| Author | Content |
WUVIE
Hulbert, OK
(Zone 7a)
October 12, 2007
2:06 PM Post #4075784
| Yesterday I bought a few incredible books of size
from a yard sale. The bad news?
The books smell horrible!
It is one of those 'never clean the house, never open
the window and chain smoke' type smells. These books
are fabulous, but I'm considering regifting them to the
Goodwill if I can't get rid of the stench of cigarette smell.
Help!
Short of putting an entire box of fabric softener sheets
between the pages, does anyone have any suggestions?
I don't want to cover up the smell, I want to get rid of it.
Ugh! Nasty, nasty, nasty!
Many thanks,
Karen Marie
|
ecrane3
Dublin, CA
(Zone 9a)
October 12, 2007
3:21 PM Post #4076038
| I think you can buy odor absorbing things that you can put in closets and places like that--you might try putting them all in a big plastic box with one of those and see what happens. I'm not sure how well they work in the first place, and it'll definitely take a while for the odor to all come out, once it's absorbed into the paper it's going to be pretty tough to get rid of. |
WUVIE
Hulbert, OK
(Zone 7a)
October 12, 2007
3:24 PM Post #4076045
| That is what I was thinking. I remember the smell of old books in
general from working many libraries over time, but to combine aged
paper with cigarettes and dirty house, ugh!
I'll definitely try the plastic box idea, thanks!
KM
P.S. One of the books is a whopper from the American
Horticultural Society, it's one of those a short toddler would
sit on to reach the table, LOL. |
andidandi
October 12, 2007
10:32 PM Post #4077290
| Assuming that they are not valuable books put sheets of newspaper between the pages and then put something heavy on top of the book to compress it onto the paper as much as possible. Then put it somewhere out of the way. I've done this with books that smelled strongly of that old-library-mildewy smell, and it helped a great deal. I think I left them at least a week like this. You could also place this setup inside a plastic box, but I think outside would be better in terms of letting it air. |
ecrane3
Dublin, CA
(Zone 9a)
October 13, 2007
12:17 AM Post #4077566
| Only reason I suggested a plastic box was to give the odor absorber a better chance to work, they tend to work better in smaller enclosed spaces. But if you're taking another approach then airing out in general is a better way to go. |
andidandi
October 13, 2007
12:25 AM Post #4077584
| Yes, I agree. With that method I think it could work. My point was more that my approach could work with both, but that outdoors may be better. |
WUVIE
Hulbert, OK
(Zone 7a)
October 13, 2007
10:16 AM Post #4078334
| We are now into fall-like weather, which means everything is
covered in dew come morning, then by afternoon it is better and
then back to cool at night, otherwise I would put them outdoors.
While they aren't 'valuable' per say, I would hate the pages to
be stuck together and moldy with our ups and downs in temps.
:-) Many thanks, all of you!
KM
|
cathy4
St. Louis County, MO
(Zone 5a)
October 13, 2007
10:26 AM Post #4078355
| I had a similar problem with a stack of books I bought. What finally helped was one of those auto air fresheners, the cardboard kind. I bought a square one, cut it into thin strips, and tucked a few strips into each book. After a few days, I moved the strips to a different part of the book. Then I took them out, left the books open on a table to air out, and the smells were gone. I figured I had nothing to loose because they were going out the door if they didn't smell better.
You can also lay the book open on a newspaper, and shake baking soda into the pages, then close. In a few days, shake the baking soda out (outside).
One hint: if you buy books on ebay like I do, make sure to ask if they are from a smoking environment. People will say there are no smells, but I don't think smokers can't smell books that smell of smoke. |
dun1kirk
Berkeley, CA
(Zone 9a)
October 15, 2007
6:43 PM Post #4086715
| I have heard one can put the smelly object in an air tight something to which ground coffee has been added. It is supposed to get rid of the musty smell. Hope you like the smell of coffee! |
ecrane3
Dublin, CA
(Zone 9a)
October 15, 2007
8:57 PM Post #4087240
| Even if you're not a big coffee fan, it would sure beat the smell of cigarette smoke! |
jeri11
Central, LA
(Zone 8b)
October 20, 2007
10:02 AM Post #4103955
| How about just letting them air outside for a few days. It would require a spot that gets good air circulation but no moisture.
|
cactuspatch
La Luz/Alamogordo, NM
(Zone 8a)
October 22, 2007
2:09 PM Post #4111033
| I am highly allergic to perfumes and softener sheets will just mask. Perfume does not mean clean. When I check out a library book that the last person must have smoked on, I air it on my back porch for a few days and it works for me. Doesn't make me have to use my inhaler to read it! |
Petal33
Kingston, ON
(Zone 5b)
November 7, 2007
7:33 PM Post #4169089
| Hello
I had a smell on book worst than that- cat pee.
depending on how many books there are- I use the large zippy bags ,sprinkled baking soda inside and left it there for a few days.
I shop vaced up the soda and gave them a good shaking...no more cat pee smell.
Worked well in the car too.Just layed down plactic film,then brown paper ,put a brick on top. went away in three days ... |
WUVIE
Hulbert, OK
(Zone 7a)
November 7, 2007
9:46 PM Post #4169515
| On the mention of stinky books, I borrowed one from the library.
The book was about how to paint rocks to look like animals and
such. Inside, about a dozen marijuana seeds and quite an
interesting smell. Too bad they wouldn't tell me who borrowed the
book before I did. LOL
|
distantkin
Saint Cloud, MN
(Zone 4b)
November 7, 2007
9:52 PM Post #4169546
| How did you know what kind of seeds they were and what the smell was-LOL
Just curious...LOLOLOL |
WUVIE
Hulbert, OK
(Zone 7a)
November 7, 2007
9:58 PM Post #4169577
| In a time and a place many, many years ago...
LOL |
cathy4
St. Louis County, MO
(Zone 5a)
November 7, 2007
10:12 PM Post #4169639
| I'm sure it was from your study of botany, right? |
WUVIE
Hulbert, OK
(Zone 7a)
November 7, 2007
10:32 PM Post #4169720
| Indeed! Either that or having worked as a carhop in the
days all the potheads stole the trays to roll their own on.
When you saw those trays at people's houses, you knew
exactly what it was used for. Then they were switched to
red plastic and no one wanted them. LOL.
|
distantkin
Saint Cloud, MN
(Zone 4b)
November 8, 2007
12:20 AM Post #4170145
| LOL WUVIE-I remember those days well-back when I could eat everything I could get my hands on and not gain a pound-and giggle all night long...after awhile the pounds didn't go away and I just slept-that was when my Botany experiment ended-LOL
Way to funny |
cathy4
St. Louis County, MO
(Zone 5a)
November 8, 2007
12:25 AM Post #4170162
| I sure wish my neighbors would end their experimenting, lol. We went to school together, so we are the same age. We are getting near the time when I might need it for medicinal purposes, so at least I'll know where to get it! I'm so naive, I thought they had sweet smelling firewood. |
distantkin
Saint Cloud, MN
(Zone 4b)
November 8, 2007
1:04 AM Post #4170246
| LOLOL-I am sorry officer, that is just my firewood that smells so good!! LOLOL Way to funny!! |
cathy4
St. Louis County, MO
(Zone 5a)
November 8, 2007
10:12 AM Post #4171027
| My husband says I am so naive that I shouldn't be let out of the fenced back yard. |
WUVIE
Hulbert, OK
(Zone 7a)
November 8, 2007
10:28 AM Post #4171109
| LOL,
Cathy, my gosh, your neighbors still do that?
Too funny about leaving the back yard.
Distant, I guess the munchy / metabolism bit stayed
with me, even though it's been ages and a day since
I did such a thing.
LOL |
distantkin
Saint Cloud, MN
(Zone 4b)
November 8, 2007
9:35 PM Post #4173606
| LOL cathy 4-that was a good one!! Give your hubby a pat on the back for that one and ask him if I can use that line!! LOVED IT!!
WUVIE me too! And things only got worse when I got sick of stinky books myself and quit smoking-that was in April-now the munchies are here to stay-LOL |
Momtothree
Madison, AL
November 20, 2007
3:32 PM Post #4214413
| Frebreeze them. It works wonders and doesn't appear to damage the books. Of course, wouldn't if they were first edition, signed by the author, but hey, they are already ruined. I have cigarette allergies, and this allowed me to read the books and not stink up my room in the meantime. |
