gasolineguys
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posted on March 22, 2007 01:12:17 PM new
Question for the smartest group of people on the web. I have about 150-200 1950's Hot Rod Magazines that have a musty smell. Anyone had any experience of getting rid of the musty smell or oder??
Thanks Gasguy
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eauctionmgnt
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posted on March 22, 2007 01:45:35 PM new
A musty smell in magazines is usually an indication of a larger problem... caused by mold that is growing on the pages. If the damage is not severe, there are several techniques that can be used to minimize the smell:
1) Leave the magazines in an open air space exposed to sun for a few days. Pros: The sun can help kill the mold, and the fresh air will waft away the smell.
2) Submerge the magazines in unused kitty litter. Pros: An effective way to remove odors from many objects. Cons: May damage the magazine if at all brittle, probably won't kill mold... so problem could resurface.
3) Put the magazines in a sealed container with an open box of baking soda: Pros: an effective way to remove odor (not quite as effective as kitty litter, though) and no risk of damage to magazines. Cons: probably won't kill mold, so problem could resurface
4) Gently spray with Lysol. Pros: Should remove odor and kill mold. Cons: Even a fine misting may cause bleeding and other damage to the paper.
Hope that helps! If they end up being a lost cause for actual magazine collectors, you could always liquidate them to one of us ad sellers! 
******************************
Vintage Paper Ads
http://www.vintagepaperads.com
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gasolineguys
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posted on March 22, 2007 02:03:27 PM new
Thanks eauctionmgnt, there is no mold that I can see, some have been damp at one time but I do not see any mold, just the musty smell. They were in a barrel for ?? years
gasguy
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alldings
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posted on March 23, 2007 05:20:53 AM new
collecters usually want clean almost new issues. There are lots of these around. Car guys rarely throw out magazines unless forced to do so. Compression damage, water damage,heat baked or brittle pages, mold, mildew, rips, missing pages, etc may not sell or at such a cheap price they are not worth listing.
The kitty liter and the baking soda work I've used both. Packing the kitty liter into a length of old panty hose will keep it from getting in the magazines. I've heard that Bounce works also, but have not tried it.
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gasolineguys
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posted on March 23, 2007 07:08:43 AM new
Thanks alldings, the kitty litter in the pantie hose sounds like a good idea. The Mags are in good shape, just the oder.
gasguy
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hwahwa
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posted on March 23, 2007 08:45:29 AM new
Some folks like the odor .
I lived in New Orleans and complained of the odor in the house and the locals said this is the way house smells?
In fact,some said they like it.
I cannot prove it,but some of these local folks suffer from an underactive thyroid.
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Lets all stop whining !
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gasolineguys
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posted on March 23, 2007 09:38:23 AM new
thanks hwahwa, I had some in the sun yesterday helped a lot. Just bought a bag of kitty litter and am going to try that in the pantie hose also. Maybe I will get there sure a a LOT of them to do LOL
gasguy
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birgittaw
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posted on March 23, 2007 10:10:22 AM new
I do live in a humid climate, so musty smells are nothing unsual (learned that the hard way with paper stored in garage). Kitty litter does work, but I find that it only works temporarily. First damp day, and the odor seems to be back. I think the sun is as cheap, as easy and as smart as anything!
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gasolineguys
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posted on March 23, 2007 10:20:44 AM new
Thanks birgittaw, we are doing the sun and now going to try a batch with the kitty litter and maybe a combo of both??
I think you are right about just the sun, just need to get enough of it !! Maybe kitty litter in the box's of the Mags till it gets warm. I live on the Central Coast in Ca. so not to many Hot days.
gasguy
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eauctionmgnt
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posted on March 23, 2007 11:20:56 AM new
birgittaw,
The reason your smell probably comes back is because the mold is still active. The kitty litter masks the smell, but the mold stays alive.
Keep in mind that mold is not always noticeable to the human eye. So just because you don't "see" mold, doesn't mean it's not there. Not all mold is the blackish-green stuff we're used to seeing in showers and basements. There's many varieties... and some that affect paper products can be about the same color as the paper (making it hard to distinguish). The smell is a much better indicator.
******************************
Vintage Paper Ads
http://www.vintagepaperads.com
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gasolineguys
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posted on March 23, 2007 11:56:05 AM new
Thanks birgittaw, I did not realize that the mold could be the same color as the paper, like you said I was looking for black or green.
We were in the antiques business for 40 years but did not handle paper or books.
We are doing about 20 in the bright sun now and have put kitty litter in the other box's. So a work in progress. I hope the out come is good, got a lot of them LOL
gasguy
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hwahwa
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posted on March 23, 2007 12:20:15 PM new
You know what kills mold,fungus,mildew and bacteria too,it is bleach!
But it would destroy your prints.
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Lets all stop whining !
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VintageAds4U
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posted on March 23, 2007 12:34:44 PM new
Leave the magazines in your car, windows up on a hot day. That works pretty well too and they are not exposed to elements.
Good luck!
Beth
VintageAds4U
http://stores.ebay.com/vintageads4uonline?refid=store
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birgittaw
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posted on March 23, 2007 12:58:12 PM new
You need to thank eauctionmgt! I think I once read that grain alcohol will remove mold but that was on prints. Never did get to that one ... and then there was cooking paper in the microwave, but I burned one piece so that was the end of that!
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gasolineguys
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posted on March 23, 2007 02:23:37 PM new
thanks hwahwa, I would still have the staples to sell !!
gasguy
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gasolineguys
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posted on March 23, 2007 02:25:56 PM new
Thanks Beth,then my car would smell like the magazines and then??? We are trying the sun.
gasguy
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gasolineguys
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posted on March 23, 2007 02:29:26 PM new
eauctionmgt,sorry, missed a thanks on the second post. We are trying the sun on about 20 of them and have put kitty litter in pantie hose and then in the boxs so we shall see.
gasguy
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gasolineguys
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posted on March 23, 2007 02:35:49 PM new
Thanks birgittaw for the heads up. Too many pages for the alcohol and if I did the microwave thing the staples would do me in on that one. I think mother nature maybe the answer
gasguy
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eauctionmgnt
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posted on March 23, 2007 05:50:17 PM new
Glad to help, and... definitely don't use the microwave. See:
http://orpheus.ucsd.edu/preservation/microwav.html
Honestly, good old sunlight is the best (although a time consuming) method.
Also... keep in mind that just killing the mold... doesn't remove the dead mold from the pages. To truly remove the mold, you then need to either brush (with a soft-bristle brush) or vacuum the pages. Vacuuming is the preferred method, because it doesn't redistribute any spores (that might still be active).
******************************
Vintage Paper Ads
http://www.vintagepaperads.com
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gasolineguys
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posted on March 23, 2007 06:02:28 PM new
Thanks so much for all the info you have provided eauctionmgnt it's been a BIG help. I am using the "sun" to do the work. It may end up being I sell them as ad's to ?? I don't do ad's. If any one is interested for my email ask. It will be a while while I let mother nature and old Sol do it's job
gasguy
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VintageAds4U
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posted on March 24, 2007 04:55:52 AM new
LOL...your car won't smell. There are a number of conservation sites that give dozens of methods for removal of both spores (which you may not be able to see) and the musty smell.
I inadvertently get a volume occasionally that is musty or smoky and has to be "cleaned" before selling the ads and articles. My personal experience with dryer sheets such as Bounce is not good, tends to break down the pages.
My best experience is sunlight in enclosed space (direct sunlight is not so good for old paper) or placing book in box and that box in a larger box of kitty litter. Cover the whole thing.
If you have mold, a small vacuum with hepa filter may be necessary. Wear gloves. I got a nasty eye allergy once when mold from an old book got in my eye. Yuck!
Good luck!
Beth
VintageAds4U
http://stores.ebay.com/vintageads4uonline?refid=store
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gasolineguys
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posted on March 24, 2007 06:36:18 AM new
Beth, thanks, this is about what I am doing, we shall see. I have had about 20 of them in the sun for two days still slight smell. Maybe 1-2 more days and then I will list a few of them.
gasguy
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