HOW DO I GET RID OF SMOKE SMELL FROM PAPER?

[Vencine]

Hi,

I just received a whole lot of scrapbooking paper pads and embellishments from a tag sale and did not realize that the home was not smoke free. The paper and embellishments smell like cigarette smoke. Not too bad, but I noticed it right away. I am not a smoker. Does anyone have any ideas on how I can get rid of this smell of smoke from these paper pads? Thanks so much.

[flash&rusty]

I would try putting them into a box and then using 2 or 3 boxes of baking soda in the box - the baking soda shouldn't harm the paper, and should take out the smell.

Good luck.
Beth

[Vencine]

Thanks for the help.

[Junnee]

This happened to me once and I tried talc .I know its messy ,try the baking soda first.Dont you feel miffed when that happens .goodluck.
Junnee

[contrapat]

charcoal absorbs odor, too, but you'd have to careful how you used it. I remember when I used to sell Tupperware, they advised putting some charcoal into a Tupperware container and sealing it, and sitting it in the sun to remove odors. You could use a BIG container, with some charcoal under a rack, and the paper above it, and seal shut for a while. Or those huge Ziplocs?

[Madstamper65]

i heard you can put the items a in zip-loc and leave them in the freezer for a week or two. i have never had to try it i guess it works.
Good luck.

[rsalamon]

A few years ago my husband purchased a boardgame from eBay and it came to us reeking of cigarette smoke. He placed the board along with the cards, etc into a trash bag along with an open box of baking soda and sealed the trash bag. After about 4 days the smoke smell was gone.

Good luck!

[SkyNacho]

You know, I had some primas like that. I put them in a container with baking soda. Didn't help. (Really surprised me that it didn't, to be honest.)

I eventually spread them all out on my glass topped coffee table and let them sit for a while. The smell dissipated on its own, and the table is far enough out of the way that I didn't have to smell it unless I got up really close.

[derdriu]

Try putting the paper in a zip lock bag with dryer sheets. I had to do that with some beads I bought off of Ebay. It worked to my amazement!

[stampandweave]

I've had great luck getting smells out of things using odor absorbers. They come in plastic jars and are about the consistency of a candle. They often have a scent of their own, but instead of trying to cover a smell they actually absorb the odor. You can find them sometimes with air fresheners or sometimes with pet supplies. They are pretty inexpensive, $4-$8 and last a long time.

[Vencine]

Thanks so much for all the suggestions. You guys are great. I bought myself a huge bag of baking soda today at BJ's. I'll let you know if it works. If not I'll try the dryer sheets.

[purplewinkle]

Quote:

Originally Posted by derdriu

Try putting the paper in a zip lock bag with dryer sheets. I had to do that with some beads I bought off of Ebay. It worked to my amazement!

I did this with some books, I put a dryer sheet in between a few pages and left them for a while. The smell was gone and the smell was very very strong.

I wish you great success.

[Lynn in St. Louis]

I have had great success with putting papers between pages of newspaper. Leave them sealed for 24 hours and the smell was virtually undetectable.

[craftymomto2]

I got a cookbook once and it smelled. I left it out on our screened in porch for about a week; in the sun, helps too. Of course, this would probably not work at this time of year.

[kphorse]

Odor eater insoles work wonderful and do nothing to harm what you put in with them...You can buy them very cheap at Wal-Mart...Put one in a zip lock bag with your smelly products and in a few days, fresh as can be!

[Kolt]

Citrus magic works great or the refrigerator baking soda packs in a plastic bag for a few days will also work. You can fine odor removers that have charcoal in them at the dollr stores too.

[tina van-eick]

I put them in a zip lock bag with 2 or 3 unused dryer sheets. It works great.

[Jazzyjess49]

I took the musty basement smell off some really old photo's and a year book from the 1920's, by laying them all in between some white acid free paper. It worked, but I don't know how long it took. I didn't check back until about a month later. Also the acid free paper did take on the smell, so I am using it as scrap paper now. But it was free paper anyway. (It's great to have access to the printing industry!) These photo's were of my Grand and Great Grand parents! And I saved them! They had been in that basement for
a long time. My mom and I went to live there when I was a baby. And I'm 61 years old. So who knows how long that musty basement was their home! If you've seen the TV Show 'Hoarders' then you can imagine their house, and basement! I should scrap their story... hmmmm well good luck with your paper.

[MariLynn]

I work in an office where paperwork that is turned in smells of tobacco smoke days and weeks after it has been near the person smoking. I don't think the smell completely ever goes away. I hope the suggestions that you got work.

[emsmomthestamper]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SkyNacho

You know, I had some primas like that. I put them in a container with baking soda. Didn't help. (Really surprised me that it didn't, to be honest.)

I eventually spread them all out on my glass topped coffee table and let them sit for a while. The smell dissipated on its own, and the table is far enough out of the way that I didn't have to smell it unless I got up really close.

This too, only the spreading out of them on an :ounused coffee tabel in basement helped my "bargain" papers....

[emsmomthestamper]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lynn in St. Louis

I have had great success with putting papers between pages of newspaper. Leave them sealed for 24 hours and the smell was virtually undetectable.

When I sold tupperware a hundred million yrs ago we were instructed to have our customers crumple newpapers and place them in the offending ( say onions)smelly plasticware, place lid on and leave for a few days at a time re-adding paper as needed.
Nowadays you can buy newsprint before it's used and save yourself the problem of the ink smearing on your DSP! Best of luck.

[Vina82]

I won a stamp off of Ebay once & it reeked of cig smoke. I wrapped it in new dryer sheets & placed it outside on the patio to air out. It took almost 2 weeks before the yucky smell went away. Since then I make sure to ask the seller (before bidding) if the item is coming from a NON smoking home.
Good luck!

[jeanne3579]

A friend of mine had a house fire that resulted in mostly smoke damage. Don't know if that smoke is the same or not, but this lady had lots (and I mean LOTS)of decorations in her attic and that plus clothes etc. all smelled terribly. She bought kitty litter, sprinkled it in the boxes and closets and before long everything was smoke-smell free. Good luck!

[emsmomthestamper]

Quote:

Originally Posted by purplewinkle

I did this with some books, I put a dryer sheet in between a few pages and left them for a while. The smell was gone and the smell was very very strong.

I wish you great success.

I so love Nutella.....

Good luck with the papers odor leaving!!

[angieh29]

saving for later, my friend and I bought a ton of paper and it reeks, like 800 pieces!!