How to Get Rid of the Smell of Mothballs

Use charcoal., Treat washable clothing with vinegar., Leave bowls of vinegar in closets and rooms., Ventilate the space., Try cedar chips.

5 Steps 2 min read Medium

Step-by-Step Guide

  1. Step 1: Use charcoal.

    If clothing has been sitting in an enclosed room, a mothball scent may get stuck in the room as well as on the clothing.

    In this case, activated charcoal tablets can be used to remove the scent.

    Leave a bowl of activated charcoal in an enclosed room with your clothing.

    The charcoal should absorb odor from the clothing and room.Charcoal tablets are usually sold at pet or department stores in pellet form.
  2. Step 2: Treat washable clothing with vinegar.

    If clothing can be washed, wash it in vinegar to remove the smell of moth balls.

    You can either hand wash the clothing in equal parts white vinegar and water.

    You can also wash the clothing in the washing machine using vinegar in place of your regular detergent.Both the washing machine and hand washing should get the smell of mothballs out of clothing.

    However, delicate clothing my require hand washing.

    Read the manufacturer's label on an item of clothing to help you decide whether to hand wash the clothing or wash it in a machine. , If a mothball smell remains in a room, or if clothing cannot be washed, place a bowl of vinegar in the room.

    Leave the bowl near the strongest smelling parts of the room.

    This should absorb the odor from the room and the clothing.If you don't have white vinegar, you can use coffee grounds instead. , A cool breeze from outdoors can help naturally remove mothball smell from clothing.

    For clothing stored in a place like an attic, open any windows on a breezy night.

    Remove your clothing from any closed storage containers, like boxes or trunks, and hang them up or spread them out.

    Allow clothing to be exposed to a natural breeze in order to strip away the mothball odor.This may also remove the smell of mothballs from a room.

    Make sure to keep an eye on the weather forecast if you use this method.

    Do not leave windows opened if there's a chance of rain or other precipitation. , Place cedar chips in drawers, dressers, or closets with clothing that contains a mothball smell.

    In addition to removing the mothball smell from the clothes, this may eliminate the smell from storage areas.

    Cedar chips easily absorb odor.You can purchase cedar chips at most hardware stores.
  3. Step 3: Leave bowls of vinegar in closets and rooms.

  4. Step 4: Ventilate the space.

  5. Step 5: Try cedar chips.

Detailed Guide

If clothing has been sitting in an enclosed room, a mothball scent may get stuck in the room as well as on the clothing.

In this case, activated charcoal tablets can be used to remove the scent.

Leave a bowl of activated charcoal in an enclosed room with your clothing.

The charcoal should absorb odor from the clothing and room.Charcoal tablets are usually sold at pet or department stores in pellet form.

If clothing can be washed, wash it in vinegar to remove the smell of moth balls.

You can either hand wash the clothing in equal parts white vinegar and water.

You can also wash the clothing in the washing machine using vinegar in place of your regular detergent.Both the washing machine and hand washing should get the smell of mothballs out of clothing.

However, delicate clothing my require hand washing.

Read the manufacturer's label on an item of clothing to help you decide whether to hand wash the clothing or wash it in a machine. , If a mothball smell remains in a room, or if clothing cannot be washed, place a bowl of vinegar in the room.

Leave the bowl near the strongest smelling parts of the room.

This should absorb the odor from the room and the clothing.If you don't have white vinegar, you can use coffee grounds instead. , A cool breeze from outdoors can help naturally remove mothball smell from clothing.

For clothing stored in a place like an attic, open any windows on a breezy night.

Remove your clothing from any closed storage containers, like boxes or trunks, and hang them up or spread them out.

Allow clothing to be exposed to a natural breeze in order to strip away the mothball odor.This may also remove the smell of mothballs from a room.

Make sure to keep an eye on the weather forecast if you use this method.

Do not leave windows opened if there's a chance of rain or other precipitation. , Place cedar chips in drawers, dressers, or closets with clothing that contains a mothball smell.

In addition to removing the mothball smell from the clothes, this may eliminate the smell from storage areas.

Cedar chips easily absorb odor.You can purchase cedar chips at most hardware stores.

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Isabella James

Enthusiastic about teaching lifestyle techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.

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