Cedar to the rescue

The next thing that Avani noticed was a tiny hole near the fringe of the carpet. She looked at it carefully and realized that the hole was in the cotton covering the back of the carpet. She rang up her friend to come have a look.

In the previous article we saw how sunlight damaged Avani’s precious collection and we looked at the ways through Preventive Conservation, Avani can safeguard her collection from the damaging effect of light. If you would like to read the previous article again, here is the link: https://www.kiranjava.com/when-light-fades-joy.

Avani’s friend looked at the carpet and said that some clothes moths had started to feast on the cotton. When they removed the cotton cloth at the fringes, they saw that the rest of the silk carpet was intact! Lucky! Avani was truly lucky. Had she not inspected the carpet carefully she would never have realized that there was a clothes moth infestation.

She asked if she should use mothballs, and her friend rightly advised that we shouldn't use mothballs. This is because mothballs contain chemicals that could damage the silken fibers and are toxic in nature.

Her friend asked Avani to use cedar wood blocks as a natural repellent that would protect her collection from moths. Cedar blocks and balls emit natural aromatic oil that protects our fabrics and other items from pests as well as mildew. It acts as a deterrent and repellent to pests and is a non-toxic solution. It is always more cost-effective to prevent than to repair/restore while also increasing the value of our collections.

Cedar blocks have to be replenished after some time, as they stop emitting the protective oil. In this case, either we replace the blocks every three months or we can sand the blocks, which exposes the surface to start emitting the oil once again. We can also apply a few drops of cedar oil to refresh it.

Next, her friend advised her that since the silken carpet was palm-sized, Avani could wrap it in muslin cloth, place it in an airtight freezer-proof plastic bag, and put it into her home freezer. This step was a precaution to eradicate any eggs or larvae by freezing them. She should not fold the carpet because the silk threads would bend.

In this case, Avani found a pest infestation as well as a swift solution. Pests are one of the agents of deterioration. Avani’s friend showed her a visual chart of the agents of deterioration that she had found in the handbook titled ‘A Guide to Risk Management of Cultural Heritage’ 2016 by the ICCROM (International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property) and Canadian Conservation Institute.

To eradicate pests and prevent damage, most collectors, big and small, usually have a proper pest management system in place. They are able to recognize pest infestations from certain signs, such as the insect themselves or their larvae, as well as other signs such as holes, frass, and stains left behind from insect activity. Hence, regular inspection is the most important step in preventing or controlling damage.

The book titled Preventive Conservation for Museums, published by the British Council (2019), states that: Objects made from organic materials are particularly at risk from insect attack. In the case of Avani, her collection was silk carpets, which are definitely organic. Additionally, the manual describes the ways in which pests can damage collections by eating them, shredding them (for bedding, etc.), and staining them with urine and faeces.

Silverfish feeding on paper, Beetles damaging furniture, books, carpets etc, Moths damaging fabric, and Termites making tunnels and holes through wood, are all examples of insects (pests) damaging collections.

This conversation with her friend made Avani realize how important it was to prevent damage rather than do any repairs or restorations at a later date. She was glad that her collection was safe and that she could enjoy it for years to come. Hence, Preventive conservation is the route that Avani chose to take.

The International Council of Museums - Committee for Conservation (ICOM-CC) defines Preventive conservation as all measures and actions aimed at avoiding and minimizing future deterioration or loss. They are carried out within the context or on the surroundings of an item, but more often a group of items, whatever their age and condition. These measures and actions are indirect – they do not interfere with the materials and structures of the items. They do not modify their appearance.

Examples of preventive conservation include appropriate measures and actions for registration, storage, handling, packing and transportation, security, environmental management (light, humidity, pollution and pest control), emergency planning, education of staff, public awareness and legal compliance.

Thank you for reading this article. See you for the next one. Until then, take care and remember, prevention is the art of preserving lasting legacies.

About the Author:

Kiran Java has participated in the Preventive Conservation of Paintings workshop by the Indian National Trust for Art and Heritage (INTACH) in 2025 and is currently studying Preventive Conservation at the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute. She is a member of the Indian Association for the Study of Conservation of Cultural Property (IASC) and is passionate about raising awareness on preventive conservation. With a Masters degree in Mass Communication and Journalism, Kiran is skilled at sharing complex preservation conservation concepts in an accessible way. She is currently on a mission to write a series of articles to help collectors protect and preserve their cherished collections.