HOW TO: Remove Smoke& Other Unwanted Smells from Books

[Randall Flagg]

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 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.