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Won't an hour in the oven ruin the book? I'm assuming massive browning of pages, etc... Tom Send a noteboard - 16/10/2013 03:16:26 AM

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I have about three books that I really, truly like that smell sort of mildewy ("old book smell"). I have heard that freezing will destroy the smell but "not the spores". My library is very dry - humidity is probably around 25% - but I don't want spores all over it. I already have the spots for the books in places where they will have limited exposure to other books, but am I running a risk? Is there anything else I can do? I've read about this on the Internet but haven't gotten any definitive answers.

Look up the process of autoclaving (sterilizing lab materials). It's usually done with moist heat when possible (30 min @ 121 C), but if you can only use dry heat (assume you'd have to with books), go with 400 F for an hour in your oven.


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ἡ δὲ κἀκ τριῶν τρυπημάτων ἐργαζομένη ἐνεκάλει τῇ φύσει, δυσφορουμένη, ὅτι δὴ μὴ καὶ τοὺς τιτθοὺς αὐτῇ εὐρύτερον ἢ νῦν εἰσι τρυπώη, ὅπως καὶ ἄλλην ἐνταῦθα μίξιν ἐπιτεχνᾶσθαι δυνατὴ εἴη. – Procopius

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Question on books with mildewy smell - 14/10/2013 08:57:45 PM 1185 Views
Probably not the answer you're looking for. - 15/10/2013 01:37:19 PM 1199 Views
Could you keep them in a cupboard? - 15/10/2013 05:47:20 PM 1055 Views
Freezing won't kill them but heat will - 16/10/2013 03:09:33 AM 1058 Views
Won't an hour in the oven ruin the book? I'm assuming massive browning of pages, etc... - 16/10/2013 03:16:26 AM 859 Views
yep, sorry i just edited - 16/10/2013 03:17:10 AM 964 Views
also - 16/10/2013 03:31:35 AM 943 Views
Re: also - 16/10/2013 05:10:12 AM 969 Views
There's a few tricks - 16/10/2013 05:01:51 AM 1017 Views
I like the desiccant idea. - 16/10/2013 05:20:25 AM 882 Views
Re: I like the desiccant idea. - 16/10/2013 05:56:46 AM 1131 Views
Kind of a weird idea - 16/10/2013 11:34:42 PM 881 Views
It may work, but then spores are in your vacuum cleaner. - 17/10/2013 03:34:03 AM 919 Views
Buy a cheap crappy vaccum cleaner from a thrift store? - 17/10/2013 11:40:37 PM 987 Views
Maybe it would be worth contacting a library? - 29/10/2013 04:09:31 PM 927 Views

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