How do I Get the Smell of Mothballs Out of the House?

Place your couch in the sun to remove its mothball odor.

Mothballs have a distinct and stubborn smell that can be difficult to remove from your house. Soft surfaces, such as carpets and couches, can absorb the smell and cause the whole house to stink like mothballs. Fortunately, mothball odor can be eliminated from your home by following a few simple steps.

Things You'll Need

• Charcoal briquettes
• Trays

Instructions

1. Open the windows in your home and turn on fans, if possible. Providing circulation help remove the strong mothball odor. The fans will help draw in new, while the window will provide an exit for the odor. Implement this technique as often as it takes for the odor to completely resolve.

2. Place charcoal briquettes into a few trays and place them around the house. The charcoal will absorb the smell of the mothballs and will typically work in areas that cannot be ventilated. Leave the charcoal trays out until the odor subsides.

3. Open the curtains. Sunshine is often effective in removing the mothball scent, especially if you allow the sun's rays to fall directly on affected surfaces. If possible, take some of the items, such as furniture, outside to sit in the sun.

Tips & Warnings

• If the mothball scent is in furniture drawers, remove the contents and sand the drawers down with sandpaper. Vacuum up the shavings and place newspaper inside to absorb the smell. Wipe the inside of the drawer with a cloth sprayed with white vinegar and let the drawer air dry.

References

• Missouri Families: Housing
• Heloise: Heloise Hints