Mothballs are pesticides, not household deodorizers. Keep children and pets away, preserve the package, and follow the exact product label for disposal.
If someone swallowed a mothball, may have been exposed, or has symptoms, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Contact a veterinarian about a pet exposure.
Choose the Situation First
Three Mothball Situations
- Possible exposure: Call Poison Control or a veterinarian now. Disposal can wait.
- Scattered or misused mothballs: Keep people and pets away, ventilate if odor is present, and use the label or NPIC guidance.
- Intact unwanted product: Read the disposal section and call your local solid-waste or household hazardous waste program when directed.
Why Mothballs Need Special Care
US mothballs commonly contain naphthalene or paradichlorobenzene. NPIC says they are almost entirely active ingredient and slowly release pesticide vapor.
If you smell mothballs, you are breathing that vapor. Their candy-like shape can also attract children or pets.
Mothballs are registered for specific uses against clothes moths and fabric pests. They are meant for airtight storage containers when the label directs that use.
Do not scatter mothballs in rooms, attics, vehicles, gardens, or animal areas. NPIC warns that outdoor or open use can expose people, pets, and wildlife.
Follow the Exact Label for Disposal
Find the “Storage and Disposal” section on the package. Keep the product name, active ingredient, EPA registration number, and manufacturer contact available.
EPA requires household pesticide labels to carry approved disposal language. That means one mothball brand’s instructions should not be copied to another product.
A label may tell you to use the product as directed, call a local solid-waste agency, or use another specified container route.
If the label is missing or unreadable, contact the manufacturer or your local household hazardous waste program. Tell them that the product is an unidentified moth repellent.
Philadelphia and Boulder County list mothballs among materials accepted by their household hazardous waste programs. Those are local examples, not nationwide acceptance guarantees.
Do Not Flush, Burn, Bury, or Compost Mothballs
Do not put mothballs in a sink, toilet, storm drain, yard, compost pile, fireplace, or outdoor fire.
Mothballs are concentrated pesticides. Using them as wildlife repellent or disposing of them on land can expose people, pets, wildlife, soil, and water.
Do not dissolve them or mix them with another chemical. A homemade odor or neutralization recipe cannot replace the product label.
If Mothballs Were Scattered Indoors
Move children and pets away. If anyone has symptoms or a suspected exposure, call Poison Control before starting cleanup.
NPIC advises collecting misused mothballs into an airtight container for disposal and ventilating the area when odor remains.
Follow the label’s directions for avoiding skin contact. Do not vacuum or sweep unknown fragments unless the label or a specialist tells you to.
If you cannot safely reach scattered material, ask the manufacturer, NPIC, Poison Control, or a local pesticide professional what to do next.
Prepare for a Local Disposal Call
- Product name and active ingredient, if known
- EPA registration number, if present
- Approximate quantity
- Original package available or missing
- Intact, loose, spilled, wet, or contaminated condition
- Household or business source
I have [quantity] of [product name or unknown moth repellent]. The package is [available / missing], and the material is [intact / scattered / damaged]. Do you accept it?
Prevent Another Mothball Problem
Before using any remaining product, confirm that the pest and storage location appear on its label. A pesticide label is a legal use direction, not optional packaging.
Clean garments before storage and keep susceptible fabrics in suitable sealed containers. For an active infestation, identify the pest before choosing a control method.
Skip unsupported claims that lavender, mint, vinegar, or cedar always controls an infestation. A nonchemical option still needs evidence for the pest and situation.
Sources
- National Pesticide Information Center: Mothballs
- National Pesticide Information Center: Health Effects of Mothballs
- National Pesticide Information Center: Mothball Safety Infographic
- US EPA: Residential Pesticide Product Disposal Instructions
- City of Philadelphia: Household Hazardous Waste
- Boulder County: Household Hazardous Wastes Accepted
- America’s Poison Centers: Poison Control