How can I remove mildew odor from books I had exposed to a damp environment.?

Question

They are not damp, soggy or water logged. Just odorous from the mildew. Also, is it dangerous to work in this environment where these mildewed items are found? How could I cautiously work there cleaning up things?

Answer 1

First, part two: Yes it is not healthy to work in a mildewy area. That is not something you want to have in your lungs. A simple mask will help filter what you breathe in. You can find them at most hardware stores. If you can keep the area ventilated (or get a fan to circulate air out of the room) do so.

As for removing the mildew smell from books, try this stuff called Approach. I used it in my bathroom on some old wallpaper and on the tiles and it worked great. It's got no harsh chemicals and it's like water so it shouldn't damage the paper either. Spray it, let it absorb and it should kill the mildew and remove the odor. (Just may have to spray every nook and cranny. Mildew can get in anywhere!)

Give it a shot it's great stuff.

Good luck!

Answer 2

Mildew is a living organism. It must have moisture to survive. Unless it's black mildew, it should be OK to work around it. It wouldn't hurt to wear a painter's mask while in the room full of mildewed items.

Dryness will kill the mildew, as will a solution of bleach and water. The bleach water can either be misted onto the mildew or applied with a dampened cloth or paper towel. Let that sit for a few minutes, then dry thoroughly. Setting the items in the sun for a day will help, but if the mildew is inside the books, you'll have to open them to the sunlight during the day.

After they have been dried, cleaned of any visible mold, spraying them with a fabric freshener should remove any remaining mildew odor. Let that dry before putting books away.

If you cannot put things in the sun and must work in the same area where the books got mildewed in the first place, you'll need to dry the area by some means. Try airing it on a dry hot day, use a space heater to dry the area, or fans, etc.

Answer 3

I tried this method on some vintage sewing pamphlets, and it worked great. I was a bit over zealous on one batch and they scorched a little. But still ok. I put my stuff in 25 secs. at a time, but I'm impatient. Probably why I scorched a few. BUT I have some very prized hard cover comic books that were my dad's, and I want to save them, so I'm testing this out on things that don't have sentimental value. So far (other than the one scorched batch, it is working really well. I have also used instant coffee to minimize the odor in other things (always put it inside a baggie. Put mildew- item in a bigger ziplock, and then set an open baggie with the instant coffee inside the other bag. Let it sit over night. This is what I am doing with all the ephemera. They have been microwaved and now they are getting the instant coffee treatment!!

Answer 4

I sometimes sell old books on eBay and a seller once gave me this tip. Open the book and place on it's spine in the microwave. Microwave on a very low (10% or 20%) in 10 second increments until the smell is gone.

I have used this method & it really works. If it is a very old, delicate, book I will only "zap" it for a total of 10 seconds at 10% & then just live with it. But for most books the smell is pretty much gone after 20 seconds or so.

Answer 5

put them in a sealed plastic bag with an open tub of Damp Rid for 24 hours.

http://www.damprid.dsiwebbuilder.com/index.asp?cat=56350

Answer 6

I would try to lay some fabric softener sheets between the pages.

Answer 7

Take a look here:

http://www.antiquemallbooks.com/cgi-bin/cdbooks/sell.html