Removing Musty Smell

For Christmas I was gifted a small plastic tub of stamps. When I opened the lid I could definitely detect a musty smell - not horrible, but noticeable. While most of the stamps are common stamps
from the 1980s (a lot still on paper) and I will probably toss most of them; there are a few I will hold on to. I have had luck in the past with soaking the used ones, but there are some unused booklet panes and whole booklets that I would love to keep. Any suggestions for minimizing the odor.

This is what works for me. Get a plastic garbage bag, large or small. Put a small bowl with fresh baking soda next to the item you want to sanitize, in the garbage bag. Close the garbage bag tight. Let it sit for several weeks in a corner somewhere. Works like a charm for me every time...

p.s. You will probably want to get rid of the plastic tub...

John

Unscented cat litter will also work

Thank you John and Dutchman,
I will try one or the other or both. I never thought I would be that interested in booklets, but I'm finding these to be rather neat.

Wendy

Wendy,

It works for just about any objectionable smell - mothball smell (often present in collections or accumulations kept in closets), and cigarette/cigar smoke smell (common in older elbe-style cardboard stock page collections and accumulations). If you still detect a smell after a few weeks, just repeat the process with fresh materials.

A little patience will go a long way...

John

High quality activated carbon works best, setup as a filter with air moving across the stamps. (You can find activated carbon filters sold for cat boxes.)

Alternately, just airing them outside (out of direct sunlight and high humidity) can work wonders.
Don