How To Remove Musty Smell From Old Books

By Hklbrries

Dear Heloise:

Do you know how to remove the musty smell from books? We have a nice set of atlases, maybe 15 or 20 years old. They were never in a basement or anything, but they have a musty smell.

Eric, via email

Your question is a great one since many of us (me included) have wonderful old books. If a book smells musty, many times it is just age. Sprinkle a little cornstarch or baking soda throughout the dry pages and place the book in a sealable plastic bag. Let sit for about a week, then brush out the powder. Repeat for stubborn smells. Don't use baking soda on antique or damp books because it is sodium bicarbonate, and that might harm old paper. But baking soda can be used for everything from eliminating odors to safe cleaning and even money-saving beauty products. Also, older, heavy or large books should be stacked flat. If stored standing, the weight may eventually crack the spine and damage the pages of the books.

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Preparation

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