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Removing Cigarette Smell from Magazines General discussion
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Frequent poster 740 posts arvanlaar Frequent poster 740 posts
arvanlaar
Hey All,
 
I came into a collection of modelling magazines from a member of my local club, and I am very grateful to have them and the resources they contain. However, this member is a heavy smoker and the magazines have a very powerful odor that fills the room with the smell to the point where I can't read around my wife as she is very sensitive to cigarette smoke.
 
I have a lot of these magazines (50+) and I want to deodorize them. Has anyone done something like this before and if so, what was your method?
 
Thanks in advance!

Taking baby steps with my inglenook test layout build.
Reply 1
CNscale Regular poster 197 posts
CNscale
Ozone generator.
Here in Canada they're difficult to find for purchase, but can be obtained from an outfit that rents tools and such. Might be easier to find where you are. They're typically used to remediate vehicles and houses that have been occupied by smokers.
Inhaling ozone is unhealthy so you want to treat your magazines in an enclosed unoccupied space that can be ventilated after the ozone generator shuts off.
I found that the generator I rented was fairly weak, so I ordered parts directly from China and built my own. It did a great job on a house that had been occupied by a heavy smoker for 15 years.
Chris
Reply 6
Alexandria Nick Active Member 83 posts
Alexandria Nick
Get a sealable bag big enough for a magazine (you're only doing one at a time), put the magazine in it, put a fresh dryer sheet on either side of the magazine, seal it, and wait 48 hours.
 
It won't be perfect, but it'll do something.
[kFpWJwp]
Reply 3
Chris Palermo patentwriter Prolific poster 1,279 posts
Chris Palermo patentwriter
This is a recurring problem in the stamp collecting hobby, in which I am also active. People buy filled stamp albums on eBay, other auctions, or from estates, only to find that smokers worked on them for decades. In an online forum for that hobby, some people have reported success by leaving the items on a table outdoors in a shaded area in good weather for a week, while periodically going out and fanning the pages in the fresh air.
At Large North America Director, 2024-2027 - National Model Railroad Association, Inc.
Reply 5
aleasp Regular poster 118 posts
aleasp
We had some success removing cigarette and musty basement odors from old family photos by placing them in sealed plastic tubs on top of a layer of cat litter for several weeks. The cat litter can then be reused for it's intended purpose.
 
Joe S
Reply 2
ednadolski Frequent poster 859 posts
ednadolski
Just a guess, but maybe baking soda?
 
Ed
Reply 2
arvanlaar Frequent poster 740 posts
arvanlaar
We had some success removing cigarette and musty basement odors from old family photos by placing them in sealed plastic tubs on top of a layer of cat litter for several weeks. The cat litter can then be reused for it's intended purpose.
 
Joe S
 
Just to clarify, the magazines are in sealed tubs and then are put ontop of the litter? Or the litter goes into the bottom of the tub, magazines on top and then they are sealed? I assume the later but just wanted to make sure 🙂

Taking baby steps with my inglenook test layout build.
Reply 1
Michael Tondee MRH Author 6,529 posts
Michael Tondee
You might try very lightly misting the pages with aerosol Febreeze and letting them dry in open air.
I've has success with a couple of old documents doing that.
It has to be light though, anywhere even close to saturation will ruin it.

Michael, A.R.S. W4HIJ

Model Rail, electronics experimenter and "mad scientist" for over 50 years.

Member of "The Amigos" and staunch disciple of the "Wizard of Monterey"

I call what I do "An artistic impression of reality" and you can see my layout journal here...

The Blackwater Island Logging&Mining Co.
Reply 4
p51 MRH Author 3,524 posts
p51
Get a sealable bag big enough for a magazine (you're only doing one at a time), put the magazine in it, put a fresh dryer sheet on either side of the magazine, seal it, and wait 48 hours.
 
It won't be perfect, but it'll do something.
You beat me to it. Ive deodorized lots of 40s paperwork that way!
Lee

[35532433422_1a63689aeb_n]

My Flickr website with layout photos

https://forum.mrhmag.com/post/etwnc-stoney-creek-branch-12197690?&trail=25

You can never have too much detail or too many trees!
Reply 2
aleasp Regular poster 118 posts
aleasp
 
Just to clarify, the magazines are in sealed tubs and then are put ontop of the litter? Or the litter goes into the bottom of the tub, magazines on top and then they are sealed? I assume the later but just wanted to make sure 🙂
We spread about an inch of litter on the bottom of the tub, laid out the photos in a single layer on top of the litter, then tightly closed the lid.
Reply 2
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