I recently bought (sight unseen) a number of cards that reek of cigarette smoke. They are otherwise near mint. Does anyone know a good way of getting the smell out of them? Sticking them in a box seems to be a good way to get all my cards smoky.
Do people find that trying to trade away smoky cards is a problem? Is there an olfactory component to card condition?
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I am horribly allergic to cigarette smoke, so I will actually throw away cards that stink too much.
however, one way I have found to make them not stink- take them out of their sleeves and line them, one deep, in a Tupperware container. on top of the cards, put a dryer sheet or two (depending on the # of cards) then put something slightly heavy that wont cause bending to the cards (I use the rigid toploaders) on top of the dryer sheets. close the Tupperware up and leave it for a week. the dryer sheets suck up the smoke smell. granted your cards will smell like bounce for a little while, but the smell fades, and when it does, the cards should be smoke-free.
Ed
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I am horribly allergic to cigarette smoke, so I will actually throw away cards that stink too much.
however, one way I have found to make them not stink- take them out of their sleeves and line them, one deep, in a Tupperware container. on top of the cards, put a dryer sheet or two (depending on the # of cards) then put something slightly heavy that wont cause bending to the cards (I use the rigid toploaders) on top of the dryer sheets. close the Tupperware up and leave it for a week. the dryer sheets suck up the smoke smell. granted your cards will smell like bounce for a little while, but the smell fades, and when it does, the cards should be smoke-free.
Ed
I've also done this with a Febreeze soaked paper towel, obviously taking precaution not to put the damp paper towel in direct contact with the cards. It helped some, at least to the point where you couldn't smell the smoke (when the card was sleeved) unless you held the card under your nose (whereas before you could smell them when they were on the table). It wasn't perfect, so maybe try a dryer sheet cycle followed by a Febreeze cycle.
Activated charcoal also does wonders for removing the smell of smoke. One time the house I was living in almost burned down due to a house fire, and the place reeked of smoke afterwards. I bought some charcoal briquets and left them, exposed, around the house. They significantly reduced the smoke smell.
I've done this with success. Took a few days, but after treatment they only smell like cardboard.
Since I have neither dryer sheets nor activated charcoal, I'm going to try the baking soda route. I'll let people know how it goes and if the cards are useful for anything other than the refuse bin.
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Johnny chan used to have an orange by his side when he went to poker tournaments. He would put it up to his nose to reduce the smell of all the then legal cigarette smoke. Not sure if putting fruit with the cards will work, but it may be effective. I would look online, or experiment with a cheap card first or the fruit may dry out or contaminate the card somehow.
I had some old TSR D&D boxed sets that I bought that reeked of cigarettes. Leaving them alone for about a year on a shelf pretty much got rid of all the smell (and that wasn't even with opening the boxes). If you have an out of the way top of a shelf or cupboard, leave the cards there for a while to air out thoroughly, it may do quite a bit.
...and I also have a very sensitive sense of smell - I was amazed at how much it helped to just let the stuff sit out.
I've also bought "smokey" collections and just airing them out on a windowsill does wonders. I also clean cards with alcohol wipes, which will get a lot of cigarette tar off the surface that you probably can't even see, which contributes to the smell. But I do not recommend cleaning cards unless you've had some practice at doing it and are willing to risk degrading a card or two if they get too wet. It's a process that takes some time to master.
I heard that putting cards that smell like cigarette smoke in a freezer for a few days works to remove the smell. Not sure of this though as none of my cards smell like smoke as no one smokes cigarettes where I live and I've never bought cards that smell smoky.
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"Yawgmoth," Freyalise whispered as she set the bomb, "now you will pay for your treachery."
Activated charcoal also does wonders for removing the smell of smoke. One time the house I was living in almost burned down due to a house fire, and the place reeked of smoke afterwards. I bought some charcoal briquets and left them, exposed, around the house. They significantly reduced the smoke smell.
There are these small charcoal cubes that you can place in the fridge - clears up smells so fast.
Have done the same in small rooms and removes smells. Did the same to an old gym back, removed about 90% of the smell.
When I was in high school I played at a card shop where the owner smoked in store. Needless to say, every card I bought between the ages of 16 and 18 smelled like smoke. I never did anything special to get the smell out, and eventually the smell went away with time.
Do people find that trying to trade away smoky cards is a problem? Is there an olfactory component to card condition?
― Anthony Bourdain, Kitchen Confidential
I will always firmly stand by the belief that Magic is a game first and a collectable second.
however, one way I have found to make them not stink- take them out of their sleeves and line them, one deep, in a Tupperware container. on top of the cards, put a dryer sheet or two (depending on the # of cards) then put something slightly heavy that wont cause bending to the cards (I use the rigid toploaders) on top of the dryer sheets. close the Tupperware up and leave it for a week. the dryer sheets suck up the smoke smell. granted your cards will smell like bounce for a little while, but the smell fades, and when it does, the cards should be smoke-free.
Ed
…( `\(o),,_/` ¯ : o : : : o `-, …. Beyond the hard times from now
have/want: http://www.mtgsalvation.com/trading-post/details/80-quattros-trade-thread
from my understanding, double sleeving will vacuum seal the card (once is it pressed out)
I buy HP and Damaged cards!
Only EDH:
Sigarda, Host of Herons: Enchantress' Enchantments
Jenara, Asura of War: ETB Value Town
Purphoros, God of the Forge: Global Punishment
Xenagos, God of Revels: Ramp, Sneak, & Heavy Hitters
Ghave, Guru of Spores: Dies_to_Doom_Blade's stax list
Edric, Spymaster of Trest: Donald's list
I've also done this with a Febreeze soaked paper towel, obviously taking precaution not to put the damp paper towel in direct contact with the cards. It helped some, at least to the point where you couldn't smell the smoke (when the card was sleeved) unless you held the card under your nose (whereas before you could smell them when they were on the table). It wasn't perfect, so maybe try a dryer sheet cycle followed by a Febreeze cycle.
Since I have neither dryer sheets nor activated charcoal, I'm going to try the baking soda route. I'll let people know how it goes and if the cards are useful for anything other than the refuse bin.
...and I also have a very sensitive sense of smell - I was amazed at how much it helped to just let the stuff sit out.
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There are these small charcoal cubes that you can place in the fridge - clears up smells so fast.
Have done the same in small rooms and removes smells. Did the same to an old gym back, removed about 90% of the smell.
I buy HP and Damaged cards!
Only EDH:
Sigarda, Host of Herons: Enchantress' Enchantments
Jenara, Asura of War: ETB Value Town
Purphoros, God of the Forge: Global Punishment
Xenagos, God of Revels: Ramp, Sneak, & Heavy Hitters
Ghave, Guru of Spores: Dies_to_Doom_Blade's stax list
Edric, Spymaster of Trest: Donald's list
stuff