Books. I have always had a love affair with them. Hardbound or paperback, classic literature or recipe books, short story or full length novels, they have always been my passion. As convenient as reading on the Ipad or Kindle is, nothing can take the place of the old fashioned book. Worn pages, faded ink, cover unraveling from years of wear...ahhh I will treasure them, take care of them, lovingly display them on my bookshelves for all to admire. If you are like me, you will purchase them anywhere. The bookstore, at fleamarkets, estate sales, and used bookstores. Wherever there are books, there are people like us who love them. The problem with books is if they are not properly cared for, they can smell. There is nothing worse than finding a book you've been searching for (or not searching for but just have to have!), 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 freshen up that treasure you uncover at your next used bookstore, fleamarket, estate sale and the like.
The single most useful thing you can do to preserve your old books is to store them in a place where the temperature is constant and away from sunny windows.
1) Brush each spot off, page by page, with an absolutely clean, dry cloth or cleaning tissue. Open the book and air in a dry, sunny place. If mildew is exceptionally bad, sprinkle French chalk on the page. French chalk is made of a soft white variety of talc, used by tailors for marking fabrics and by dry cleaners for removing grease spots. (You can usually find it fabric stores.) Close the book and several days later brush the chalk out.
2) Purchase a box of non-scented dryer sheets. Cut them into 1/2 page pieces and place them throughout the book you want to freshen. Place the book in 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.
3) 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.
4) Repeat the last tip, 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.
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