There are a lot of different products in your home, including plenty that you probably don’t give a second thought to. But some of these products can raise your risk for serious health complications, including cancer.
Before we get further into that, there's something to keep in mind: Common products in your home—and in households across the country—are unlikely to give you cancer on their own. But there are certain products with ingredients that are linked to cancer, and it's certainly helpful to be aware of them.
About 40% of cancer cases around the world are preventable, suggesting that minimizing your exposure to certain environmental elements could protect your health.
And there’s a popular household product that’s been used in homes for decades that could be silently raising your risk of cancer.
The key with this product is prolonged exposure, according to Dr. Ashraf Elsayegh, MD, pulmonologist and critical care medicine specialist, at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, CA. Meaning, there’s no need to panic if you’ve used it here and there.
But if you have this product in your home and want to do what you can to lower your risk of cancer, it’s not a bad idea to toss it, according to oncology experts and a pulmonologist. Here’s why.
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It’s mothballs. These small balls are pesticides that slowly give off a toxic gas to kill moths that may damage clothes, along with other insects, per Oregon State University’s National Pesticide Information Center.
Mothballs contain high concentrations of either naphthalene or paradichlorobenzene (aka 1,4-dichlorobenzene), per the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS). Mothballs slowly convert from a solid into a gas through a process called sublimation.
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“Mothballs do have highly carcinogenic properties,” says Dr. Sylvia Daunert, Ph.D., biochemist and researcher with the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine’s Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, saying they're “several common household products with cancer concerns.”
“These substances can build up in indoor air, especially with frequent use and poor ventilation, leading to repeated low‑level breathing exposure over time,” Dr. Daunert tells Parade.
Those concerns are echoed byDr. Ezekiel J. Emanuel, MD, Ph.D., oncologist, co-director of the Healthcare Transformation Institute at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine and author ofEat Your Ice Cream: Six Simple Rules for a Long and Healthy Life. “Avoid using mothballs,” he says.
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Why Are Mothballs Concerning?
Mothballs give off vapors from paradichlorobenzene or naphthalene, which can then be breathed in by humans.
"Mothballs should not be used in homes because they contain toxic pesticide chemicals like naphthalene or paradichlorobenzene that slowly release poisonous fumes into the air,"Dr. Sapna Deo, Ph.D., professor of biochemistry and molecular biology with the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, tells Parade. "Mothballs are solids but sublimate meaning turning into vapors, releasing chemicals. These are meant to kill moths in sealed containers and should not be kept in the open air where people and pets can easily inhale these fumes."
Naphthalene is found in cigarette smoke, car exhaust and smoke from forest fires, per UF/IFAS. When it enters your body, it’s converted to alpha-naphthol, a compound linked to an abnormal breakdown of red blood cells. When this occurs, oxygen is no longer carried in the blood the way it should, which can lead to kidney and liver damage, according to UF/IFAS.
"Naphthalene is classified as a possible carcinogen, meaning long-term exposure may increase the risk of cancer," Dr. Deo says.
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Paradichlorobenzene is classified as a group 2B carcinogen by the World Health Organization (WHO), which means that it’s possibly carcinogenic to humans (based on mouse studies). The chemical is currently under a “risk evaluation” by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Exposure to mothballs can cause headaches, nausea and respiratory irritation, Dr. Deo says, noting, "With prolonged exposure, [mothballs] may lead to organ damage."
If mothballs are used in a well-ventilated area, Elsayegh says they “should not be an issue.” But he has a big caveat to keep in mind: “Mothballs are usually placed in closets and areas that are not well ventilated. With prolonged exposure, these substances raise the risk of cancer. “
Mothballs are just one household product in a list of others that oncology experts recommend being wary of.
Daunert also lists off deodorizer blocks, pressed‑wood furniture that releases formaldehyde, older non‑stick cookware linked to PFOA, scented candles or incense that can release benzene and soot and some weed killers containing glyphosate.
“Evidence ranges from well‑established—formaldehyde, benzene, PFOA—to probable or possible ( glyphosate, naphthalene) risk,” she explains. “To lower risk, people can use HEPA air cleaners, ventilate living spaces well and rely on natural or unscented products instead of synthetic fragrances.”
If you use some of these products here and there, Dr. Elsayegh says there’s no need to panic. “You must be exposed to the product for an extended period,” he says. But maybe don’t pick up mothballs to use in your home again in the future, just to be safe.
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Sources:
Ashraf Elsayegh, MD, pulmonologist and critical care medicine specialist, at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, CASylvia Daunert, PhD, biochemist and researcher with the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine’s Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer CenterEzekiel J. Emanuel, MD, PhD, oncologist, co-director of the Healthcare Transformation Institute at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine and author ofEat Your Ice Cream: Six Simple Rules for a Long and Healthy Life.Sapna Deo, PhD, professor of biochemistry and molecular biology with the University of Miami Miller School of MedicineFink, H., et al. Global and Regional Cancer Burden Attributable to Modifiable Risk Factors to Inform Prevention. Nature Medicine. February 3, 2026Mothballs: Naphthalene and Paradichlorobenzene. National Pesticide Information CenterThe Facts About Mothballs. University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.Some Chemicals that Cause Tumours of the Kidney or Urinary Bladder in Rodents and Some Other Substances. IARC MonographsRisk Evaluation for p-Dichlorobenzene. U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyHence then, the article about 3 oncology experts say they d never use this popular household product here s why was published today ( ) and is available on Parade ( Saudi Arabia ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
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