# That old book smell.

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-old-book-smell/70230>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 26, 2001, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-old-book-smell/70230 "2001-06-26T19:16:05Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\
**Post date:** [June 26, 2001, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-old-book-smell/70230/1 "2001-06-26T19:16:05Z")

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Purchased on ebay, an old book for SO’s b’day. (Richard Halliburton’s _Complete Book of Marvels_ thanks for asking).

Got it, and, well, there’s a really strong odor. Not necessarily icky odor (almost like old lady bath powder) pretty heady/sweet, and not at all what you want to sniff while reading.

SO is really super sensative to odors. Any suggestions? (I’ve had it ‘airing out’ for a week - and while it’s quite a bit less noticable, it’s still there when you get into reading distance).

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**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\
**Post date:** [June 26, 2001, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-old-book-smell/70230/2 "2001-06-26T19:51:24Z")

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Sounds like you’ve got a book that has…mildew. Pretty common. Solutions - well, as a book collector, I checked into this with a very reputable rare-book dealer (Quill & Brush, out of Maryland - they “wrote the book” on collecting first editions)and they said the solution is, if you can believe it, kitty litter. Here’s the recipe:

- Get some standard clay (i.e., non clumping) kitty litter
- Put it in a pan deep enough to allow you to bury the book in litter (I can hardly wait to hear the sarcastic comments on that one). By the way, if it has a dust jacket, take it off before submerging…
- Leave the book in the kitty litter for 3 weeks (!) The clay neutralizes the mildew
- After 3 weeks, take the book out of the litter,brush off the dust (this part scared me - I assumed the dust would stick into the cloth of the binding, but it came off easily)and put the dj back on.

I have tried this on two books and it did fine. Best of Luck

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**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\
**Post date:** [June 26, 2001, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-old-book-smell/70230/3 "2001-06-26T19:58:58Z")

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Thanks! and, as luck would have it, we have 3 cats, so no shortage of kitty litter. Should I remove the cat first? (joking). will give it a go.

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**Author:** ![Neurodoc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/848f3c/32.png) [@Neurodoc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurodoc)\
**Post date:** [June 27, 2001, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-old-book-smell/70230/4 "2001-06-27T04:31:33Z")

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Wring,

That old book smell you describe is nothing short of marvelous, IMHO. I happen to love the vaguely musty/moldy odor of a really old book.

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**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\
**Post date:** [June 27, 2001, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-old-book-smell/70230/5 "2001-06-27T12:16:06Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Neurodoc \*  
> \*\*Wring,
> 
> That old book smell you describe is nothing short of marvelous, IMHO. I happen to love the vaguely musty/moldy odor of a really old book. \*\*

It wouldn’t be a particular problem for me. However, the person who will receive the gift has a real aversion to heavy scents.