Mothball Toxicity: Health Risks and Warning Signs

If you store mothballs in your home, you may have wondered if they’re harmful. Mothballs dangerous effects can show up from breathing vapors, getting chemicals on skin, or an accidental swallow. Even when the odor seems “controlled,” the fumes can irritate your lungs and eyes, and kids and pets are at higher risk in small spaces. Knowing the warning signs helps you act fast.

For more help, see our Naphthalene and Mothballs: Ingredients, Vapor Action, Risks guide.

What Mothballs Are and Why They Can Be Dangerous

Mothballs are pest-control products used to protect stored clothing and other fabrics. Many mothballs release chemical vapors over time, and those vapors can irritate body tissues (eyes, nose, throat, and lungs). Older and newer products differ in ingredients, but the health risk comes from exposure to the fumes and, in some cases, direct contact or ingestion.

Common ingredients in modern and older mothballs

Modern mothballs often use chemicals like naphthalene or related compounds, while older mothballs may include stronger ingredients such as paradichlorobenzene (depending on the product). The specific ingredient matters because it affects how quickly fumes spread and what symptoms people develop. Check the label for the active ingredient and follow storage rules exactly. If you are dealing with an old container, treat it as hazardous because ingredient details may be missing or faded.

How mothball fumes enter the body

Mothball vapors escape and mix with indoor air, then enter your body through breathing. If the container is unsealed, placed in an open closet, or stored near vents, the odor spreads and inhalation exposure increases. Vapors can also linger in fabric, drawers, and closets, where you may breathe them when you open or access stored items. If someone uses mothballs without confinement, symptoms like coughing, throat irritation, or headache can start quickly.

Why children and pets face higher risk

Children and pets are more vulnerable because they have smaller bodies and are more likely to touch, mouth, or swallow small objects. In bedrooms, closets, and small storage areas, the same amount of vapor creates higher relative exposure. Animals may also groom chemicals off fur after contact with treated fabrics or containers. Keep mothballs sealed, locked away, and physically separated from living areas to reduce accidental exposure.

Health Risks From Breathing, Touching, or Swallowing Mothballs

Mothball toxicity can happen through inhalation, skin contact, or accidental ingestion. Even short exposures can irritate sensitive tissues, while higher or repeated exposure can cause more severe symptoms. If you notice breathing problems, confusion, persistent vomiting, or signs of significant exposure, treat it as urgent.

Short-term effects from inhalation exposure

Breathing mothball vapors can irritate your eyes and respiratory tract. Common short-term symptoms include burning or watery eyes, runny nose, sore throat, coughing, wheezing, and chest tightness. People may also feel headache, nausea, dizziness, or unusual tiredness. If symptoms worsen while you are still in the room, leave the area immediately and get help based on severity.

Move to fresh air right away.
Leave the closed area and open windows only if it can be done safely without lingering in fumes.
If symptoms include trouble breathing, wheezing, or chest pain, call emergency services.

Skin and eye irritation after contact

Direct contact can cause redness, itching, and burning, especially if mothball dust or residue transfers to skin. Eye exposure can lead to severe irritation, watering, and pain. Rubbing eyes after handling mothballs increases risk, so treat any contact seriously and clean promptly.

Rinse affected skin with running water for at least 15 minutes.
If mothballs got in the eyes, flush eyes with lukewarm water or saline for at least 15 minutes.

Remove contaminated clothing and wash it separately before wearing it again.

Poisoning risks if mothballs are swallowed

Swallowing mothballs is dangerous and can cause stomach irritation, vomiting, and neurologic symptoms. Some people develop dizziness, confusion, or drowsiness after ingestion. If a child or pet swallowed a mothball, time matters, and you should contact Poison Control or emergency services right away.

Call Poison Control or emergency services immediately.
Do not induce vomiting unless a medical professional tells you to.

Keep the container or wrapper so responders can identify the active ingredient.

Why repeated low-level exposure still matters

You can get sick from repeated exposure even if symptoms seem mild at first. Frequent inhalation from a closet, laundry area, or sealed storage box that is opened often can keep your airways irritated. Over time, that irritation can worsen asthma symptoms or lead to persistent headaches and nausea. The fix is to reduce exposure sources, store treated items correctly, and replace mothballs when odor fades in a sealed setup.

Remove mothballs from living spaces.
Use sealed storage containers for mothball use or switch to alternatives.

Ventilate the area and keep items isolated until odor is gone.

Warning Signs of Mothball Toxicity

Recognizing symptoms early can prevent progression to more serious toxicity. Pay attention to breathing changes, eye pain, ongoing vomiting, and unusual mental status. If symptoms start after exposure and don’t improve after leaving the area, escalate care.

Early symptoms to watch for

Early warning signs often show up quickly after inhaling vapors or touching treated materials. Look for headache, nausea, dizziness, coughing, and throat or lung irritation. Eye irritation is also common, with burning, watering, or redness. If someone starts acting unusually sleepy, irritable, or confused after exposure, treat it as more than mild irritation.

Notice coughing, wheezing, or throat burning after entering a treated area.
Watch for nausea, headache, and dizziness in the hours after exposure.
Track eye redness or persistent irritation after contact.

Serious symptoms that need urgent care

Urgent symptoms include significant trouble breathing, persistent chest tightness, severe eye pain, and repeated vomiting. Confusion, fainting, severe drowsiness, or seizures after suspected exposure are emergency signs. Pets can show vomiting, drooling, staggering, or breathing trouble, so do not wait if an animal seems distressed. If serious symptoms appear, call emergency services immediately.

Call emergency services for trouble breathing, seizures, or severe confusion.
Treat persistent vomiting or worsening symptoms as urgent, not “wait and see.”
Bring the mothball product label to help identify the chemical.

Signs of exposure in babies, children, and pets

Babies and children may show symptoms faster and more dramatically because of their size and the way they explore. Signs can include sudden crying, coughing, eye watering, vomiting, unusual sleepiness, or refusal to eat after exposure. Pets may hide, drool, vomit, seem weak, or breathe abnormally after contact or ingestion. Any suspected ingestion by a child or pet is an emergency to evaluate.

If a child swallowed mothballs, call Poison Control or emergency services right away.
If a pet was exposed, contact a veterinarian urgently, and bring product details.

Keep treated items and containers locked away and inaccessible.

What To Do Right Away If Exposure Happens

When exposure occurs, the goal is to stop contact and reduce chemical inhalation immediately. Act quickly, and use the right cleanup steps based on how the exposure happened. If symptoms are severe, emergency care comes first.

Move to fresh air and leave the area

Leaving the source of fumes is the fastest way to reduce ongoing exposure. If the person is in a closet or small room with mothballs, get them out to open air right away. Avoid lingering to “finish something,” because symptoms can worsen while exposure continues.

Get the exposed person outside or to a well-ventilated area.

Keep them away from the storage location until fumes are cleared.
If anyone has breathing trouble, call emergency services while moving to safety if possible.

Remove contaminated clothing and wash skin

Clothing can hold mothball residue and continue to expose skin and eyes. Remove items carefully without spreading residue, then wash the skin thoroughly. Do not reuse clothing until it has been cleaned.

Take off contaminated clothing and place it in a sealed bag.
Wash skin with running water for at least 15 minutes.
Launder clothing separately from other laundry before wearing it again.

When to call Poison Control or emergency services

Call Poison Control when there is suspected ingestion, significant exposure, or troubling symptoms. Use emergency services for severe breathing issues, seizures, fainting, severe confusion, or repeated vomiting. For pets, contact a veterinarian or emergency animal hospital promptly, and mention the mothball product.

Call Poison Control right away for swallowing or a strong, lingering exposure with symptoms.
Call emergency services for severe symptoms or worsening breathing.
For pets, contact a veterinarian urgently, even if symptoms seem mild at first.

What information to have ready

Having the product details helps responders identify the active ingredient and the expected toxic effects. Find the container label if you can do so safely, and note how many mothballs were involved. Also record the time exposure happened and what symptoms you see.

Active ingredient name from the label (or a photo of the label).
Number of mothballs involved and approximate time of exposure.
Symptoms, age, and weight of the exposed person or the pet’s species and approximate size.

Safer Storage and Prevention Tips

Prevention starts with confinement and separation from living spaces. Good storage reduces odor spread and lowers accidental contact. If you want protection from moths, consider options that do not involve open chemical vapor release.

How to store mothballs away from living spaces

Store mothballs in sealed, labeled containers placed in a location that does not connect to bedrooms or bathrooms. Do not leave mothballs loose in closets or on shelves, because they continuously release fumes into the air you breathe. Keep mothballs higher if there is a chance a child or pet can reach them, and lock the storage area when possible.

Use an airtight plastic tote or container with a secure lid.

Place mothballs inside a separate sealed inner container so they cannot break or crumble.
Keep the tote in a locked, non-living area away from vents and return air paths.

Why ventilation and sealed containers matter

Ventilation helps, but it does not fix poor containment. Sealed containers reduce how much vapor reaches indoor air when you are sleeping, cooking, or showering. If you open the container, do it briefly and away from children and pets, then allow the area to air out before returning.

Open containers outdoors or in a designated ventilated area.
Reseal immediately after checking stored items.
Reduce the number of times you open the container, because every opening releases fumes.

Safer alternatives for clothes and fabric protection

You can protect fabrics without mothball chemicals by using physical and routine-based methods. Dry cleaning before long storage, laundering and drying fabrics completely, and using sealed garment bags reduce the chance of moth damage. For long-term storage, airtight containers or vacuum-sealed bags limit insect access and reduce chemical exposure.

Store clean, dry items in sealed garment bags or airtight totes.

Use cedar (blocks or sachets) in closed containers where appropriate.
Rotate stored fabrics, inspect periodically, and remove any signs of larvae early.

How to dispose of old mothballs properly

Old mothballs can still release vapors, and residue can contaminate surfaces. Follow your local household hazardous waste guidance rather than throwing them loose into regular trash. If the container is cracked or odor is strong, isolate it in a sealed bag or container until disposal options are confirmed.

Check local disposal rules for mothball chemicals and keep them sealed until you drop them off.
Do not pour mothball contents down sinks or toilets.
Replace mothballs when odor fades in a sealed setup, and remove the old ones promptly instead of letting them age open.

When to Get Medical Help and What Doctors May Ask

Medical help matters when symptoms persist, worsen, or involve breathing, confusion, or ingestion. Clinicians will also want details that guide treatment decisions. Prepare to describe the exposure so the team can identify likely chemicals and risks.

Situations that require immediate evaluation

Get immediate evaluation if there is suspected swallowing, severe eye exposure, or breathing trouble. Urgent assessment is also needed for ongoing vomiting, seizures, fainting, or significant confusion. For infants, toddlers, and pets, treat any suspected ingestion as urgent because symptoms can escalate.

Suspected ingestion in a child or pet.
Severe respiratory symptoms like wheezing, shortness of breath, or chest pain.
Neurologic symptoms like confusion, unusual sleepiness, or seizures.

Tests and questions used to assess exposure

Doctors and toxicology teams may ask what brand and active ingredient were involved, how many mothballs, and when exposure happened. They may check vital signs, oxygen levels, and lung sounds. Lab tests may be ordered depending on symptoms and the suspected chemical, especially if there is concern for blood oxygen problems or organ stress.

Time of exposure, amount, and whether the product was swallowed, inhaled, or touched.
Current symptoms and symptom timeline.
Any medical history like asthma, breathing conditions, or prior reactions.

What treatment may involve

Treatment focuses on stopping exposure, supporting breathing, and managing symptoms. Care may include oxygen, breathing treatments for wheezing, and anti-nausea medication for vomiting. If ingestion occurred, clinicians may recommend activated charcoal in select cases, or other supportive steps based on timing and the chemical involved. Eye exposure may require continued flushing and evaluation by a clinician.

Supportive care for breathing, hydration, and nausea control.
Continued eye irrigation if there was direct contact.
Poison Control or a toxicologist-directed plan for ingestion when indicated.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are mothballs dangerous to breathe in at home?

Yes. Mothballs release vapors that can irritate the eyes, nose, throat, and lungs, and heavier or repeated exposure can cause more serious toxicity.

Can mothballs make you sick if you only smell them?

A strong odor means chemical vapors are present. Some people may develop headache, nausea, dizziness, or irritation even without touching the mothballs.

What are the most common signs of mothball poisoning?

Common warning signs include headache, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, coughing, breathing irritation, eye or skin irritation, and unusual sleepiness or confusion.

Are mothballs more dangerous for children and pets?

Yes. Children and pets are more likely to touch, swallow, or be affected by higher relative exposure in small spaces, so they need extra protection.

What should I do if someone swallowed a mothball?

Call Poison Control or emergency services right away. Do not induce vomiting unless instructed by a medical professional.