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View Full Version : HOW TO: Remove Smoke& Other Unwanted Smells from Books


Randall Flagg
12-01-2007, 11:56 AM
Some methods I have tried with success. For really smoky books all three steps were necessary.

Layer the bottom of a box with baking soda. Place book inside box, on top of a used paperback or other suitable pedestal. Do not let valuable book sit directly on baking soda. Prop open book slightly to expose page surfaces. Close box and let sit for a week.
Place dryer sheet strips inside book, and every day move sheets, beginning at front of book and working back.
Stand book up and carefully splay open pages. Use whatever props you need so that book doesn't fall. Place a fan firectly in front of book and turn fan on. Airflow should be as strong as possible without permanently bending pages. Every day reposition book so that different pages are exposed to airflow. After one week smoke smell is virtually eliminated. I did this in my garage as I didn't want the dissipating smoke smell to stink up my house.
Updated 7/2/2014-White Sage (http://www.shamansmarket.com/white-sage-jumbo-smudge-sticks-90.html) works remarkably well. I put several smoky books in a box-elevated the books off the bottom, and put broken up bunches of white sage all around the books (not touching the books) and left them there for a week. Voila! Smell gone.
natehorning
12-01-2007, 01:32 PM
Thanks for the info. I never thought it could be removed but am going to try this soon. Sounds like it is tried and true though so I have high hopes.


Nate
Matt
12-01-2007, 01:34 PM
I love the idea of "how to's" on all aspects of book collecting in here, very cool. :rock:
LadyHitchhiker
12-01-2007, 05:24 PM
Thanks Randall for the info!
Storyslinger
12-04-2007, 11:04 AM
Great stuff, thats RF
Letti
12-04-2007, 11:09 AM
I might be a perv but I am in love with the smell of books. :) They can be old or new or antient... they can be smelly stinky or smoky. I love it.
When I go to buy books I love smelling them. And if I see a very very old one I must smell it.

Okay,
I am a perv.
Storyslinger
12-04-2007, 11:10 AM
Perv:P But, I know what you mean, the different smeels are interesting
Brice
12-04-2007, 11:19 AM
I might be a perv but I am in love with the smell of books. :) They can be old or new or antient... they can be smelly stinky or smoky. I love it.
When I go to buy books I love smelling them. And if I see a very very old one I must smell it.

Okay,
I am a perv.

Only if it reaches the point of becoming fetish. :P
Letti
12-04-2007, 11:46 AM
I might be a perv but I am in love with the smell of books. :) They can be old or new or antient... they can be smelly stinky or smoky. I love it.
When I go to buy books I love smelling them. And if I see a very very old one I must smell it.

Okay,
I am a perv.

Only if it reaches the point of becoming fetish. :P

*keeps thinking*


Yes, I am a perv. :lol:
Matt
12-04-2007, 12:22 PM
The whole post made me quite hot, so I guess I'm a perv too. :lol:
Letti
12-04-2007, 01:50 PM
The whole post made me quite hot, so I guess I'm a perv too. :lol:

:couple:
Sam
05-18-2008, 08:59 PM
Nothing wrong with being a book perv as long as your not humping the books. Unless your into that sort of thing that is. :drool:
mae
07-06-2008, 04:05 PM
So I just got a couple of very good and pretty rare first editions for an awesome price and now I know why I got them so cheap. They smell of tobacco. Anyone with any tips on how to try to get that out, or is it pointless?

:pullhair:
Room 217 Caretaker
07-06-2008, 05:45 PM
Under "Collecting Tutorials" is a section on this.

Good luck.

Mulleins
Cumberland VA
Daghain
07-06-2008, 05:51 PM
Linky (http://www.thedarktower.org/palaver/showthread.php?t=1486). :)
Daghain
07-06-2008, 05:52 PM
I like the smell of books too, but the REALLY smoky ones just plain stink!
mae
07-06-2008, 07:39 PM
Awesome, I didn't even know there was this section.

Will try it out...
Daghain
07-06-2008, 07:43 PM
Good luck!
jhanic
07-07-2008, 06:55 AM
Let us know how it worked!

John
turtlex
09-10-2008, 05:53 PM
Just found out some books I left with my mother were put in a room with a smoker ( ugh! nooooooo! ) ... so I'll be trying this stuff out eventually. Soon as I can recovery my books, I will.

Thanks so much for this thread.
Robert Fulman
04-01-2011, 02:16 PM
I am currently re-habbing a really smelly copy of Wizard and Glass. I have the book standing up in inside a cardboard box, and I have covered the bottom of each end of the box with baking soda. After one day, I think the book already smells 90% better.
Merlin1958
04-01-2011, 03:23 PM
Boy, I am so Non-PC it isn't even funny!!!! I smoke, I curse, I tell off-color jokes and I love the Yankees!!!!!!!!


I gotta get out of this place!!!!!!

:wtf::wtf::wtf:
Ric
04-25-2011, 12:30 PM
Great Advice Jerome! I'm trying the "baking soda" trick right now on a rare book I got a great deal on. Of course, now I know why the deal was so good (where's the 'hold your nose' smiley?)

Here's hoping it helps!
Randall Flagg
04-25-2011, 02:47 PM
The fan also will help.
Robert Fulman
05-02-2011, 10:34 AM
Note: do NOT use scented dryer sheets, because then your book will smell like mountain rain instead of smoke. Not that I would ever make such a mistake...
Ric
05-02-2011, 11:12 AM
Note: do NOT use scented dryer sheets, because then your book will smell like mountain rain instead of smoke. Not that I would ever make such a mistake...

:lol: And what if we like Mountain rain, huh?

I used a combination of the baking soda and the fan and it got rid of most of the smoke odor. It was unbearable when I got the book, now it's simply mildly discouraging.
Randall Flagg
07-02-2014, 11:21 AM
Updated first post to include successful usage of white sage.