Prep first
Before you start
- Remove any mothballs you can reach before anything else, and wear gloves while you handle them.
- Look for flakes, since they hold the same chemicals as the balls and can cause the smell to linger.
- Test any cleaner on a hidden spot first, especially on wood and fabric.
- Open a window and keep children and pets out of the room while you work.
Mothball smell is tricky because naphthalene and paradichlorobenzene turn into vapor that soaks into wood, fabric and the air in a room. Once that vapor gets into the house, the odor can linger for a long time, even after the mothballs are gone. Before you clean, find every place they were used, including closets, drawers, attics and garbage bags.
Start by removing the mothballs and their flakes, because the vapor keeps releasing while they stay in place. Then vacuum, wash, wipe and deodorize to get rid of mothball smell from a closet, drawers or a whole room. Pay extra attention to wood furniture and cedar chests, since the wood can hold the odor.
7 items
What you'll need
Tap an item to get it on Amazon, or tick what you already have.
- HEPA vacuum with a brush attachmentPicks up lint, hair and mothball flakes without blowing them back into the room. (opens Amazon)
- Sealed plastic bagsHold the mothballs you remove and any you keep, away from the room.
- Airtight storage containersKeep cleaned clothing and blankets sealed, with no mothballs.
- Baking sodaA gentle deodorizer for closet floors and drawer bottoms. (opens Amazon)
- Soft clothsFor wiping wood and hard surfaces, and for testing a hidden spot. (opens Amazon)
- Laundry detergentFor washing the fabrics that were stored with mothballs. (opens Amazon)
- GlovesProtect your hands from mothball flakes while you remove them. (opens Amazon)
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
7 steps
Step by step
Step 1 of 7
Remove every mothball and flake
Take mothballs out of closets, drawers, attics, wall voids, crawl spaces, trash cans, vehicles and garbage bags, and sweep up any flakes you find. Put any you keep into a sealed plastic bag and store that bag in a locked, childproof cabinet.
Careful. Keep removed mothballs away from children and pets, since a child who eats one needs medical care.
Step 2 of 7
Empty and vacuum the space
Take everything off the closet shelves and out of the drawers, and set the items aside. Vacuum the empty shelves, drawer interiors and floor with a HEPA vacuum to pick up lint, hair and flakes, since lint and hair are what moths feed on.
Tip. Seal the vacuum's contents in a bag before you throw them out, so the flakes don't drift back into the room.
Step 3 of 7
Wash and air out the fabrics
Wash the washable clothes and blankets that were stored with mothballs, following their care labels. Air out anything you can't wash until the strong mothball smell is gone, since fabric should no longer smell strongly after washing and airing.
Tip. If the smell lingers after the fabric dries, air it out again before storing it.
Step 4 of 7
Wipe the wood and hard surfaces
Dampen a soft cloth with plain water, wring it out well, and wipe the wood furniture, shelves and drawer interiors. Dry each surface right away with a clean dry cloth, so no moisture stays in the wood.
Tip. Test a hidden spot first, since finishes differ from piece to piece.
Step 5 of 7
Deodorize with baking soda
Sprinkle a thin layer of baking soda across the closet floor and the bottom of each drawer. Let it sit, then vacuum it up with the HEPA vacuum.
Careful. Keep baking soda off aluminum surfaces, since it darkens the finish.
Step 6 of 7
Air out the space
Open the windows and run a fan so fresh air moves through the closet and the room. Keep the doors open while the space airs out. Check the air again once it has aired out, and repeat the airing if the smell remains.
Step 7 of 7
Store clothing in airtight containers
Once the clothes are clean and fully dry, put them into airtight containers or sealed storage bags. Keep the containers closed so no outside air gets in.
What makes the job easier
Products that help
Look for a HEPA vacuum, sealed plastic storage bags and airtight containers, and use plain baking soda as a deodorizer rather than a scented product.
These are the everyday supplies the steps above use, in the versions most people buy on Amazon.
Finished? How does it look?
Nice work. Let it dry completely before you use it again.
How to tell it's really done →A faint smell often fades as everything dries and airs out; give it a day before a second round.
Find the guide for your stain →Heavy grime or a lingering smell usually needs a second round once it's fully dry.
See what to do for what you're seeing →When to call a professional →How to tell it's done
The room should not smell of mothballs when you walk in, and the closet and drawers should smell neutral with no flakes left in the corners. Wood and fabric should be fully dry before anything goes back in, and if a faint smell remains, repeat the vacuum and airing steps.
If there is a stain too
Related guides
A smell usually has a stain or a spill behind it. These guides cover the cleanup in detail:
What changes for yours
Adjust for where the smell is
Clothing and blankets
Naphthalene and paradichlorobenzene can penetrate deep into blankets and clothing, so these items need washing and airing before use. Wash the washable items before you use them again and air out the rest.
Clothing stored with mothballs and never washed afterward has caused anemia in infants, so don't skip the wash.
Attic and crawl spaces
Mothballs used in attics, wall voids and crawl spaces are a misapplication, and they can spread the odor through the whole home. Mothballs used to repel squirrels in an attic can cause a noxious smell throughout the house.
Remove them first, then air out the space before cleaning the rooms below, since the odor can persist for a long time once it has entered the house.
Wood dresser or cedar chest
Wood can hold the vapor, so wipe it with a barely damp cloth and dry it right away with the windows open. Test a hidden spot first, and skip vinegar, since its acid can break down wood finishes over time.
Cedar doesn't repel clothes moths, so a cedar chest won't protect stored clothing on its own. Store clothing in airtight containers inside it instead.
Closet shelves and drawers
Shelves and drawers collect flakes and lint, which hold the same chemicals as the balls, so the vacuum step matters most here. Pull out each drawer and vacuum its corners and seams before wiping it.
Let the drawers air out fully before you refill them, and store folded clothing in airtight containers rather than loose.
Plastic bins and containers
Plastic bins can pick up the odor from nearby vapor and hold it on their surfaces. Wipe the inside and outside with a barely damp cloth and dry them fully before use.
Air the containers out with the lids open, and keep them away from any space where mothballs have been used.
Prevention
Keep the smell from coming back
Once the smell is gone, vacuum closets and drawers with a HEPA vacuum whenever you clear them out, since lint and hair are what moths feed on. Keep those spaces free of loose lint so there is less to attract them.
Between cleanings, store clothing in airtight containers or tightly sealed storage bags, and wash it before storing it. Use mothballs only inside tightly sealed storage bags or cabinets, and never on open shelves or in a room.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies get rid of the smell?
Most household remedies do little for mothball smell, because the odor is a vapor that has to be removed rather than covered. Only one of the remedies below is used in the steps, and the rest are skipped or avoided on this item.
Works1Skip4Avoid1
What makes it worse
Mistakes to avoid
Don't sprinkle mothballs in closets or attics.
Mothballs are meant for tightly sealed storage bags or cabinets only, never open closets, attics, gardens or garbage bags. They are not room deodorizers, so they can't fix the smell they cause.
Don't mix naphthalene and paradichlorobenzene products.
The two chemicals should never be mixed, so use one product type at a time. Follow the label instructions for any mothball product you buy.
Don't cover the smell with perfume.
Perfume and air fresheners only mask the odor for a while, and the vapor remains in place. Remove the source and air out the space instead.
Don't rely on cedar in place of airtight storage.
Cedar chips or balls do nothing to repel clothes moths, so they won't protect stored clothing. Clean clothing in airtight containers is the method that actually protects it.
Troubleshooting
If the smell comes back
Pick what you're seeing:
The smell returns a few days after cleaning
Check for leftover flakes in cracks, under shelves and inside wall voids, and vacuum them up. Mothballs in an attic or crawl space can keep sending odor through the house, so remove them before the next airing.
Fabric still smells of mothballs after washing
Air it out again, since fabric should no longer smell strongly after washing and airing. Keep it out of sealed storage until the smell is gone.
Wood smells faint after it dries
Let the wood air out longer with the windows open, then wipe it again with a barely damp cloth if the smell is still there. Test a hidden spot first, and keep the cloth damp, not wet.
When to call a professional
If a child may have eaten a mothball, get medical care right away and call poison control at 800-222-1222. Mothball gas can cause headaches, nausea, dizziness and difficulty breathing, so move to fresh air and get medical advice if you feel unwell.
Questions
What do mothballs smell like?
Mothballs have a sharp, pungent smell that comes from naphthalene or paradichlorobenzene. Both chemicals become a gas when exposed to air, which is why the smell spreads so easily. Today's mothballs are almost entirely one of those two chemicals.
Is mothball smell harmful?
Yes, because if you can smell the odor, you are breathing in the pesticide. Naphthalene is the more toxic of the two chemicals, so it deserves the most caution.
Is paradichlorobenzene safer than naphthalene?
It is less harmful than naphthalene, but its vapor can still irritate the eyes and nasal passages. Neither chemical should be mixed with the other, and both belong only in sealed storage.
Why does the smell stay after the mothballs are gone?
The vapor has already spread into wood, fabric and the air, and it keeps releasing for a long time. Keep vacuuming, airing and wiping until the smell is gone rather than assuming the mothballs were the only source.
Can mothball smell get into food?
Yes, food can pick up the smell because the vapor moves through the air around it. Keep food out of any space where mothballs were used, and wash food containers before you store anything in them again.
Can I use mothballs in my car?
No, mothballs used in vehicles are a misapplication, and their odor can spread through the home. Remove any you find and air out the car before you use it again.
Start from the bigger picture
More odor guides
How we know this
Every method, amount and warning here comes from university extension services, industry bodies and product makers. We read them, check every step for unsafe combinations and changed amounts, and write it up so you can follow it.