Your vacuum sealer is a wonderfully versatile piece of kitchen equipment but there are many other, not so well known things that you can use it for, such as safely storing up your clothes and other fabrics and materials.

Storing Clothes, Bed Linens, Curtains and other Fabrics

There are a lot of benefits to storing Clothes and Bed Linens vacuum packed. For a start, once they are sealed they are then safe from damp and attack by insects. As an added bonus, the clothes and household items will take up much less space in your home.

It’s easy to pack away the winter seasons clothes, duvets and heavy bed linen when spring arrives until they are needed again at the end of the summer. You will be surprised at how much more organised the closets and cupboards in your home will be if you do this each year.

If you have family heirlooms like wedding dresses and baby clothes then these too will store for much longer without the danger of mildew and attack from pests if they are stored in a vacuum bag.

Another great way in which vacuum packing clothes can help you is when you go on a trip or when your kids go off to college. By packing down the clothes and linens into a much smaller space it’s easier to get all the stuff packed into less bags so it takes up less space in the car or on the plane.

If you are going camping then sealing up clothes means that you can always have a dry set available if you need them in an emergency.

Method for Vacuum Sealing Clothes

When you are sealing up any type of clothing and materials it is really important that they are clean and dry before sealing up. This will prevent any danger of rotting or mold forming inside the bags.

If you’re using your FoodSaver sealer then one of the easiest ways to vacuum pack your clothes is to first make a bag of the desired size from a roll, insert your clothes, and then vacuum and seal up the bag. It’s also possible to use the reusable zipper type bags if you have a hose attachment on your vacuum sealer.

NOTE: Be extremely careful if vacuum packing delicate clothing items. Keep the level of vacuum set low as used for delicate foods like crisps so that clothes are not crushed and permanently damaged.

In a Humid Environment

Where there is a lot of moisture in the air then clothes that are vacuum sealed can still be attacked by fungus and mold. This can be prevented by adding one or more silica gel desiccant packs in with your clothes before sealing. Silica Gel packs can absorb up to 40% of their own volume in water and are widely used by manufacturers to remove moisture from sealed packaging to prevent mold and you can also do the same.

When there are Moths

Moths can be a real pain and will even eat their way through your clothes if they are vacuum packed. A good way to stop them is to add an oxygen absorber in with your clothes before sealing the bag. This will ensure that any residual traces of oxygen are removed and the moths will then suffocate and die.

Finally..

We hope that you like this article and that it helps you get you to get the most from your vacuum sealer. Be sure to look out for more tips coming soon.