Adding camphor hangers or balls is a good place to start when it comes to keeping moths out of your wardrobe. Tips to prevent clothes moths You might be pulling your hair out yelling “my house smells like mothballs”! Not to worry, here are some methods for getting rid of the pesticide scent around your home: Ajoy Sarkar, associate professor of textile development and marketing at the Fashion Institute of Technology, phone interview, March 15, 2018

Gervais, J.; Luukinen, B.; Buhl, K.; Stone, D,. Naphthalene General Fact Sheet; National Pesticide Information Center, Oregon State University Extension Services, 2010 The mothball smell tends to linger. If you worry that you won’t be able to successfully remove the mothball smell from clothing, then you can seek out professional assistance. A dry cleaner should be able to get rid of the smell of mothballs. Pantry moths, which love to feed on stored foods, are usually one or more of the following: Indian Meal Moths, Mediterranean Pantry Moths, White Shouldered House Moths, or Brown House Moths. If you're dealing with a pantry moth infestation, we recommend using Dr. Killigan's Premium Pantry Moth Traps. Most moths in the home are actually feeding on plants. Anything longer than 1 cm is likely not eating your clothing. Old fashioned moth balls containing naphthalene or paradichlorobenzene were banned in the EU Environmental Protection Agency in 2008 because of their potential risk to human health. Both chemicals can cause ill health by breathing in fumes over time or ingestion which is a serious risk for small children. The ill effects cause damage to red blood cells and the onset of jaundice in young babies.

How to Get Rid of a Mothball Smell in Furniture

Pour half a cup of active charcoal into a shallow bowl and set it inside your closet where there’s a mothball aroma. The charcoal works to draw in any scents; change it out monthly so it continues to keep your clothes fresh. Air Freshener Masks Mothball Odor Jason Dombroskie, manager at the Cornell University Insect Collection and coordinator of the Insect Diagnostic Lab, phone interview, March 15, 2018 Due to the health risks of 1,4-dichlorobenzene, and flammability of naphthalene, other substances like camphor are sometimes used.

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. Given the effort and time required to get rid of that mothball smell, there’s some benefit in seeking out alternatives that won’t make you want to plug your nose and hold your breath. Some popular“natural” moth repellents involve ingredients like flowers, herbs, or essential oils. To make one such repellent, combine lavender blossoms, whole cloves, and a couple of handfuls of cedar chips, then place the mixture in cheesecloth or another breathable material, and tie it at the ends. Use these sachets in areas of concern; replace them as the scent wears off to ensure prevention. Many of these mixtures include lavender oil or other fragrant oils that not only deter moths but also give off pleasing scents to delight homeowners and their guests.Carolyn Klass, Beetles Infesting Woolens Factsheet (PDF), Cornell Insect Diagnostic Laboratory, 1972, updated 2013 Some of the chemicals used in mothballs, such as naphthalene and paradichlorobenzene, may cause reversible side effects when inhaled, including nausea, headaches, coughing, eye and nose irritation. Extended exposure may result in kidney and liver damage. Naphthalene may also cause haemolytic anaemia and is a possible carcinogen. Will dry cleaning remove the scent of mothballs? This article was written by Amanda Rose Newton, a freelance writer for The Spruce. As an entomologist, she is always on the lookout for effective, safe, and easy-to-use insecticides to recommend to friends and family. To prepare this roundup, Amanda Rose tested each product for ease of use, functionality, and accuracy. Certainly, a lot of people have pantry moths at the moment, even I have them," Dr Edwards said. Moths aren't all bad news

This depends on the type of moth ball you are using. Pyrethroid insecticides, meaning those with active ingredients such as permethrin or transfluthrin (there are many more), are considered broad spectrum, this means they work on a wide range on insects not just the clothes moth. However, a moth ball is designed to be placed in a sealed clothes storage box, so it will be active against the insects that go in your wardrobes and drawers, namely clothes moths for a long time. It is important to always read the label and use the product how it has been intended by the manufacturer. Once you’ve assembled your arsenal of odor-fighting ingredients, you’re ready to combat mothball odors wherever you find them. Remove Mothball Smell from Clothing If you have webbing clothes moths, take the final step of adding pheromone traps. These can kill adult male moths, preventing them from mating and reproducing. The traps are specifically designed for webbing clothes moths and don’t work for the less common casemaking moth. This step can’t completely control an infestation but, along with killing the males, it can indicate whether you have a moth problem. This strategy works best for light-colored clothing and fabrics, as removing all the powder from dark colors takes more work. Oxygen Bleach for Removing Mothball Odor on Clothes

How to Get the Mothball Smell Out of Clothes

When you have a clothes moth problem, mothballs are a convenient solution for getting the infestation under control. You stop the moth larvae from damaging your clothing, but the trade off? The chemical odour of mothballs in the fibres of your wardrobe. If those options don’t work for you, storing clothing inside garment bags or storage containers may also prove effective. On discovering you have clothes moths, most people will instinctively type ‘moth balls’ into a search engine, because we all remember moth balls, don’t we?

If you have a pantry moth infestation, first you need to dispose of any affected food stuffs and give your pantry a big clean, wiping all shelves to make sure you get any remaining eggs. Before you start spraying your upholstery to get out the mothball smell, consider the material. You may need a specialised odour eliminator to nix the mothball odour. For most carpets and fabric-covered furniture, you will want to use a wet-vac, since that offers the same level of ‘clean’ as a washing machine. While they effectively deter clothes moths, the odor of mothballs seeps deep into wood and fabric fibers, persisting for years even after you remove the balls. If there are still mothballs in the closet, take them out, along with all your clothes and shoes.

The Chemicals in Mothballs

If you find yourself in an unfortunate wardrobe situation where your clothes smell like mothballs, yet you have no time to clean them, don’t panic. While the techniques to remove the stench from the fabric all take time to complete, it is possible to mask the odor temporarily so you can wear your clothes now and clean them later. Clean your closet. Thoroughly vacuum your closet. Moths and larvae love dark corners and crevices. Remove the vacuum bag and discard it outside immediately, because it will probably be full of eggs and larvae. You may also consider using a dry cleaning service or a carpet steamer to do a deep clean of any rugs made of natural fibers. Mothballs containing naphthalene have been banned within the EU since 2008. [14] [15] Alternatives [ edit ] Before putting clothes away for the season, wash and dry them to remove any scents that attract moths. No vinegar on hand? Durable clothing can be presoaked in hot water and non-chlorine bleach, followed by a normal wash cycle using detergent and softener.