Anybody Know How To Get A Musty Smell Out Of A Journal?

[DilettanteG]

So, I bought a really nice large black leather softbound blank paper journal by Cranes off of eBay. It looks perfect, but either because it was stored somewhere near the damp, or it was simply made back when dinosaurs roamed the earth, it smells musty. Since the seller, of course, doesnt accept returns, is there someway to air it out, or fumigate it, or exorcise it, or something so I can write in it without being reminded of graveyard dust?

 

I guess I could just throw it out, but a cow died for this...

[PaulS]

We had a similar thread recently where an unwanted odour was present, and seem to recall that one suggestion was to use coffee granules - the book, plus granules, should be put into a closed container for a week or two. I've not tried this method - always possible you might have to live with the permanent smell of coffee every time you open the book, but the implication seems to be that it can work in some situations, though how permanent I've no idea.

There is a commercially produced 'book deodoriser' - the granules are inert and highly absorbent - all natural and non-toxic …… they're used by book collectors to remove smells such as nicotine/smoke - unfortunately, I'm not aware of a source outside the U.K. - sorry.

[Shaggy]

Musty is generally from mold. I've had good luck sealing the book in a plastic bag and putting it in the freezer for 48 hours. Be sure to take it out of the bag right when you remove it, to guard against condensation making it wet.

Edited May 1, 2019 by Shaggy

[DilettanteG]

Thanks! Both sound like great fixes. Ill try the freezer trick first, since its pretty easy. Plus, Ill use the vacuum sealer on it before freezing it. That will help with any moisture.

[kazoolaw]

Depending on the severity of the odor, laying the book open in the sunlight also works.

You will have to judge whether the sunlight poses a danger to the paper or the leather.g

gary

[MsRedpen]

Depending on the severity of the odor, laying the book open in the sunlight also works.

You will have to judge whether the sunlight poses a danger to the paper or the leather.g

gary

This

 

And coffee beans suggestion

 

Or baking soda instead of coffee beans (baking soda in an open jar can do the trick in the fridge, to remove the odour of blue cheese)

 

Good luck and let us know the outcome!

[PaulS]

I'd hesitate to expose leather - particularly dyed leather - to bright sunshine (there is some uv in there I believe which will fade some colours).

You might try al fresco should all the others fail:-)

[inkstainedruth]

Another vote for baking soda for the paper. But if the cover is leather, I'd be a little hesitant to use it (we ruined a moose hide that my husband's cousin had tanned, and gave us (he used to do French and Indian War reenactment, with the persona of a French fur trader), by trying to clean it when it got some mold on it. [We called it Bullwinkle J. Floormat, and it was great for stepping onto first thing in the morning when we were camping at SCA events because our tent doesn't have a floor.]

Can you contact Crane's to see what they recommend? Or, barring that, maybe a dry cleaners which specializes in leather stuff like coats)?

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[alexwi]

A friend once told me that he found out the hard way that rice absorbs odors like crazy (he bought the only bag of rice that was left and it had a hole). Considering that, unlike coffee, rice doesn't have a strong smell, I'd try to put the journal in a large zip-lock with rice for a week or two and see how that goes.

 

alex

[Shaggy]

For mild odors, sealing in a bag wirh a dryer fabric softener sheet could help. Be sure to put something between the notebook and the sheet as wax may mark the notebook in warm weather.

 

But freezing is my first option.

[DilettanteG]

Thanks guys. I was actually reluctant to post as I thought Id get a lot of Just Throw it Away, Cheapskate!

 

I think I have found my people.

[Octo]

I bought a used book that had been owned by a smoker. The local librarian told me how to solve the problem. They deal with such problems frequently. I don't remember the treatment, only that it worked.

[DilettanteG]

Misread Shaggy’s suggestion and put it in a vacuum sealed bag in the freezer for 24 hours, still stinky. I tossed in a large silica gel desiccant bag and resealed it. So, time to give it the full 48 hour treatment! I’ll report back with my results.

[Shaggy]

Misread Shaggys suggestion and put it in a vacuum sealed bag in the freezer for 24 hours, still stinky. I tossed in a large silica gel desiccant bag and resealed it. So, time to give it the full 48 hour treatment! Ill report back with my results.

Fingers crossed.

[inkypete]

I bought a used book that had been owned by a smoker. The local librarian told me how to solve the problem. They deal with such problems frequently. I don't remember the treatment, only that it worked.

That is one of the greatest teasers ever.

[tinta]

Bad news I'm afraid. Once mildew colonizes your paper there is nothing you can do to totally get rid of the odour, save a lighted match. The mildew fungus not only spreads over the surface of the paper but also goes deep into a paper's fibers. AFAIK there is no sure "fire" cure for this condition.

 

Whenever I buy a used book I just cross my fingers, hoping not to get even a slightly moldy edition. I remember finding a very rare out-of-print fly fishing book that I sourced from a damp country that shall remain nameless. When I opened up the packet the odour of mildew almost ripped my head off. Unfortunately I'm allergic to mold & mildew.

 

So,...during a hot sunny week I exposed every single page in the book to at least 10 minutes of sunlight, which slightly lessened the smell (most likely due to the fresh air). Then I tried dusting the pages with baking soda & sealing the book in a large freezer bag for a week or two. Sadly, the musty odour remained after the book was thoroughly vacuumed.

Next, I tried to mask the smell by placing the book into a Rubbermaid container with a rag that was anointed with "cedar" essential oil. After about a month, the book came out smelling like cedar, with a definite overtone of must. I did not have the heart to use a match on that rare book. Now it resides in my garage.

Edited May 4, 2019 by tinta

[Misfit]

I used baking soda to get a musty smell out of a 1950s cookbook I got on eBay for my Mom. I put it in an unused briefcase, and turned pages every other day or so. It worked.

[BaronWulfraed]

Misread Shaggy’s suggestion and put it in a vacuum sealed bag in the freezer for 24 hours, still stinky. I tossed in a large silica gel desiccant bag and resealed it. So, time to give it the full 48 hour treatment! I’ll report back with my results.

 

24 hours may not be sufficient...

 

https://www.lakeside.com/browse/5-Ways-To-Get-The-Musty-Smell-Out-Of-Books/_/N-1z100stZ1z0xzct

 

suggests three days for baking soda, repeat as necessary... And a month for the kitty-litter solution.

 

I wouldn't expect silica gel, or freeze drying https://www.lakeside.com/browse/5-Ways-To-Get-The-Musty-Smell-Out-Of-Books/_/N-1z100stZ1z0xzct , to affect smell. They primarily remove moisture and are best used while the book is damp/wet but before mold has started forming (note that the freeze-dry article states:

 

Freezing Documents Halts Mold: Mold requires three things to thrive: moisture, food, and temperature. By freezing documents, the temperature required for mold to thrive is lowered to a point where it cannot survive. While mold spores are not destroyed by freezing, they remain dormant until a more favorable environment is available. Freezing will stop the infection of mold thus harmful damage to the documents ceases.

[thesmellofdustafterrain]

Can you leave it open and in the sun for longer?

 

With the leather, is it a kind of leather that will respond well to neatsfoot oil or other conditioner? Oiling leather often reduces bad smells then you would just have to worry about the paper.

 

I'm not sure about freezing leather as it can cause damage if not careful.

[DilettanteG]

With the leather, is it a kind of leather that will respond well to neatsfoot oil or other conditioner? Oiling leather often reduces bad smells then you would just have to worry about the paper.

 

Great idea! I have lots of leather conditioners for saddles, bridles, etc. I’ll try a nicely scented one on the leather.