Dear Heloise: Do you know how to remove the musty smell from books? We have a nice set of atlases, maybe 15 or 20 years old. They were never in a basement or anything, but they have a very musty smell.—Eric, via e-mail

Your question is a great one, since many of us (me included, I love books!) have wonderful old books. If a book smells musty, many times it is just age! Sprinkle a little cornstarch or baking soda throughout the dry pages and place the book in a sealable plastic bag. Let sit for about a week, then brush out the powder. Repeat for stubborn smells. Don’t use baking sod...

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