How to Remove Mothball Odors from Closets

By eHow Home & Garden Editor

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Whether the problem is in your own house, or you're cleaning out grandma's place, making a closet smell clean once it's been filled with mothballs makes good sense. Mothballs are a pesticide and their vapors can be harmful.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

Gloves
Fan
Warm Water
White Vinegar
Baking Soda
mop and washcloth
sachet or pomander

Step1

Remove everything from the closet - including the mothballs. Wear gloves when handling mothballs.

Step2

Allow clothes to air out completely while you work.

Step3

Mop the floor of the closet with a solution of one gallon of warm water, 1/2 cup of white vinegar, and 1/4 cup of baking soda.

Step4

Wipe the other closet surfaces with the same solution.

Step5

Leave the closet empty and the door open to air it out, and/or let a fan blow into the closet.

Step6

Hang a sachet or pomander in the closet, or use a closet deodorizer.

Step7

Be sure that all closet surfaces are completely dry before putting anything back in the closet.

Tips & Warnings

To remove odors without clearing out the closet, place activated charcoal or baking soda in a bowl and set it in the closet to absorb odors.
Or, try spreading newspaper on the closet floor, then sprinkling coffee grounds over the newspaper. Let stand 24 hours and remove.
Mothballs are a pesticide and should be disposed of at a licensed hazardous waste facility.