How to Freshen Musty Books

Old books can add excitment to your shelves!

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Books. Hardbound or paperback, classic literature or science fiction, short story or full length novel, book lovers everywhere love books. We buy them at the bookstore, at flea markets, estate sales, and used bookstores. Wherever there are books, there are people who love them. But there’s one problem with books. If not properly cared for, they can smell. Yes, they can acquire an old, dusty, stale, musty stench. There is nothing worse than finding a book you’ve been searching for, opening it up, and getting hit in the face by a smell so overwhelming it will make your eyes water. Here are some tips that will help.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

Dryer sheets
Charcoal
Kitty litter
Large bucket
Book size can
Talcum powder made of baking soda
Magnetic/electrostatic wiping cloth or soft cotton dust cloth

Step1

Recommended book cleaners Taking good care of your books is the first step. No matter what they are made of, or how they are covered, books should be kept in a clean, dry, dust-free environment that is out of the sun. The musty smell that old books tend to have is actually a mold that can form when they are damp or ill-treated. Most current books are being printed on acid-free paper, and are better able to resist this than older copies you might find. Before starting any of the following procedures, take a soft cotton dust cloth, and carefully dust the book, removing any debris, dust, etc from the spine, top, bottom and pages that you can. A magnetic or electrostatic wiping cloth works best. Do not use any dust cloth that is treated to attract dust, as you will run the risk of damaging your book.

Step2

Purchase a box of non-scented dryer sheets. Cut them into ½ page pieces and place them throughout the book you want to freshen. Place the book into a Ziploc bag and seal. After a few days, open the bag and check the book. The length of time it will need to be sealed will depend on how bad the smell is. Please be aware, most dryer sheets contain a slight oil, and so should not be used when dealing with important or rare books.

Step3

Charcoal is a great freshening agent! Get a large bucket and place a layer of charcoal (not the briquettes used for grilling) in the bottom. Find a smaller container, the size of the book, and place it inside the larger bucket, adding additional charcoal around the outside making sure that nothing falls into the small container. Carefully place the book so that it rests slightly open, inside the smaller container, then seal the large one. Place to the side for at least 2 weeks. The charcoal will freshen the book without any chance of damaging it. Again, length of time will vary depending on how bad the smell is.

Step4

Repeat step 3, but instead of charcoal, use kitty litter. The kitty litter is designed to remove or mask odors, and most contain an odor-absorbing ingredient such as baking soda. By placing the book into a separate container, you are preventing it from being damaged by any chemicals contained in the litter, yet still allowing it to be affected by the freshening agent.

Step5

Find a talcum powder that is made up of mainly baking soda. Sprinkle lightly on several pages, seal in a Ziploc bag and set aside. Check after a week and continue if needed.

Step6

Contact a conservationist for severe damage There are special products on the market that will remove the musty smell, as well as sterilize the book of any mold spores that remain; however they usually require specially vented areas to use. If a book is severely damaged by mold, you should contact your local library for the name of a reputable conservationist.