How to Get Rid of the Musty Smell of Mothballs
Some smells are immediately recognizable: freshly cut grass, oven-baked bread and moth balls. If you’ve come into contact with clothing or any fabrics that have been stored for a long period of time and haven’t been completely destroyed, chances are you’ve encountered (and smelled) mothballs.
And while the unmistakable scent of mothballs is often associated with the homes of our grandparents or other elderly people, they continue to be used today for one simple reason: they work.
Fortunately, there are ways to get rid of that smell from vintage scarves bought at a flea market, a suitcase from your parents’ attic, and vintage tablecloths that have been sitting in one drawer since the Eisenhower administration. Here’s what you need to know.
How to remove the smell of mothballs from clothes and textiles
Your best bet is to start looking to remove that musty mothball smell from garments or other fabrics, knowing that there’s a good chance it’s going to be an uphill battle – this smell has some serious staying power. For this reason, you may have to try more than one of these methods to get rid of the stench:
Ventilate outside
Hang clothes or textiles outside for a few hours , ideally on a day with a light breeze. You may have to do this within a few days.
Shop with cedar or charcoal
Remove items from the cabinet or container where they were stored and put them in another cabinet or container (one that doesn’t smell like mothballs). Then lay down a cedar plank or bag and/or some charcoal to absorb the smells.
Rinse with vinegar
If the item is washable and not too delicate, follow the care instructions on the label: machine wash or hand wash. Either way, start with vinegar. Add one cup of white vinegar (instead of detergent) to the washing machine, or mix a solution of one part white vinegar with eight parts warm water and leave the clothes in it for an hour before rinsing.
After cleaning with vinegar, run it through the washing machine or hand wash using your normal detergent or soap. Once this is done, sniff the fabric. If it still smells like mothballs, try soaking it again in the vinegar/water mixture and rinsing again. The important thing is that you don’t let your clothes or textiles dry without leaving a scent, otherwise it won’t go anywhere.