Collecting with a smoker in the house

[DakotaJefferson]

So I have been collecting for a little over a year now. My roommate and his girlfriend both smoke and I want to know if this will effect my comics. They smoke in the house but I have all my comics bagged and boarded and stored. I store them in the back of my closet in a box. They don't smoke in my room so are my comics safe? I ask because I have quite a few comics I want to send out to be graded in January and if they are getting smoke damaged they really aren't worth sending out.

 

 

I am new to the forum so if I posted this in the wrong section my bad.

[Buzzetta]

It's a fine question to ask. However, if you are concerned about the smoke doing damage to your comics, maybe you should be first concerned with what it is doing to you.

 

I had a freelance summer job once where I had to do demo and/or installations in people's homes. We could always tell the homes where people smoked indoors. The smell was present along with a yellow film that stained the ceilings and other areas. It also seemed to have gotten everywhere.

 

I would say that your comics are probably... probably safe. It is everything else that will absorb the smoke.

 

 

[DakotaJefferson]

I will be moving out at the end of our lease in April because of the smoke. I don't need a roommate to live I was doing a favor that didn't pan out well. It's good to know that my collectible a may not take to much damage.

[BlowUpTheMoon]

I am new to the forum

 

Welcome to the Boards!

[DakotaJefferson]

Thank you!

[oakman29]

Thank you!

Welcome,just as buzzetta stated your health should come first,second hand smoke has been determined to be worse than actually smoking the cigarette yourself.

On the other hand,your books will have obsorbed that as well.

[budsbundy]

I will be moving out at the end of our lease in April because of the smoke. I don't need a roommate to live I was doing a favor that didn't pan out well. It's good to know that my collectible a may not take to much damage.

If it's you doing them the favor, tell them to smoke outside

 

[Anfield Fox]

So I have been collecting for a little over a year now. My roommate and his girlfriend both smoke and I want to know if this will effect my comics. They smoke in the house but I have all my comics bagged and boarded and stored. I store them in the back of my closet in a box. They don't smoke in my room so are my comics safe? I ask because I have quite a few comics I want to send out to be graded in January and if they are getting smoke damaged they really aren't worth sending out.

 

 

I am new to the forum so if I posted this in the wrong section my bad.

 

If they don't smoke in your room and they are in the back of the closet they will be fine. If you are really worried then you could cover the boxes with a sheet or something but they will be fine.

[Doc McCoy]

As many have stated, I'd get out of the environment as soon as possible. As for your books, smoke permeates everywhere, so even if hidden in your closet away from the direct smoke, it will still reach them. You probably won't notice how much your possessions smell until you move out. You should put some Arm & Hammer or Kitty Litter in your closet with your books to absorb the smell.

[ChrisInBaltimore]

I wouldn't worry about the damage to your comics. My mom is a very heavy smoker. Obviously I lived with her for the first 18 or so years of my life, and left my books there until I moved back to Maryland around 22 or 23. You can't tell. All my books were bagged and boarded, and they were stored in a closet.

[Jeffro.]

So I have been collecting for a little over a year now. My roommate and his girlfriend both smoke and I want to know if this will effect my comics. They smoke in the house but I have all my comics bagged and boarded and stored. I store them in the back of my closet in a box. They don't smoke in my room so are my comics safe? I ask because I have quite a few comics I want to send out to be graded in January and if they are getting smoke damaged they really aren't worth sending out.

 

 

I am new to the forum so if I posted this in the wrong section my bad.

 

Welcome!

 

I can share my own experience. Your mileage may vary of course.

My mom smoked when I was growing up but I kept my comics bagged and boxed in the closet in my bedroom. No smoke smell at all on the comics.

[sniderwj]

My boss gave me a bunch of his books after he had a flood in his house. Both he and his wife were smokers in the house. I got 14 longboxes from him and they all smelled bad. I replaced the boxes, bags, and boards and the book now are all good. Two of them even went on to become 9.8 SS.

[marvelcollector]

I seem to recall a few people on here detailing a way to get rid of the odor in books by placing them in a large bag with activated charcoal (protected in some way obviously), and leaving them for a few weeks.

[Dr. Balls]

Gah - smoke in the house? That's nasty. I wouldn't worry about your comics, I'd worry about everything you own smelling like that. I smoked for 20 years, and I rarely - if ever - smoked in the house because it's flat disgusting. Tell them to go outside because it makes your house smell like - don't even bother bringing up the comics.

[Johnny U]

Welcome to the boards! (thumbs u

[slym2none]

So I have been collecting for a little over a year now. My roommate and his girlfriend both smoke and I want to know if this will effect my comics. They smoke in the house but I have all my comics bagged and boarded and stored. I store them in the back of my closet in a box. They don't smoke in my room so are my comics safe? I ask because I have quite a few comics I want to send out to be graded in January and if they are getting smoke damaged they really aren't worth sending out.

 

 

I am new to the forum so if I posted this in the wrong section my bad.

 

Great question!

 

My suggestion - get new roomates. Or make them smoke outside. Because you will smell like smoke, your room (even if closed off) will smell like smoke, and eventually your comics will smell like smoke, and that smell doesm't go away easily. If you don't believe that, ask some of the comix collectors here, I am sure they all have books that still smell like "something" being burnt.

 

 

 

 

-slym

[shadroch]

I have never opened a comic and noticed a Smokey smell.

Mildew yes. Smoke no.

[djpinkpanther67]

I smoke, but never in my home. I have smelled smoke on books before, but once rebagged/boarded it went away. Raw books stored without being bagged I would worry about

Oh and Welcome to the Boards

[oakman29]

I smoke, but never in my home. I have smelled smoke on books before, but once rebagged/boarded it went away. Raw books stored without being bagged I would worry about

Oh and Welcome to the Boards

So when are you going to quit smoking?

 

New Year resolution?

 

I biotch cause I care.

[rjpb]

As with meat, smoke acts a preservative with comic books, so all is good. On the down side you won't be able to add the annoying "comes from a smoke free home" qualifier to your ebay listings.