smokey smell....how to remove

eyebone

bought a set of cards and they stink of cigarette smoke. any idea how i try and minimize this?

thanks, eyebone

epatmythes

Step 1) Request a return for refund from the seller

If step 1 fails

Step 2) Take outside, soak in gasoline or charcoal fluid... set on fire

I had a package come from a sportlots seller not too long back. I almost threw up when I opened the bubble mailer. These were early to mid 90's cards... so I assume they've been sitting in a house that has been smoke filled, 24/7/365, for the better part of 2 decades. I've never experienced such a rancid smell in my life.

Cards and envelope did not stay in my house very long at all... to the trash they went!

eagles33

Haha. I bought a lot of about 30 browns boxing cards and they had the same problem... They literally stunk up the closet I put them in... I slabbed the Holyfield and tossed the rest. The holyfield got an 8 so i guess you can say now it smells near minty fresh.

eyebone

^^^^not an ebay purchase. picked them up at an auction. must have belonged to some old guy who was a two-pack-a-dayer. the funny thing is they are in very nice condition otherwise and they are not inexpensive. don't want to do anything drastic, so unless somebody out there has any ideas i might just leave them outside for a couple of weeks and hope that the fresh air does some good.

eyebone

BenG76

I have always heard dryer sheets help.

Dboneesq

Found these possible solutions when I searched for you:

1. I took the cards out of the febreeze rag today and they're good to go. Didn't soak the rag obviously, just sprayed both sides and wrapped it up then put it in a box. Worked nicely. OR

2. Take them out of the toploaders and throw toploaders away. stack cards in a big enough box with a lid to cover them. Put 1 dryer sheet in the box. Leave for a day or so. You can also cut a hole in both sides of the box, and place the dryer sheet in and put a box fan on low to blow genly throught the box.

eyebone

thank you gentlemen--i will give the fabreeze sheet a try.

eyebone

bigdogparty

I got a set one time that.smelled like smoke. I took a couple charcole filters like you use in a litter box since they are designed to absorb odors and laid them in the box. Over time, it made a big difference.

vladguerrero

return to sender, gross

ldferg

I picked up some cards from a family friend. Guy smoked like a tobacco barn. Stored the cards in my basement. Smell ended up permeating throughout the house. Ended up throwing them away. Unreal how quick the smell gets around.

Good luck with the fabreze.

MrNearMint

Another possible option is to put the cards in a big garbage bag with shredded newspapers or even paper from a shredder, tie the bag closed and leave it sit for a week or so.

brian26

<< <i>bought a set of cards and they stink of cigarette smoke. any idea how i try and minimize this?

thanks, eyebone >>



Ugh, one of my biggest pet peeves ever. You never know when its going to happen on Ebay.

Try this...I've had some success. Take some dryer fabric softener sheets and put them next to the cards and close the box. Leave them there a day or two and then take them out.

jeffcbay

Was it black smoke or white smoke?

handyman

Just pull them from the sheets or box they came in and give them time. I bought a Nice 1975 Fb set that I couldnt figure out what was off with them when I was fliping the pages. Then half way through I said ah ha. Cigars!!! Ive had the set for about 10 months now and the smell is almost completely gone if there at all. Just change how they were stored and keep them in a nice clean new enviornment and the smell should fade.

BaltimoreYankee

I once bought a lot of 50 cards that stunk. I laid them all out on a counter for about a week, flipped them over and left them for another week and it really helped.

vladguerrero

Nice one Jeff.

VitoCo1972

Just think, the entire country smelled like that in the late 1950's. They never mention that in Back to the Future.

californiacards3

Purchase a nice size cedar box or a shoe box with cedar chips the ones you use to smoke bbq

That works as well

BW