Removing Mold and Smoke Odors From Books and Documents

For as long as there have been words printed on paper mold has been busily trying to undo what man has done. And until recently man or library scientists have been fighting the good fight and for the most part winning. And though we may be winning the price has been very high.

Up until 2000, mold remediation consisted of lysol spray, vacuum cleaners with HEPA filters, respirators and hours and hours of manual labor. The results were marginal at very best. Using stronger chemicals to actually kill the mold and spores involve liquids and when the solvent evaporates, the powder left behind is poison. Additionally, spraying any liquid on paper documents causes damage of its own.

Using the old standard ozone has some very negative side effects like making leather book bindings brittle and crack, oxidizing the binding cord and bleaching everything in sight.

In the December of 2000, Pat L. Weaver-Meyers, Wilbur A. Stolt, and Barbara Kowaleski wrote a paper titled "Controlling Mold on Library Materials with Chlorine Dioxide: An Eight-Year Case Study" that was published in the " Abbey Newsletter". Their problem was apparently so sever that they were willing to wipe the books with chlorine dioxide dissolved in water to kill the mold - AND IT WORKED!

They followed up with a product produced by Aseptrol Technology that produced very small amounts of CLO₂ that was catalyzed by the humidity in the air. This product is now very hard to get and was not an efficient or cost effective way to produce CLO₂ even in very small quantities.

In recent years, new materials and new thinking has been applied to the problem of safely and reliably producing small amounts of pure chlorine dioxide. This effort has resulted in the product available on this web site called OdorXit AQM- Air Quality Manager - CLO₂. It is available in 2 packet weights; 10 grams and 25 grams. For the purpose of library uses, the slow release products are appropriate.

The slow release packets produce small amounts of CLO₂ for 20 to 30 days depending on the humidity (which must be higher than 40%. If the hemidity is below 40% a few drops of water can be added to the clear pouch to raise the hemidity.). When appropriately sized for the area being treated, there is no or very little odor. If an over sized packet is used, a slight to heavy chlorine bleach smell can be detected. The remedy is to put the working packet in another area that needs treatment for a day or so, then place it back in the original area to continue treatment.

The packets measure as little as 2.5 x 5 x .25 inches. The active ingredients are sealed in a white micro-pouch. The seal is very special in that it breaths small quantity's of air containing water vapor and breathing out the resulting CLO₂ vapor. This micro-pouch is shipped in a water vapor proof sealed mylar packet which must be removed to activate the process. Additionally a clear peal and stick pouch or clamshell is supplied with each packet to mount the packet is any convenient place. OdorXit AQM CLO₂ packets usually produce usable amounts of CLO₂ for 20 to 30 days after which time it will be necessary to replace them. The spent packets can be removed and replaced indefinably.

Note: It is not necessary to replace the spent CLO₂ packet just because it has expired. CLO₂ is so effective at killing mold fungus and spores, bacteria and viruses, re-population is very slow and based on the ability of the air handling system to filter out new spores and pathogens floating in the air brought into the treated area.

In order to remove mold, odor, mildew, smoke odors, bacteria or viruses from hard bound books, you will need a plastic tub with a cover, a closet with wire shelving and a door or a metal locker with a door that can be closed (not a cardboard box).

• Stand the book(s) to be treated on end so that the pages can be fluffed open.
• Place the books so that the covers are open between 45 and 90 degrees and about 1 inch apart.
• Hand soft cover books, magazines and documents from clothes handers.
• Stick the self adhering pouch on the side of the tub or near the top of the locker
• Tear open the Mylar outer package without tearing or puncturing the inner Tyvek packet of a 10 gram slow release packet for a tub or locker (bigger packets are available for treating larger open areas.)
• Place the micro-pouch in the plastic contain.
• Install the cover or close the locker door without knocking the books over.
• Remove the books in 24 to 72 hours. All the mold will be dead and needs only to be wiped away with a soft cloth.

The packet will continue to release small amounts of chlorine dioxide for 20 or 30 days during which time the books in the tub or locker can be replaced with new ones for treatment several times.

Note, when there is no smell of chlorine left, the packet is finished or nearly finished producing vapor and should be discarded in an outdoor garbage container - about 20-30 days.

OdorXit Products Make Life Smell Fresh! .