My mother-in-law recently immigrated here from overseas. She has been traveling around visiting various family members, but she is due to come to us this Friday and will probably be here semi-permanently. We just recently moved to the Katy area and specifically bought a house with a 2nd downstairs bedroom/full bath so that we could accommodate her. I really get along well with her and don't forsee any major problems. The one problem I am having right now is that she sent some furniture and about 30-odd boxes from her home overseas, and they arrived at our house a week and a half ago. I cannot walk into the garage where her boxes are stored without becoming nauseated and getting a runny nose because of the mothball smell emanating from her boxes. Even the dining furniture she sent smells (we sold our dining furniture before we moved b/c we knew she wanted us to have hers). All three of my children have asthma and I have terrible allergies. When the stuff first arrived we had the boxes in the house and we were all suffering...my husband moved them to the garage and we've been okay as long as we avoid the garage. Problem is, I know when she arrives this weekend, my MIL is going to want to unpack her stuff in the house. I know you are supposed to wash and 'air out' clothing to get rid of mothball smell, but I have a very small yard mostly taken up by a pool and nowhere to hang things up. I have decided I will probably tell her not to bother unpacking her linens and towels as I have nowhere to store them, but I know she has lots of clothes and shoes that she will want to keep in the house. I just don't know what to do. I can't even open all the windows to air out the house as only the bedroom windows open and there aren't many of those (her bedroom only has one small window). If any of you have any ideas about how to deal with this, please let me know! I am desperate.
Moth balls leave a lingering odor for a very long time. It takes a lot of wind and sun to treat it. Why don't you call a reputable laundry/cleaners and or carpet/drapery cleaning company for some advice. You don't have much time. As for the dining table and chairs, maybe a good linseed oil treatment. There again, I'ed check with a professional.
yuck.... we moved one year ago from germany and our stuff stunk too. Fabreeze maybe? Air out as much as you can. It eventually goes away or you get used to it, lol. Also wash what you can.
Have you tried Fabreeze? As for the clothes (if any) see if you can 'fluff' them in the dryer. Just on "air" not heat for a few minutes or do what I do sometimes, use a hanger & hang on a plant type hook from the ceiling in front of the air vent (if you have a vent on the upper wall or IN the vent using a wire hanger for a couple of hours...the wire hangers usually the only ones that fit between the louvres...if you have a ceiling vent. Works like a charm for me). Good luck!
http://www.stretcher.com/stories/01/010924b.cfm
This site seemed helpful! Good luck!
