Records that smell moldy?
Grope
2,970 Posts
Do some of your record covers (especially thick cardboard gatefolds) smell moldy??? Am I paranoid? I just recieved a record that smells rotten. Moldy. Should I put it in a plastic sleeve or does it just smell so bad, because it stood in a record shop for 30 years? I checked some of my other records. Some of them smell funny. A bit moldy... I'm not sure though. I mean, there could be spores on and in the cover. I usually don't use platic sleeves for the records in my shelf. Should I start to use them? They're ugly! And I don't think that they will prevent any damage from mold.Do you have an extra box for funny smelling records?
Comments
They should help the mold not to spread though.
I dont know about that really...maybe a little but I have found that some super old records with original shrink actually holds and grows more mold than those without shrink or a plastic sleeve ( humidity def. a factor). While I think its good to to protect other records from mold with the sleeves, I try not to keep them anywhere near my other records because it does seem to be very contagious.
I got small collection of soul and funk not too long ago and alot of the covers were damaged and molded beyond repair. I ended up just trashing most of the covers but You can clean SOME covers with a slightly damp cloth dipped in a alcohol solution and kill the mold.
I dont suggest using the alcohol solution over the label...it will eat that shit right up ( trial and error) but a good GLOSSY ( not matte ) cover can be cleaned and the mold can be killed when done carefully. This is especially good for covers that have molded inside the shrink because generally the cover is great besides the moldyness. As always do a test strip when trying it out, or test on some dollarbins to see the results. A lot of the time You dont really have a lot to lose if its covered in mold through and through, so it might be worth a try. Again, I wouldnt try it on anything that is Matte or ''Dry'' cardboard, usually it will be easier to wipe away the mold on a glossy cover without eating away at the paper.
I am very allergic to Mold and Dust, which is horrible and ironic since its such a passion of mine, but I have been able to irraticate it for the most part by getting rid of the covers, keeping them away from the rest of my vinyl and cleaning them when possible. You cant escape it though and its there whether you see it or not. I get sick at record shows, antique shops, thrift stores etc..within half hour to an hour every time. But I say if its visably covered white fuzzy in mold GET IT DRUNK.
I mean spread to other records in your collection.