How to Remove Mothball Odor from Thrift Store Clothing

[@TheAfricanbabee]

Don't mix vinegar and baking soda, they cancel each other out. Use one or the other separately.

[@catsofuppersturt7893]

Absolutely!

[@felishad1280]

Thanks for the video! I made the mistake of putting a stinky mothball sweater with a bunch of other sweaters that I was going to wash and everything came out smelling. So I did the vinegar wash and it didn’t really work. Then I tried washing everything a second time with vinegar and Young living thieves, concentrated all purpose cleaner… That did the trick. It not only clean the items that have the smell transferred into them, but when I did a separate load for the sweater that smelled like mothballs, that also completely went away. now I feel completely confident knowing I can get the smell out. I ended up using about a quarter of a cup which is a lot considering how much the thieves cost so I want to try it with Miss Myers concentrated all purpose cleaner and the vinegar next time to see how that works out.I think that would be a more economical solution. Thanks for the video!

[@SuzanneAWells]

Excellent! Thanks for sharing 😊

[@madalinnicolae5594]

My tumble dryer and washing machine also has this issue and it transferred, how do you get it out? Please help my brother accidentally washed some thrift store items without detergent and dried them, now both my washing machine and Dryer smell of moth balls!

[@Starleigh777]

I did baking soda in warm water for 24 hrs w no luck washed it 3 xs in the dishwasher, still no luck, put it outside in the 90 sun and 6 hrs later I dont smell anything except the plastic! It's a miracle! Im going to wash and make sure it's gone forever and update if there's a change.

[@youareamazingyesyou5880]

great. So do you think it was the sunlight that really got the smell out? thanks

[@pattistrother641]

I remove smoke & mothball odors in clothing by spraying vodka directly on the clothing item. Saturating it then letting it sit in the sun or air dry outside. Maybe take a couple of times but it works pretty good. I also mix baking soda and vinegar and let the item soak them add gentle soap.. rinse & air dry.

[@dzogten]

Baking soda + vinegar -> sodium acetate. Worthless, as Frank said.

[@ozarkpicker873]

This is excellent information to know! That was horrible what happen to that lady who put it in her attic. I haven't used them but now I definitely won't, thanks!!

[@bradleybruvva3021]

I just got some jeans gifted from Fashion Nova and the jeans smell rich of moth balls. When I get the smell out and eventually rewash them, the smell comes back.

[@SuzanneAWells]

Time to trash it and move on

[@ab-w4041]

I washed the clothes with resolve stain remover 1/2 cup and free and clear All and it took out the smell

[@Longshot_096]

Thanks Suzanne!

[@SuzanneAWells]

You are so welcome!

[@brillopad6901]

I'll wash most stuff from thrift stores with Tide and it actually does a good job getting the smell out.

[@FrankGutowski-ls8jt]

Baking soda + vinegar -> sodium acetate. Worthless. Mothballs are volatile solids that sublime: the compounds, either naphthalene or p-dichorobenzene undergo a phase change from solid to vapor without passing through a liquid phase. Air out the items in as warm a place as possible. There’s no way they can bond to clothing. They will eventually sublime away. Ideally, items should be placed under vacuum to speed the sublimation, but it’s not practical for consumers.

[@bernardguillaume]

"Air out the items in as warm a place as possible." So, would it accelerate the process if I'd put a stinky dress into the dryer for a while?

[@jasoncook5307]

@@bernardguillaume it will leave your dryer coated in the stinky stuff, hang things in direct sunlight, rotating hourly

[@RakuRadio]

I successfully aired fine merino knitting yarn outside in the shade, though it took about three weeks! It was a half kilo hank that needed rotating and separating, but the mothball smell did eventually dissipate and the yarn was fine to use and washing didn't activate any residual smell. Much patience needed.

[@Em22-wtf]

I bought moth balls from the dollar tree and when I read the back, it says it's easy to remoce the smell by "simply" aitijg them out and wash them and the smell dissipates.... I'm not so sure... I'm also in an apartment and don't have anywhere outside I can hang or even leave them. Ughh, so stupid! All my clothes reek, but the moth balls themselves are gone. I washed a few things, and it took 2 HOT washes and some air dry some I threw in the dryer. But it seems to have come out so far. Thing is, I have to use the laundry room and it's $3 per load wash and dry. I put the balls in ALLLLLLLL my SPRING & SUMMER clothes last yr bc when I pulled my winter clothes out, they had small holes here and there in random places and friends told me probably moths... Upon further investigation, I actually think it was handmade laundry detergent I used to use. 😭😭

[@nadiaghanem5796]

Do you think its safe to makeup that absorbed naphthalene smell?

[@belart7152]

I think it is best to avoid those items....smell is just so very hard to get rid off...I also tried to put it with bounce sheets /after like one month outdoors/ etc in a plastic bag .....and then again out in the air ....some items can be cold air dry in a dryer on a tray ..with fabreeze and other odor killers

[@LBELIZABETH96]

Thrifted this really cool two piece Karen Millen dress and I’ve washed it three times in vinegar, nothing. Now I’m soaking it in warm water and vinegar. So frustrating, I don’t want to give up yet

[@SuzanneAWells]

Sometimes moth ball odor just can't be removed 😒

[@danzig4276]

Did you see the comments regarding the sun trick?

[@Em22-wtf]

😭😭😭😭😭😭. I had a problem with my clothes having holes in it when I put it away for winter. I thought it was maybe moths, and thought, eh, I'll just throw some moth balls in with my summer clothes in the plastic bins. I read the bag of moth balls, and it said just air out to easily remove the smell. Well, my clothes REEK of moth balls and the few items I removed that were spring.... And it took 3 washes and those things only smelled SLIGHTLY of moth balls.

[@Em22-wtf]

Ohhhh and now, I think the holes were from using hand made laundry detergent, I want to cry

[@terrycaldwell8920]

If mothballs have been in the fabric for a while there may be no way to get the oder out once the mothballs have soaked into the fabric it's basically impossible to remove

[@jasoncook5307]

direct sunlight on hot days will evaporate the chemical out rapidly, rotate hourly

[@mediacenterman8583]

It does not have to be totally removed; just enough so you don't smell it!!

[@w3ranchTX]

How do I get moth ball odor out of my leather? Help please.

[@SuzanneAWells]

I would take to a dry cleaner who specializes in leather.

[@user-wo4bj1th2l]

Mothballs should be illegal

[@SuzanneAWells]

I agree! So toxic ☠️

[@manuswayneknight]

I have mothballs up underneath my mobile home how do I get to smell out

[@SuzanneAWells]

That is out of my area of expertise. ☹

[@jasoncook5307]

you will need to add a 1" layer of dirt to cover it up, first get all mothballs you can find out and dispose of them properly.

[@SmokyMountainStarlight]

Wow that was a great story, thanks for sharing! 😁