? I’ve had one for 40 years, and keep all my wool sweaters in it (plus some others). It has a well-worn finish on the outside. If I oil the inside, it will get on the sweaters. Thoughts? Thanks.
Hi Kathy,
Totally the same regime, but I might opt for a spray rather than an oil if you’re okay with that. Otherwise (and either way) make sure you give the chest a full 24-48 hours for the oil/spray to soak in before putting your sweaters back. For added protection, you can also wrap the sweaters in some acid-free tissue.
why don’t i have cedar??
You’re my fav.
I’m doing red cedar Sachets starting with shavings and coating the shavings with Red Cedar Oil. Would you do an alcohol mix for drying then spray on the shavings in stainless steel bowl is my idea, coating and thusly reinvigorating nooks n crannies. Allowing dry before stuffing into linen handmade Li’l pillow Sachets. Your thoughts please??
Thanks much!
Thanks for your tips. I just ordered some cedar essential oils to refresher up the blocks in my closet.
Please help… I live in an apartment. I have a sliding door mirror closet. I’m noticing that some of my leggings and tank tops have small holes in them. What would work to get rid of those pesky moths in my closet? I purchase cedar blocks from Lowes and I placed them in my closet. Don’t laugh I didn’t spray them or use oil. I thought you just place them in the closet. Please help… What should I use.. Oil or spray….
hello, anne I’m looking at using peppermint essential oils and want to soak into a piece of wood to use around the house ,maybe you know the best way to do so or is it as easy as it sounds, soak in oil, wait it to dry out and then use?
maybe some old cedar balls? as soakers
I need to know where I can purchase the Cedar Spray?
I have cedar blocks. I am reading differing opinions about how far to sand. Some people say that you sand until you PASS the red layer. Others say that you sand until you REACH the red layer. Annie, because I like your name (mine is ‘Annie’) I want to go with your prescription. How FAR (according to Annie) should I sand?
Thank you. I love your sense of humor…you know us so well.
Has anyone tried running the blocks through a very low setting of a table saw to remove a fraction of an inch of the surface? I tried sanding with a course sandpaper using a palm sander. I did not get any real improvement in the strength of the cedar odor.
If you have a planer, I believe it would be safer. Also make sure it’s real cedar, Mom picked some up somewhere along her 84 years and needed revived. I started with 220 and worked back to 60. Nothing was happening. Took a carving knife and cut a chip from the bottom it must’ve been pine. Her really old cedar blocks and hangers revived quite nicely with 220. The tops of the hangers I buffed to 600 but probably didn’t need to go that high