Mothballs
have a distinct odor. Everyone
recognizes it and everyone wrinkles up their nose at the smell. But what’s really going on behind Mothballs? Are they safe?
First
of all, let’s look at what a Mothball really is – a small ball of chemical
pesticide. They are used to protect
cloth items from those irritating little holes that either make you pick up a
sewing needle or toss the item depending on how diligent the hungry larvae of the moths have
been.
The
most common use of Mothballs is to protect clothing. Tossing a few in a closet is seen as a
safeguard. However, Mothballs work using substances that are toxic to both the larvae and the moths. They are like dry ice (solid CO2) and undergo a physical change called sublimation. In this change the solid Mothball goes directly into the gas stage without first melting. In this gas stage the vapors can build up and kill the moths and their larvae. Mothballs are often also used to repel a number of other pests including mice and squirrels.
But
think about it for a minute. If this
stuff is so strong that it kills, do you really want to be near it? It’s not really surprising that Mothball use
has declined in recent years. Research
has indicated that the chemicals in Mothballs have the potential to cause,
among other health issues, nausea, eye and skin irritation and cancer.
The
health risks are attributed to two primary chemicals commonly found in Mothballs – Naphthalene derived from the distillation of coal tar and
Paradichlorobenzene which is sometimes used as a substitute for
Naphthalene.
So
you might want to think twice before you just toss a bunch of Mothballs into a
closet. There are safer moth removal alternatives out
there.
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