Have none of these methods worked for ridding your shoes of mothball smell? Use the same mixture of lemon juice and vinegar you did for clothing to wipe down the insides and outsides. Then, grab a paper pouch and pour in some cedar chips, coffee grounds, and baking soda. Pop the pouch inside the shoes and leave it there for about a week. 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. Jason Dombroskie, manager at the Cornell University Insect Collection and coordinator of the Insect Diagnostic Lab, phone interview, March 15, 2018 Gray, Kerrina (November 17, 2013). "Council warned against use of poisonous moth balls". Your Local Guardian. Newsquest (London) Ltd. Archived from the original on December 2, 2013 . Retrieved November 23, 2012.

Choose a color-safe oxygen bleach and perform a test patch on a hidden area, as oxygen bleach isn’t suitable for every fabric. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions carefully to eradicate the musky chemical smell of mothballs without damaging your clothes. Get Rid of a Musty Smell with Fresh Air 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. Set out coffee grounds. Used coffee grounds have many uses, including deodorising spaces. You can pour the coffee grounds into a small bowl then set it wherever the mothball smell is the strongest. 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. 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.Wipe down surfaces. After you have removed the mothballs, spray the floor, counters, and other surfaces with a 50-50 mix of vinegar and water. You can use a rag or mop to wipe down the hard surfaces. Alternatively, you can mix together some water and baking soda for a similar effect.

Moths hate light and movement, so keep your closet open, air it out regularly, and move clothes around. Keep an eye on your sweaters and other wool clothes for signs of moths, and be diligent about keeping them clean. Likewise, wash any vintage or used clothes you buy before storing them. If all else fails, get help

How to Get Rid of a Mothball Smell in Furniture

Baking soda is renowned for its multitude of uses, from cooking and cleaning and everything in between, so it may not be surprising to discover it works as an odor eater to eradicate mothball stench from clothing. 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? Carolyn Klass & Prof. Edgar M. Raffensperger, Indian Meal Moth factsheet (PDF), Cornell Insect Diagnostic Laboratory, 1973, updated 2012 Carolyn Klass, Beetles Infesting Woolens Factsheet (PDF), Cornell Insect Diagnostic Laboratory, 1972, updated 2013 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.

Just one small caveat: Make sure you have removed the mothballs from the clothing before you start working to remove the odour. Mothballs may dissolve, but there will still be some intact pieces in the storage containers or within the folds of fabric. Make sure to dispose of the old mothballs correctly. Since they contain toxic chemicals, you should never leave them lying around. Put the remnants in an airtight container or separate trash bag. Wear gloves when handling the pesticide. Total Wardrobe care have been in business for over 12 years, so we are now experts in the field of clothes moths. We know where to locate them, we know how to eliminate them and we know how to deter them. Work methodically, aiming to apply a light mist of spray to most of the fabric surface. The pleasant aroma of the air freshener binds to the fabric and covers up the chemical mothball smell short-term, leaving your clothes smelling fresh. How to Remove Mothball Smell from Clothing Using White Vinegar 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. The US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has determined that 1,4-dichlorobenzene "may reasonably be anticipated to be a carcinogen". This has been indicated by animal studies, although a full-scale human study has not been done. [4] The National Toxicology Program (NTP), the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and the state of California consider 1,4-dichlorobenzene a carcinogen. [5]

How to Get the Mothball Smell Out of Clothes

Problem Wildlife in the Garden and Yard". NPIC. National Pesticide Information Center. Archived from the original on October 23, 2020 . Retrieved February 21, 2016. Use a baking soda, vinegar, and water mixture for cleaning closet and pantry areas to get rid of moths in the closet and deter them from the area. Add a few drops of your favorite essential oils to get rid of pantry moths. Cloves, mint, and lavender are good choices. Vacuum if necessary and mix equal parts water and vinegar to wipe down all surfaces, including wood. Fill little bowls or small mesh bags with a fragrant substance such as dried coffee grounds or cedar chips and set these inside enclosed spaces like drawers and around the area. For deterring clothes moths, we have developed products that are tried and tested, traditional and trusted natural ingredients. We have developed two natural blends using ingredients which have been used for centuries to deter moths. Our May Chang and Vetivert blends include Lavender, Cedarwood, Patchouli, Laurel, Rosemary, Clove Bud & Thyme. You can opt for Draw Sachets, Hanging Sachets for wardrobes, Drawer Liners and more. Clothes moths hate the smell which we on the other hand find very pleasant. 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

Pheromone traps are also an effective diagnostic tool and can sometimes be an effective control tool to protect valuable clothing. Before putting clothes away for the season, wash and dry them to remove any scents that attract moths. Mothballs are small balls of chemical pesticide and deodorant, sometimes used when storing clothing and other materials susceptible to damage from mold or moth larvae (especially clothes moths like Tineola bisselliella). While mothballs are brilliant for keeping the clothes moth and their moth larvae out of your closet, the smell is troublesome. Naphthalene mothballs have a musty and chemical-like smell which is unappealing and makes you seem unhygienic when it clings to your outfit. 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. 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. Vary the treatment depending on the clothing; for example, formore delicate fabrics you might try combining the vinegar and water in a spray bottle and spritzing the fabric.Eisenberg, Sheryl. "Mothballed". This Green Life. Natural Resources Defense Council. Archived from the original on May 22, 2013 . Retrieved May 24, 2013. Carolyn Klass, Clothes Moths Factsheet (PDF), Cornell Insect Diagnostic Laboratory, 1981, updated 2012