In history, wardrobes are built to be exclusive to royalty and the regal. Because the clothes and robes of kings and the queens are so expensive, they need to be preserved and well maintained. Clothes moth, cricket, cockroaches and rug beetle feast on the clothes, this is the reason why we need this costly clothing to be kept clean and pest-free at all times. They added moth repellant where they usually store the clothes but this repellant was found too be very smelly and a pungent so they designated a room to keep moths and other pests away from the lords clothing and shut in the pungent smell that the moth repellant is releasing.
The main purpose of an oak or pine wardrobe is to keep the clothes from pests and make sure it is neat and in order for the owners own benefit. Keep in mind that a wardrobe that is cluttered can still invite pests. If you keep used clothes soiled with sweat inside the wardrobe, it definitely invite cockroaches and mold so it is better to only keep the unused or unsoiled clothing in the wardrobe.
Always spray an air freshener in your wardrobe to keep your clothes smelling fresh. In addition, try not to keep food inside your wardrobe for it may invite other bigger pest like rats and cockroaches. Make it a habit to thoroughly clean your wardrobe at least once a month to make sure it is pest-free. Do not worry about repellants and sprays effecting the wood of your wardrobe pine wardrobes and oak wardrobes are treated and will not be damaged by such chemicals. Also be aware that the larger your wardrobe, such as double wardrobes or triple wardrobes, the more likely it is to become invaded by pests. It is uncommon for small single wardrobes to suffer from pests.
For movable wardrobes that can be bought from furniture stores or can be custom built to fit the room where you want to place it, you need to keep them stable for it is not a fixed structure in your house. Before, hardwood is chosen to create this type of wardrobe. The reason for this is for pest control. The harder or the more solid the wood is, the harder for termites to penetrate the wood. Most oak trees are naturally resilient to termites. Also, because of its abundance in the previous centuries, most old wardrobes are made of oak wood. But oak wood started to deteriorate in numbers; as a result different woods like pine, mahogany or Indian woods are now being used.
Currently wardrobes can be made out of composite wood or painted wood. These are wood chips that have been compounded by specialized wood glue. These are the usual woods used for the wardrobe of today. But it still serves the purpose of keeping the clothes pleasant and organized. As long as it is kept in a clean environment, these wardrobes can ward out moths, cockroaches, molds and other pest that can ruin your clothes. Painted wardrobes such as cream painted, white painted or French styles are also more protected from the likes of pests due to their protective layer.