[Libs-Or] How to remove cigarette smell from books?

[Beka Murcray]

We purchased this off of Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0061UMTVG?ref=fed_asin_title&th=1  We have a plastic tub that holds a crate with the rocks. We add the books to it, and the cigarette odor gets removed within the week. We have one patron, especially, whose books come back to us smelling so strongly of cigarette that we would have to delete those items without this system.

Good luck-
Beka

Beka Murcray (she/her)
Assistant Director
Molalla Public Library
201 E. 5th St.
P.O. Box 1289
Molalla, OR  97038      
(503)759-0249

[cid:b4a1f6ec-3281-46aa-8e2c-fb52d18a971b]
________________________________
From: Libs-Or <libs-or-bounces at omls.oregon.gov> on behalf of Natasha Chitow via Libs-Or <libs-or at omls.oregon.gov>
Sent: Friday, July 25, 2025 3:14 PM
To: akuestner at luld.org <akuestner at luld.org>
Cc: libs-or at omls.oregon.gov <libs-or at omls.oregon.gov>
Subject: Re: [Libs-Or] How to remove cigarette smell from books?

We've got a multi tiered system:


  *   Closed partially full container of cat litter: check book out to mending, fan open and place in container.
  *   Container with OdoBan Odo Rocks<https://www.officedepot.com/a/products/6038228/OdoBan-Air-Purifying-OdoRocks-Natural-Odor/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=sag?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=pla_cor_evg_cbfs_general_unid_prch_non-match&mediacampaignid=71700000119141359&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=21410297904&gbraid=0AAAAAD2Eb4ff4lqa7GZj_Xj95lMU2GGpM&gclid=CjwKCAjw1ozEBhAdEiwAn9qbzVVduc1NNlubc4mzeL6t3CIEHVCo2Ug4nm4i9AriACezW2pFayX6nBoCj9gQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds> inside: they work on a similar principle but can be "recharged" and reused.

It works pretty well, but cigarette smells can be tougher to get out of books.

On Fri, Jul 25, 2025 at 2:59 PM akuestner--- via Libs-Or <libs-or at omls.oregon.gov<mailto:libs-or at omls.oregon.gov>> wrote:
Hello,

Some of Lower Umpqua Library District's patrons smoke and have returned
books with a very pronounced cigarette smell. Staff have made several
attempts to remove the smell but not yet been successful. How do other
libraries handle this? Is there an efficient and inexpensive way to
remove cigarette smoke smell from books?

Thank you,

Alex Kuestner
Library Director/District Manager
Lower Umpqua Library
395 Winchester Ave
Reedsport, Oregon 97467
(541) 271-3500
www.luld.org<http://www.luld.org>


--
To request items for curbside pickup or homebound delivery, please email holds at cottagegrove.org<mailto:holds at cottagegrove.org>.

Natasha Chitow / Head Librarian
she / her
Cottage Grove Public Library
library at cottagegrove.org<mailto:library at cottagegrove.org>
541 767-4146
cottagegroveor.gov/library<http://cottagegroveor.gov/library>

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