Cigarette smoke in Tarot decks

[greatdane]

Neither baking soda or charcoal is messy IF

you put the deck in a small bag, and put that bag into a bigger bag with the baking soda or charcoal, taking care the small bag is placed in the bigger one in such a way that the deck will never actually come into content with the charcoal or baking soda and then seal the BIG bag tight with a rubberband or something. The open little bag with the deck will be exposed to the charcoal or baking soda and it works great. I've used it with books that were little strange smelling when I got them online.

 

[3ill.yazi]

you put the deck in a small bag, and put that bag into a bigger bag with the baking soda or charcoal, taking care the small bag is placed in the bigger one in such a way that the deck will never actually come into content with the charcoal or baking soda and then seal the BIG bag tight with a rubberband or something. The open little bag with the deck will be exposed to the charcoal or baking soda and it works great. I've used it with books that were little strange smelling when I got them online.

Thanks! I had this image of me blowing baking soda off of all these cards, and the next sitter thinking I was a cokehead or something...

 

[Laura Borealis]

I wish I had known that when I treated a deck with baking soda! I had to wipe white powder off of 78 oversized cards.

 

[Dragonfly77]

I am absolutely new to Tarot, but I think I can help. Use Greatdanes' technique, but with volcanic rock, available in pet stores, used to deodorize hamster cages. The material is called zeolite,
It is also available in powder form for fishtanks. It is much better to remove odor than to mask it. My one Tarot deck is brand-new,but I have use this with other books and paper materials.

 

[Holly doll]

I wish I had known that when I treated a deck with baking soda! I had to wipe white powder off of 78 oversized cards.

A hairdryer comes in handy for those minor complications!

 

[Laura Borealis]

A hairdryer comes in handy for those minor complications!

This is true! But my last one went up in flames (literally! I had to throw it out the front door!) I never got around to replacing it.


This is wildly off-topic, isn't it?

I am absolutely new to Tarot, but I think I can help. Use Greatdanes' technique, but with volcanic rock, available in pet stores, used to deodorize hamster cages. The material is called zeolite,
It is also available in powder form for fishtanks. It is much better to remove odor than to mask it. My one Tarot deck is brand-new,but I have use this with other books and paper materials.

That sounds like a viable option. I know some people have had good results with baking soda, but it didn't work for the deck I was trying to deodorize.

 

[nisaba]

Even when I was a heavy smoker - a large pack a day - my cards didn't smell of cigarette smoke. Although, I suppose, I was never so far gone in the addiction even at worst, that I'd smoke indoors.

 

[3ill.yazi]

Yikes. I mentioned the smoke smell in the eBay (not negative) rating re the smelly deck, and I just got a kinda nasty reply from the seller about how his smoking is none of my business, and besides, they don't smell. Hm.

 

[Laura Borealis]

People are so defensive about their eBay comments - and their odors. But good for you for mentioning it. As a buyer I'd definitely want to know, because cig smoke triggers my asthma.

 

[Jac]

Yikes. I mentioned the smoke smell in the eBay (not negative) rating re the smelly deck, and I just got a kinda nasty reply from the seller about how his smoking is none of my business, and besides, they don't smell. Hm.

I get the same kind of defensive response from my sister when I point out she reeks of cigarette smoke even though she has "quit". Either they're so used to the smell and don't notice it or they get a hard time from family and or friends and are therefore defensive...
Anyway on topic: Whenever I get a smoke-y deck I throw them in with some dried rice for a day or two then with some nice dryer sheets for a day, sometimes more if needed. It works like a charm.