"How to Rid your Vintage Books of a Musty Odor"

 

I just love old, vintage books that date back to the late 1800's or early 1900's. They have so much character. I love to use them as a decoration on my end table. I stack them three or four high and place a pair of vintage baby shoes on top. You could also stand a framed, vintage photo on top of them and it looks very nice. Still others use them for their altered art projects and some even paint the front covers.

 

I think everyone would agree that vintage books are a great find and have many uses however sometimes they smell musty. I don't know about you but I can't stop sneezing when they smell musty.

 

I have tried many things to rid them of their musty odor but this method always works for me.

 

I pour several inches of baking soda in a tote and place the book on top of the baking soda and seal it with the tote lid or you might prefer to hang the book over the baking soda. You can do this by removing the lid and placing a string around the entire tote and tie it off. Next open the book about midway and hang your book over the string. The lid should close fine depending on the thickness of the book binding but if you have trouble just place something heavy on top of the tote lid and it will keep the tote lid secure.

 

You want to leave the tote sealed for several weeks. Check them in about two weeks and if they still smell musty just stir the baking soda around a little and leave them an additional week or so.

 

Please note: If your books are damp, do not place them in baking soda yet. You will need to dry them first. To do this you can try a couple of things. I like to take them outside and place them in a shaded area until they are dry. This helps with the odor as well. Stand your book on the end and allow the pages to fan out.

 

Do not place your books in direct sunlight for an extended period of time as it will fade the writing and pictures.

 

You can also use a fan to dry them.

 

Note: You can purchase a larger box of baking soda on your laundry isle at most grocery stores,

Wal-Mart and Sam's Wholesale Clubs.

 

 

I hope the next time you find those old, vintage books at a flea market, garage sale or estate sale you won't let the odor stop you from purchasing them. Happy Shopping!

 

 

                              ~Linda Irwin~