Re-Soaking!

Does anyone else re-soak used stamps that they recieve in lots? I've gotten some which smelled like they were right out of an ashtray and some that were really discolored so I resoaked them with baking soda and rinsed them before drying. Sometimes it makes a really nice difference and other times it's in vain but I find that the smell is pretty much gone. Any other ideas about horrible smelling/looking items?

Re the tobacco smell - Someone once gave me a tip for putting the article (album book opened out) in a closed container like a plastic storage box which is then filled with loosely crumpled newspaper. It actually does work though it does take weeks, depending on the degree of smell. Works for a musty smell too. At the very least, it allows you to get to work and do further cleaning without coming out of the ordeal smelling like a bar-room floor.

Yes, I often resoak to remove hinge remnants (sometimes even on mint stamps of otherwise low value). I have not tried using baking soda in the resoak water, though.

I've also heard that salt is ok with soaking too.

I actually had that idea but was to worried I'd de-value or mess it up somehow. I miht try that with some minimal value stuff and see.

I also had another acquaintance who swore by covering the stamps in the actual baking soda itself for awhile and then just dusting them off. I don't know how well that would work. I assume it would be ok for items you didn't want to soak.

There are a few other threads about this if you use search button at top...

https://goscf.com/t/11007

When I was younger, some of my friends smoked and it didn't bother me at all, but as I get older, I get increasingly less tolerant. I don't mean of the smokers (not trying to start that argument); I mean the actual smoke smell itself. It really hurts me to be around it.

KirkS


Good Luck

I'm an exsmoker and to be honest, until I quit I didn't realize how bad it really smells. I cna't be around it anymore and for the life of me I can't understand how I enjoyed it so much.

Every used stamp that I am going to add to my collection gets soaked. This is just to give them a little bath and get any junk that may be on them off. Also mint stamps that have a lot of hinges on them get soaked to get them off.