How to Get the Musty Smell Out of Old Books
Your bookshelf gives off a musty, faintly sweet old-book smell because paper slowly breaks down over the years, along with dust and sometimes a touch of mildew from damp storage. Dust and air the books, use absorbers, and lower the humidity, and it freshens.
We make small-batch beeswax candles in Far Rockaway, so a room that truly smells clean is our whole focus, and that always starts at the source rather than the scent. Below is where the smell comes from, how to clear it step by step, and how to keep the space fresh afterward, with the full the MBur beeswax candle collection here as you read.
Why old books smell musty
Old paper releases organic compounds as it ages, which is the classic old-book smell, and dust settles into the shelves and along the tops of the pages. Damp conditions add mildew on top.
A shelf packed with old books concentrates all of it, and the smell lingers in the paper. Airing the books and drying the space is what helps.
How to freshen them, step by step
- Dust the books and shelves. Remove the books, dust the shelves, and gently brush or wipe the tops of the pages where dust collects.
- Air the books out. Stand them fanned open in a dry, airy spot out of direct sun for a day or two.
- Use absorbers. Seal musty books in a container or bag with an open box of baking soda, or with charcoal, not touching the books, for a few days to a couple of weeks.
- Treat mildew carefully. For actual mildew, wipe covers with a barely damp cloth and dry thoroughly, and brush and air the pages. Badly mildewed books may not be salvageable.
- Fix the environment. Reduce the humidity around the shelf, since a musty shelf is often a damp-room problem.
The room is usually the real culprit. Books that keep going musty point to a humidity problem, so a dehumidifier often does more than treating each book.
Keep it from coming back
Keep books somewhere dry and ventilated, and dust the shelves periodically.
Do not pack books against a damp wall, and run a dehumidifier if the room stays humid.
Freshen the whole room once the source is gone
With the musty books handled, the air itself is the last step. A clean candle is the finishing touch here, best lit once the space is already clean. From there it is the fastest way to make the room read fresh rather than merely neutral.
For your living room, Room Service fits well. It is cozy and sweet, with vanilla, almond milk, white tea, and tonka bean, and like every MBur candle it is poured from 100% beeswax with a wooden wick and phthalate-free non-toxic fragrance oils, so freshening the air never means adding soot on top.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get the musty smell out of old books?
Dust them, air them out fanned open in a dry spot, and seal them with baking soda or charcoal in a container for several days.
What causes the old-book smell?
Aging paper releasing organic compounds, plus dust, and sometimes mildew from damp storage.
Can I save a mildewed book?
Sometimes. Gently wipe the covers, dry it thoroughly, and air it out. Books with heavy mildew through the pages often cannot be fully saved.
How do I stop my bookshelf from smelling?
Keep the room dry and ventilated, dust regularly, and use a dehumidifier if humidity is the issue.
Ready to keep your space smelling clean once the source is handled? Explore the MBur beeswax candle collection and find the scent that fits the room.
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