HOW TO GET RID OF OLD MOTHBALL SMELLS FROM CLOTHES
It’s such a great feeling when you find a classic second hand garment that is absolutely perfect. The satisfaction from finding a new wardrobe staple for a fraction of the price, the warm feeling that comes with helping the environment by not buying new and the particular buzz of excitement from discovering fashion gold! Followed by the creeping, deflating disappointment that you can’t wear the damn thing because it smells so bad, not just a little bit bad but an old fusty weird, chemical bad that refuses to budge; what is that? We're sorry to say its probably mothballs.
WHY DO MOTHBALLS SMELL SO BAD?
Traditional mothballs contain one of two chemicals, naphthalene, a by product of coal tar distillation or paradichlorobenzine, that’s why the smell is so acrid. These chemicals are used in mothballs as fumigants to kill moths, the idea being the items of clothing are placed in a sealed container where the fumes build up and kill any adult moth or larvae. These products are now banned because inhalation of the fumes or contact with clothes stored with these chemicals can cause serious health issues, you can find out more about this in our blog, What is in Mothballs. Despite being banned they are still freely available on the internet and used widely which leads me on to how to get rid of their smell.
GET RID OF MOTHBALL ODOUR WITH AIR
There are a few easy steps to getting rid of the smell of moth balls and airing clothes outside in sunlight would be our first port of call. If you can, do this straight away but if you have to wait for a good breezy, sunny day be sure not to air the garment indoors as it will make your house smell and certainly do not store it in your own wardrobe or drawers as it will just contaminate all your other clothes with the smell and it could potentially get in to your furniture. Instead, place it in a sealed box until you can air it. According to the US Center for Disease Control, Napthalene is broken down by moisture and sunlight within one day and we know from experience that airing a garment outside for a day or so will get rid of the majority of the odour. For items that definitely can’t be washed like leather this is going to be your only option along with dry cleaning, so air as long as it takes. For most other items, if a little odour still remains there are further steps you can take.
USE WHITE VINEGAR TO NEUTRALISE MOTHBALL ODOUR
White vinegar is an all round household staple for removing odours and stains. We would rather soak the garment in a bucket of solution 8 parts water to one part white vinegar for about an hour and advise against putting the vinegar directly in the washing machine. A lot of websites say how brilliant white vinegar is at removing odour and stains in the washing machine however the acidity can damage the rubber seals and potentially lead to damage and leaks. Rubber can also absorb smells and you don’t want the machine taking up the smell of the moth balls. Vintage pieces are likely to be delicate anyway so go for the bucket, rinse well and use a gentle cycle in the washing machine with normal washing detergent or hand wash as a final freshener. Very delicate items will need a gentle detergent like our non-biological May Chang Laundry Liquid. This blend helps to deter clothes moths so is doubly helpful.
WHAT CAN YOU USE INSTEAD?
To help keep moths away, we highly recommend our beloved Cedar Balls. These can be refreshed and you can purchase both as a set which includes our Natural Refresher Spray. Alternatively, we have a whole range of deterrent products including linen sprays and sachets.
For treatments, we have a whole section dedicated to them here. Our top 3 treatments are the Moth Box, which catches moths effectively, the Chrysanthemum Spray, which eliminates moths, larvae and moth eggs and the Moth Decoy, a very clever product which is essentially a pheromone interrupter. You can read more about The Science Behind the Moth Decoy here.
NEED HELP WITH CLOTHES MOTHS?
As you can see, we have many products available to help you with ghastly clothes moths. If you need further information and advice have a look at our Blog Pages or Contact Us we love helping people with their clothes moth questions.
