doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Musty Smell in Case - Solution?

This is an age old problem with books as well as other things that have mold. First two warnings, do not use this if there is any nickle plating on the case and work with this in a well ventilated area.

Use a flat bottom small dish and put equal parts Clorox bleach and white vinegar about a tablespoon of each. This makes a low grade chlorine gas and will kill everything. I've used this for over thirty years on paper goods such as books which I place in a large plastic box with a good top, I fan out the pages and after a day replace the liquid and reposition the pages.

Whoa Michael,
You're scaring me now with Chlorine Gas - however, I know that you are correct. Chlorine Gas is used in industry to do exactly what you are suggesting - it kills everything!

If the Formula 409 doesn't do the trick, I'll move on up the ladder to you're suggestion, but I think I'll do it out in the gazebo on a calm day.

Thanks,

I do this in a shower stall and turn on the fan for a while after I open the box, so far, knock on wood, it has not caused me harm. I would be very careful in a confined space and keep the kiddies away. I learned this back when I was a member of ABAA, Antiquarian Booksellers of America.

The same thing I use in my tennis shoes- Glade Apple Cinnamon spray air freshener.

I don't use chemicals just silica gel in a sachet, this removes odours and dampness.

What about Ozone?
After a house fire, ozone generators are used to remove the smoky smell. Anybody ever try this? It might be a decent way to treat aging leather goods.

I'd take a Goodwill suitcase to a fire restoration place and see if it works. Chemicals will just mask the smell.

The coffee method will remove the existing smell and eventually the coffe smell will disapate. We have used coffee for years when shipping sealed containers as moisture and mold control. It has been very effective without being toxic.

al

Thanks to all the suggestions so far.

I went the "Formula 409" route (dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride), but after a liberal spraying and two days of a closed case - the smell is still there. It is a little less objectionable - but if there is any smell at all, the mold will just keep growing and eventually I'll be back where I started.

I'll give it a couple of more days, but the Chlorine Gas route will be next - after I get back from the Northeast Side x Side.

APS, the Coffee approach is good for keeping mold from forming. I assume because it absorbs the moisture, but I'm pretty sure that it won't kill a mold colony once it has formed.

In any case, I'm still open for suggestions before I gas the neighborhood!

Thanks again.

Back from The Northeast Side x Side - opened the case and the smell is still there. the "409" solution didn't do the trick.
Waiting for a clear day (Saturday?) to give the Chlorine gas a try.
Will report back on results.

By the way, the Northeast Side x Side was a fun and very well run shoot.

As I said Waaaay up in the beginning of this thread coffee is the way to go. This Thompson SMG sat in this fabric lined case in a musty basement for years before I bought it and the interior of the case smelled horribly. I put several coffee filters filled with fresh coffee in it, closed the lid and let it sit for a week. Other than a mild coffee aroma which quickly disappated the musty dank smell was gone and did not come back.
Jim