Ask A Scientist General Science Archive

name        susan
status       other
age          50s

Question -   Just stumbled onto your website. I have a
question/statment. I know that when I was young my grandmother used 
moth
balls or moth cakes to not only take care of the moths, but to help 
with
that musty smell. I have also heard it keeps mice and snakes away. I do
use this in our crawl space in the basement because of the "musty" 
smell.
Is this not something I should be doing? Thank you...
Chemically, moth balls are either the compound naphthalene or 
paradichlorobenzene. Although both versions are available in hardware 
stores and pharmacies, they both have toxic properties. I would not 
recommend their use in residences even though they are not banned nor 
regulated. Some potentially harmful substances are readily available, and I 
would put both of those substances in that category.

Vince Calder 
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Susan,
Moth balls do have a chemical in them called naphthalene, though now many 
are made with paradichlorobenzene. For the most part, make sure you don't 
handle them with bare hands, as they can cause skin irritation. Also do not 
breathe in their fumes. The smell is what keeps all the pesky critters away, 
however, ingestion can be very dangerous. As long as you don't let pets or 
small children into your crawlspace, the moth balls will probably not 
present much danger as long as they are handled correctly. To be safer, you 
could use an odor absorber, since the dampness causes mold, and that is why 
you have that "mustly" smell. I checked some out online, you can find large 
or small absorbers. They contain whatever chemicals they have in a plastic 
container, letting the smell out but not the material while they absorb the 
moisture. This would have the same effect as the moth balls, however the 
chemicals would be contained, minimizing the possibility of ingestion.

G. Fields
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