You may need a specialised odour eliminator to nix the mothball odour. You may need a specialized odor eliminator to nix the mothball odor. How To Get Rid Of Mice? link to Does One Bug Mean Many? The odor can be particularly stubborn in rooms or closets where mothballed clothes have been stored. Mothballs will disappear usually in a couple of months, but it really will depend on where you use them and the temperature and humidity play a big factor. You can also spray this solution directly onto the furniture and wipe it clean using a rag before the droplets dry out. One of the most successful methods for ridding the mothball smell from clothing is to soak the affected garments in a solution of equal parts water and vinegar. Some good places to store your extra mothballs include cupboards up high, locked sheds, and even lock boxes. Whatever method you choose, be sure not to put the clothes in the dryer until the smell is gone, as heat could permanently set any mothball smell that remains. Keep your clothes smelling fresh by washing and drying them before sticking them in the closet. You may have heard a lot about baking soda, for it is renowned for its mindblowing odor-absorbing qualities. To get rid of this smell, its recommended that you never use any sort of air freshener to cover up the smell. One of the best natural repellents is cedar wood. Are Moths Attracted to Light and UV Light? Other than that, prolonged exposure to the mothball vapor can cause severe liver and kidney damage. Young children have been known to eat mothballs. When your mothballs have been totally evaporated, youll know its time to add new ones. Use these sachets in areas of concern; replace them as the scent wears off to ensure prevention. You can use an angled mirror (you can get them in the oral care section of most pharmacy stores) and a flashlight or penlight to peer into the hole and look for any youve missed. Related: Common Household Critters (Room by Room). The pleasant scent of coffee will cover the scent of mothballs, while the baking soda and cedar work to absorb the smell and any moisture. the smells can linger and will slowly dissipate over time. Mothballs slowly turn from solids to toxic vapor. This is quite an unfortunate predicament, as mothballs cans sometimes last for years. Learn more Blech! I have a gap under my kitchen sink, we dropped some in there quite a few I must say. Neglecting to do this could result in respiratory problems for either you, your family, or your pets. In addition to this, using fans and air purifying systems may also come in quite handy. It says directly on the label to only use them in a sealed container where the fumes are contained. Although mothballs have been determined as safe for general use, the fumes can cause health problems. That is just for the ball to disappear. There are certain scents that I remember quite vividly from my childhood. One of the most successful methods for ridding the mothball smell from clothing is to soak the affected garments in a solution of equal parts water and vinegar. Mothballs are nearly 100% active ingredient, and the active ingredient may be either naphthalene or paradichlorobenzene. They have been in the garage airing out even putting them in the sun to see if that helps. Then, grab a paper pouch and pour in some cedar chips, coffee grounds, and baking soda. Literally epitomising the statement sticking around like a bad smell!. You need to get rid of it. In the morning, vacuum the contents using a vacuum cleaner. The chemical odor of mothballs in the fibers of your wardrobe. Naphthalene may also cause hemolytic anemia and is a possible carcinogen. Naphthalene (used to make mothballs) is also used in the production of many types of plastic (like jewel cases). Even handling mothballs can cause your hands and eyes to itch and burn. Both the washing machine and hand washing should get the smell of mothballs out of clothing. Since they contain toxic chemicals, you should never leave them lying around. The vapor that comes off of mothballs and kills pests is flammable, making them a serious fire hazard. Typically, moth balls can last anywhere from 2 months up to a year, but like previously mentioned, the rate at which they dissolve really depends on the temperature and the current environmental conditions. If it is a pantry pest like an Indian Meal Moth you will want to use pheromone traps. Additionally, long-term exposure can cause damage to the liver and kidneys, and ingestion will . Some popularnatural moth repellents involve ingredients like flowers, herbs, or essential oils. Once you lay mothballs out to deal with moth larvae, the chemicals will transition into a gas and mix into the air. Weve got you covered with tips and tricks for combating the pungent odor of mothballs. And we have some shocking news for you: a single mothball takes about 3-6 months to dissipate completely. Neglecting to do this could result in respiratory problems. You can purchase a cedar chest or wardrobe to store seasonal clothing and shoes when you dont need them. Alternatively, put the clothes in the washing machine and run a cycle using only vinegar; follow up with another wash cycle using detergent and softener. STEP 5 . Plus, the supplies you need to remove mothball smells are already available in your home, like a couple of cleaning rags, a spray bottle, and some white vinegar. This will help considerably with getting rid of the mothballs smell in your house. Mothballs are made out of a chemical called naphthalene. Other tips to keep in mind when storing clothes without mothballs: Copyright 2023 Acton Media Inc. All rights reserved. The good news is that getting rid of that stench is fairly simple and involves products you likely already have in your home. I just want to make it clear that mothballs are fine if you want to use them in the correct way I am not going to knock anyone who wants to get rid of their pest issues by using this method. When you have a clothes moth problem, mothballs are a convenient solution for getting the infestation under control. You will still want to read the label and only apply this in areas that are suggested for that particular pesticide. If youre unfamiliar with what mothballs technically are, theyre small, tiny balls of deodorant and pesticide that help keep your belongings clean and protected. We used a box of moth balls putting them in the eves with hopes of removing the home of the varmints. I do understand the fear that people must have when they see a snake or rodents and other wildlife animals, however, that is not its intended purpose. Sublimation is a fancy way to say that a molecule can go from a solid-state directly into a gas-state without going into a liquid state. Tomato juice can effectively remove unwanted smells and odors. Weve got you covered with tips and tricks for combating the pungent odour of mothballs. You saved your clothing from becoming a moth-eaten heap. The fumes from naphthalene moth balls can last for several months, while the fumes from paradichlorobenzene moth balls can last for up to a year.. How long does it take for mothballs to stop smelling? What Is the Smallest Goat Breed? Even handling mothballs can cause your hands and eyes to itch and burn. If you place the mothball underneath clothing or otherwise not in open air, it will take up to 12 months to completely dissipate. Mothballs change from a solid into a gas in a process called sublimation. Vinegar is your best friend when it comes to washable clothes. Mothballs can sure leave behind an unpleasant smell in rooms, on clothing, and even on your hands. The hotter and more humid it is the faster the mothballs will dissipate from solid to gas. Id recommend using an ozone generator like Enerzen or something similar in the attic since its hard to vent out an area like that. You might be pulling your hair out yelling my house smells like mothballs! The reason mothballs are toxic is because of the chemicals they are made from. This is only something that you can purchase at a big box store and for the headache and everything else that comes with it I would say in my personal opinion is not really worth it. If you don't have white vinegar, you can use coffee grounds instead. A LOT of people have used mothballs in ways they are not intended. I hope I was able to convey all my knowledge to you all effectively. Getting the mothball smell out of a room or closet is a little more difficult than clothing, although the solutions themselves are simple. For additional treatment advice, contact the Poison Control Center at 1-800-222-1222. Next, place the bowl in your closet where you are keeping your clothes. To date, weve helped over 150,000 customers deal with their moth problems. Method 2 Soak the clothes in vinegar If you don't want to wash . If by chance you put mothballs inside a container with clothes, youll want to wash this clothing in vinegar before you wear it again. Once youve done that, you can safely move onto quickly getting rid of lingering fumes. Due to the harmful chemicals naphthalene and paradichlorobenzene found within these mothballs we DO NOT sell them and would advise against using them for your own safety. In How Long Do Mothballs Disappear? We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Store all chemicals safely out of the reach of children and with their safety . Mothballs can be effective at what they do, but that doesnt mean you want them to stick around for too long. You dont want to remain exposed to mothballs for too long, though. Thank you so much for replying, I did try using our vacuum to retrieve some of the balls. And we cant retrieve them at all. However, they can take a while for them to stop smelling. (and Should You? The mothball smell is caused by the chemicals in it, like naphthalenewhich is also present in tobacco smoke. Many people have the same questions about ridding their home of mothball smell once and for all. If you want to get rid of the mothball smell, you will need to clean the affected space and fabrics. But the smell does not dissipate immediately the ball is gone. And clothes moths pheromone trap. Mothballs can also be used to soak up moisture and prevent mold growth. Fortunately, the scent of mothballs is not a permanent scent. So you dont want that smell hanging in the air like an ominous cloud. Spray it on the walls, carpets, etc. We would like to show you a description here but the site won't allow us. All containers should also thoroughly be washed out with vinegar after being used. Some people even use face masks, so they dont breathe any of the fumes. I opened the doors to the shed before retreating outdoors. When you have a clothes moth problem, mothballs are a convenient solution for getting the infestation under control. How Long Does it Take for a Dead Mouse to START Smelling? If it is a clothing moth you will want to use Nuvan Pro Strips. You can even consider things like essential oils, activated charcoal, or an ozone machine to accelerate the mothball odor removal. First, as mothballs evaporate, they leave a gas in the air. The smell, however, may remain in your home for months or years after the last used mothball. If you really want to get rid of the mothball smell, then you need to sanitize everything that reeks of that bizarre smell. In any case, try to avoid letting any children or pets wander into the kitchen and keep the room well-ventilated. Make sure to dispose of the old mothballs correctly. To remove mothball smell with baking soda, mix baking soda and water together in a bowl until you have a fine paste. Inhaling the fumes will exacerbate this sensation and may lead to headaches, breathing difficulties, nausea, and dizziness. We have developed professional grade solutions including proprietary pheromones engineered in Germany to the highest production standards. You stop the moth larvae from damaging your clothing, but the trade off? She apparently put mothballs in her attic that she moved out of.