Book Cleaning

[VTHokiEE]

I have done some searching and am trying to determine if anyone has successfully removed the musty, mildew smell (and potential marks) from old books? And if so which method did you use? I’m currently going through a few of my books and trying to decide if they can be saved or not. Hoping to avoid the weeks/months of storing them in a sealed container if it doesn’t really work.

 

TIA

[Snug Harbor Johnny]

  'Left my car windows open and an unexpected thunderstorm got water inside.  The seats dried OK the next day (which was sunny) but water soaked seep into the floor carpet and a musty smell was quickly generated.  Even after several sunny summer days had likely allowed the water too evaporate, the musty smell lingered.  What I did was to use a whole box of baking soda sprinkled all over the floor carpet and 'worked it in' a bit.  Then after a day I vacuumed the powder away, and the smell was greatly reduced.  So I repeated the treatment and the smell then was mostly gone - then after a month it was completely gone.  I don't leave my car windows open anymore ... since water is the real culprit that allows mildew to proliferate.

 

 Sooooooo, this is why the second solution pasted below holds promise.  I used to know a librarian that had knowledge of paper conservation methods, and she said acids in the paper greatly contribute to premature yellowing (aging) and weakening of wood pulp paper.  VERY old books (pre 20th century) are more likely to have paper made from rags (cotton fiber), which last a lot longer.  I imaging that sprinkling a little fine baking soda BETWEEN the pages can also be effective in odor removal (just a couple days in a sealed container), before fanning the pages to let the powder fall out.

 

Fresh Air
Very light cases of musty pages can be cured with a little exposure to fresh air. If the book is not a valuable antique, you also can treat it with a few hours of direct sunlight. However, before you begin this or any other book-cleaning method, it is essential to make sure the pages of the book are not damp. If you see wet or damp pages clumping together, stand the book upright on a table, and gently fan out the pages to separate them. Next, let it stand in a warm, dry spot. If the book is very old or valuable, do not place it sunlight. It may fade pages and cause them to permanently curl up.

Baking Soda
The same baking soda that absorbs bad odors in the fridge can absorb the bad odors in your books. Place a cup of baking soda or an opened box in a plastic box or bin with a lid. Put the book in the box with the baking soda and close the lid. Leave it for 48-72 hours, then check on the book. Repeat until the odor is gone. This method is ideal for multiple books.
 

[VTHokiEE]

Thanks for the tip - I’ll have to give it a try. These were used books and none are valuable antiques. Should I worry about the spots on the (what I assume is) linen or textile covers?

[Snug Harbor Johnny]

48 minutes ago, VTHokiEE said:

Thanks for the tip - I’ll have to give it a try. These were used books and none are valuable antiques. Should I worry about the spots on the (what I assume is) linen or textile covers?

   I'd leave textile spots alone.  Trying a 'spot remover' might only make them worse.

[javajohn]

Ozone generators are commonly used to remove the smoke smell from items that were damaged by smoke from a fire. They are not too expensive ($70 or less on Amazon) and are very effective at removing smells. Because ozone is poisonous, you can't be in the room where the ozone generator operates, but it quickly turns back into O2 after an hour or two.

 

We had a fire in our house many years ago, and the company that cleaned all of our belongings placed everything including books in an ozone chamber to remove the smell. We bought one after the fire and have used it numerous times to remove musty smell in the car and garage.

 

John

[cotrecerf]

I solved the same problem (90%) by wrapping the book in a thick layer of newspaper after spreading some baking soda on the outer sides of the book. Then I put the parcel into my deep freezer for a couple of days (4-6 days). After that I slowly unwrappped the book and brought it to normal temperature in a dry environment. The musty smell was strongly reduced, the remainder is not so bad and the more you scroll through the pages the more the smell will go.

 

Joachim

[bobandlucy]

Maybe I'm the only one, but I like the smell of old books, and old furniture. . . 

[Kolvir]

I love the smell of a good, old bookstore. The kind where you never know what treasure you might find hidden away and you never have enough time to ever explore it all. 

Unfortunately stores like that are rare nowadays. I can't remember the last time I was in one, maybe when I was in London 22 years ago. None anywhere near me that I know of. Online book selling killed a lot of them off, but living in the sticks in the Midwest I appreciate the access to books I'd never find otherwise.