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Luna moth (C) Daniel FriedmanMothball Odor Impact on Real Estate Sales
Persistent mothball smell may deter the sale of homes, condos, etc.

Mothball or naphthalene odor has been reported to interfere with the sale of homes and condominiums.

Here we describe the problem, suggest both prevention and solution to mothball smells, and we cite research on the effect of smells on the ability to sell a home.

Page top photo, courtesy of Wikipedia commons, shows a cluster mothballs, or a solid form of naphthalene.

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- Daniel Friedman, Publisher/Editor/Author - See WHO ARE WE?

Mothball & Other Odors' Impact on Real Estate Sales - Naphthalene / Paradichlorobenzene (PDCB)

Avon Moth repellents - older packaging (C) Daniel Friedman at InspectApedia.com ... Avon Moth repellents - older packaging (C) Daniel Friedman at InspectApedia.com ... Avon Moth repellents - older packaging (C) Daniel Friedman at InspectApedia.com

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Naptha fumes from mothballs can both penetrate and be very persistent in carpets, fabrics, even wood and drywall as well as other materials.

Such mothball smells or fumes may pose a respiratory hazard to some people, can be difficult to remove, and can even interfere in the sale of a mothball-smelling property. (New York Times 2017/11/08)

6 Steps to Get Rid of Mothball Smells to Prepare a Property for Sale

If your property smells like mothballs, before tearing the place apart or throwing away furniture or carpets or re-painting,

  1. Use fresh air ventilation + heat to speed offgassing and dilute odors:

    a combination of warm temperatures and plenty of fresh air will speed odor off-gassing from some materials that have absorbed naptha fumes
  2. Identify the primary odor source: it may be a carpet, furnishings, curtains, or stored containers of mothballs.

    If the odor is coming from mothballs dumped into a wall or ceiling cavity, professional removal, cleaning, and sealing may be required. But often the odor source is easy to find and remove.

    Try this SMELL PATCH TEST to FIND ODOR SOURCE to confirm odor sources in building materials or surfaces
  3. Clean materials & surfaces that can be cleaned,

    using any household cleaner; examples are curtains and area rugs that can be professionally cleaned, and clothing that can be laundered or dry-cleaned.
  4. Remove / dispose of materials that can't be cleaned and that have absorbed mothball odors

    and that do not quickly off-gas to a sub-sensitive level for the most-sensitive building occupants - it may be necessary to remove carpet and carpet padding;
  5. Paint or seal odor-persistent walls or ceilings (drywall) using an odor-sealant paint such as those used following a building fire.

    See example sealant products

    at MOLD SANITIZER, SPRAY, BIOCIDE USE GUIDE
  6. See the additional suggestions

    at MOTHBALL ODORS - GET RID OF

    and

    at ODORS GASES SMELLS, DIAGNOSIS & CURE - home

Research on Mothball Odor Impact on Selling Real Estate

Clothes moth and moth larva on fabric, Kass 1981, cited & discussed at InspectApedia.com Cornell University

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Reader Comments, Questions & Answers About The Article Above

Below you will find questions and answers previously posted on this page at its page bottom reader comment box.

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On 2021-01-10 - by (mod) - mothball odors persist in carpet.

Jake,

If the carpet is valuable, you might try having it temporarily removed for professional cleaning and you might replace the padding below.

You should also be sure to do a smell patch test as we described in this article Series so that you're confident that the carpet or its padding are the actual odor source and not other building surfaces or contents.

On 2021-01-09 by Jake

I can’t get mothball smell out of carpet. I think the odor is trapped under the pad. I’ve tried ventilation, heat, vacuums and steam cleaning. The smell always returns. Should I have the carpet replaced? The sunlight can’t reach that part of carpet.

On 2019-09-18 - by (mod) - mothball odors persist in crawl space

Paula

To offer a useful suggestion I"d need to know more about the construction, crawl space access, space therein and more.

Depending on how far you threw the mothballs you might be able to use a shop vac to pick them up.

Follow that by ventilating the crawl area, perhaps boosting air flow by fans.

On 2019-09-18 by Paula

I threw loose mothballs in a large crawlspace filled with dirt and large rocks with on open side to my basement which is used all the time. I then realized it is dangerous to breath. I can't get in the area how do I get rid of the smell and fumes?


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