Even brief exposure to mothball fumes can be irritating, and there is no truly “safe” level of deliberate, ongoing exposure in a home, especially for children, pets, pregnant people, or anyone with anemia or lung disease. The more intense the smell, the smaller the room, and the longer the exposure, the higher the risk of both short‑term symptoms (like headache or nausea) and serious blood or organ effects in vulnerable people.

What makes mothballs dangerous?

Mothballs usually contain naphthalene or paradichlorobenzene , both of which turn into gas that you then breathe in. These chemicals are pesticides, not harmless deodorizers, and are classified as toxic and possible or suspected carcinogens.

Key points:

  • If you can smell mothballs, you are inhaling their chemicals.
  • Children and pets are at higher risk because of their size and developing bodies.
  • Ingestion of even a single naphthalene mothball can be dangerous for a small child, especially with conditions like G6PD deficiency.

How much exposure is “too much”?

There is no household rule like “X minutes is safe”; risk depends on dose, time, and who is exposed.

  • Short, mild exposure (e.g., walking through a room that smells of mothballs once) is unlikely to cause serious harm in a healthy adult but may still cause irritation or headache.
  • Repeated or continuous indoor exposure (living or sleeping in a room where mothballs are stored or used openly) is considered unsafe, especially over weeks to months.
  • Regulatory health agencies have set extremely low “minimum risk” levels for naphthalene in air over a year or more, reflecting concern even at very small continuous exposures.

Because the official limits are so low and designed to be protective, any situation where the smell is strong or constant in living areas should be treated as too much.

Symptoms to watch for

For inhalation or skin exposure , possible effects include:

  • Headache, dizziness, fatigue
  • Nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite
  • Eye, nose, and throat irritation, cough, breathing discomfort
  • In more serious or prolonged exposure, destruction of red blood cells (hemolytic anemia), which can show up as:
    • Unusual tiredness, shortness of breath, fast heart rate
    • Dark urine
    • Yellowing of skin or eyes (jaundice), especially in infants and people with G6PD deficiency

For swallowing a mothball (child, pet, or adult):

  • This is potentially an emergency, even for “just one,” particularly for small children.
  • Symptoms can be delayed for hours, so medical advice is needed even if the person seems okay.

What to do if you’ve been exposed

If you are currently smelling mothballs regularly or had a spill:

  1. Get to fresh air
    • Open windows and doors.
    • Leave the area if the smell is strong or you feel unwell.
  1. Remove sources
    • Put mothballs in a tightly sealed container or, better, follow local hazardous‑waste guidance for disposal.
    • Never use mothballs openly in rooms, on bedding, in closets that vent into living areas, or as general deodorizers.
  1. Decontaminate
    • Wash hands and any skin that touched mothballs with soap and water.
    • Wash clothes or fabrics stored with mothballs before wearing them, especially for babies or children.
  1. Seek expert help
    • If anyone has swallowed a mothball, call your local poison control center or emergency medical services immediately for specific instructions.
 * Get urgent medical care if there is:
   * Trouble breathing
   * Confusion, extreme sleepiness, or collapse
   * Yellow skin or eyes, very dark urine, or severe abdominal pain

Safe alternatives and prevention

To avoid dangerous exposure in the first place:

  • Use airtight storage (sealed plastic bins or garment bags) and regular cleaning to prevent moth damage.
  • Consider non‑chemical methods: frequent airing of clothes, vacuuming closets, and washing woolens before storage.
  • If you must use mothballs, follow the label strictly, keep them in sealed containers, and never place them where living areas will smell them or where children or pets can reach them.

Bottom note: Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.