tarot odor

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 21 Sep 2003, and now archived in the Forum Library.

truthsayer	21 Sep 2003
while i was going through my tarot decks yesterday, i came across my fae deck by greg hoose. to my surprize they smelled like formaldehyde! what a horrible smell! it reminds me of science lab where you when you dissect creatures and death. i don't have any idea how the deck picked up that smell! it wasn't like that before. it's impossible to use the deck unless i get the smell out. i'm thinking i'll try putting it in some dry potpouri. anyone else ever have this problem? what did you do?

Le_Corsair	21 Sep 2003
I bought a used Bosch Tarot that reeked of cigarette smoke. What I did was leave the cards outside in the sun, scattered loosely over a blanket. That eliminated the odor, same for the box. To substitute a pleasant odor, I seal the cards in a Tupperware/Rubbermaid type container along with a container's worth of whole cloves. Heavenly! Bob :THERM

truthsayer	21 Sep 2003
thank-you le corsair! that sounds like a great idea. i'm going to try it. i got the odor out of one deck by storing it with potpouri for 6 months but your way sounds faster.

Rhiannon	21 Sep 2003
Hi Truth! I had a problem with a deck once and to get rid of the smell I placed the cards in one of those zipper bags that you can get for your "delicates" and then I put a fabric softener sheet and just stuck them in the dryer on low heat. The smell was gone and the cards didn't smell too much like fabric softener. R :)

Phoenix	21 Sep 2003
I would be hesitant to place them out in the sun. The heat may cause the cards to curl. You may just want to leave them out in an area that gets fresh air for a few days.

arcanalefait	21 Sep 2003
To get the smell of smoke out of my decks I put them in a box with a couple of drops of essential oil (Frankincense seemed to work best, but lemon was "fresher") and some incense sticks and cones and left 'em for a couple of days. Now they smell like sweet incense, but I don't mind that.

scheherazade	21 Sep 2003
Formaldehyde? How in the world did that happen? I've never had any stinky decks, but whenever I buy new ones, I'm always put off by their impersonal store-bought smell. So I take aromatherapy oil and rub my hands in it before I shuffle the deck, or I take the cards and wave them over incense. That customizes their scents to my preferences real fast.

truthsayer	22 Sep 2003
i seperated the deck, it's box and flannel bag from each other. i put the deck in a new box i hand painted. then i wrapped the deck in a dryer sheet and closed the lid. i was afraid i might damage the deck if i put it in the dryer. just a few hours later and the smell is much improved already. thank-you all for your suggestions.

raeanne	22 Sep 2003
Hi all, I had a mini deck that was in a little box that had been rubbed with too much olive oil. The oil became rancid so the deck had a very bad smell and some of the cards had oil spots on them. I place the cards in the microwave for about 30 seconds (if I remember correctly, maybe it was a bit more time). Since it was a mini Albano Waite deck, I could fit several cards in at once. It didn't take very long to do the whole deck. The cards did start to curl just a bit but I put them under a book as soon as they came out of the microwave. I got rid of the smell and even some of the oil spots faded. I don't think this would work for all smells but if the smell is organic in nature, I think it would help.

Tallarico	26 Sep 2003
Hi, I just got a deck that smells like mildew. Do you think the microwave would work best or a window sill. (BTW, it's not very sunny here now). I am concerned about using the dryer because the cards are 35 years old. (but in good shape) Thanks Karen.

raeanne	26 Sep 2003
Hi Tallarino, My guess is that you will get better results with the microwave than with a window sill but you might want to do some testing first since these are old cards. I talked to a librarian and she said that using a microwave was a known technique for old books but she had never tried it herself. She also said that there were some chemical washes that librarians use. You may want to talk to your local library and see what they say. Does the deck have one or two extra cards that you could test in the microwave first? Older card stock might curl more than newer card stock. Sunlight can kill mildew but it can also fade older inks. Both methods have the possibility of doing some damage so proceed with caution.

Tallarico	28 Sep 2003
I took a card an microwaved it for 15 seconds. It started to shrivel up. I got it out and as quickly as possible put it under a pile of heavy books. Hopefully it will straighten up abit.(I am afraid to look) I think there is some type of plastic substance in the finish or in the stock itself. This is the 1959 Parlor Sybil (sp)deck. I am lucky I didn't stick in a few more with it. I was gonna do a few at a time.

Umbrae	29 Sep 2003
I have to recommend against extreme measures. Microwaves, dryers, toasters…no no no. Laying out in the sunlight and moonlight…no no no. A couple things. Zinc stearate. In your local phone book, hunt down your nearest magicians supply store. Go there and buy “Fanning Powder,” apply liberally to each card, and rub off the excess. Now even your old stained icky deck acts like new… It helps remove strong odors also. Storing your decks in bags, in a container with cedar and fresh lavender is a great practice. The Cedar keeps insects away, and lavender gives a faint fragrance that over time seeps into the cards, but is never overpowering (fresh lavender is the key…cut the stuff yourself kinda fresh). Never use oils directly on cards…but it can be applied to the bags, remembering that a little goes a long way. You do not want your cards to ‘smell’. You want aroma’s to be subtle.

galadrielsphial	01 Oct 2003
I would just spread them out in a room that doesn't get too much direct sunlight (so they don't get faded or curled) and let them air out naturally. I do that often enough with my clothes when I go to someone's house that is a smoker. Might take a couple days, but at least the deck won't be any worse for wear.

The tarot odor thread was originally posted on 21 Sep 2003 in the Talking Tarot board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Talking Tarot, or read more archived threads.