Hi,

I was trying to get some bad smells out of my clothes so I ran an ozone generator in the family garage with the clothes inside a box. The odor seems to be better on the clothes but now my whole family is having respiratory problems. My father, who is already in poor health has a persistent severe cough. I think there may have been a reaction between the ozone and the mothball odor in my dad's classic car.

Anyway, I am desperate for answers as to what exactly is the chemical byproduct, how do I test for it and how do I get rid of it. Please help.

Thanks
Mark

Keep in mind that mothballs are a toxic fumigant. Could it be that your father is reacting to the mothballs themselves, as opposed to some chemical bi-product of the napthalene or paradichlorobenzene in the mothballs and ozone? I'm guessing here, but it may be that the ozone caused an increase in the rate of volitization of the mothball chemical into the air, which could indeed cause respiratory issues, especially in an enclosed space like a car.

My first thought is get rid of the ozone machine and find a more conventional way to freshen your clothes. Like one of those laundry additives for the washer.

https://tide.com/en-us/how-to-wash-c...FURbDAod008CGg

As far as you and your family are concerned, start with a medical check for allergens. This will let you know what you can eliminate, and use in your home, besides the obvious. You shouldn't leave it to guess work, since it may well be a combination of things that can affect us.