Recent Ebay purchase reeks of smoke. Anyone have any ideas how to get rid of the smell? I’m also afraid the cards inside may be damaged due to the environment the box was in. Any advice would help!
Put it in the garage and let it vent out?
Quick wash of the outside to get off any residue with a lightly moistened towel. Spray with ozium spray lightly careful not to soak. Either enclose in a tote/bag or something else sealed with some baking soda or dryer sheets for several weeks. Also placing in front of a fan to get some good airflow and repeating the ozium spray every few days will get rid of it.
You really have to more replace the cig smell with ozium/dryer sheets smell and then get that to fade away over time. I don’t think you will ever return to having a completely scentless item, but in my experience these work best as I have dealt with many cards and video games having smelled terribly like cigarettes. The used video game market seems to be plagued by cig-smelling stuff I guess there must be a higher prevalence of smokers among gamers than the normal population?
Awful disgusting habit and I always end up paying less or returning the item if it wasn’t listed in the description. I have been lucky as of late as it has been more than a year since I have gotten a collection smelling of smoke. The cards inside shouldn’t be off concern as they are double sealed with the outside plastic then again with the boosters but I do not have first hand experience of opening a smelly booster box.
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I have a similar problem but w actual jumbo cards. Im afraid putting ozium/zero odor on them will damage card. Any ideas?
Enclosed in a bag/bin/tote (something air tight) with dryer sheets or baking soda has worked for me in the past. You can even spray ozium in one corner of the tote to allow the smell to penetrate and replace the cigarette smell in the cards.
Again in my experiences that is what it has all been about. Replace the cigarette smell first (which all of the above do better than anything) then just dilute the more pleasant smell over time.
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I don’t smoke, and nobody in my family does either, but I love the smell:) Not necessarily on my pokemon cards though.
This happened to me once; I received a PSA 10 card that cost around a $1000. I didn’t contact the seller but I was like… Really??? People aren’t aware that if they smoke inside their houses their houses smell like shit and everything around it picks it up?
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Thanks for the replies/advice all! The box is sitting in an enclosed space surrounded by dryer sheets, with a bit of ozium sprayed in the corner.
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I hear putting in a sealed container/bag with an odour eater etc to soak up the smell works well. Avoid liquids at all costs imo
I hate the smoke smell…
Dam when I get bulk that smells of smoke, I want it gone asap.
Easiest way I found was to buy scented tissues or scented paper sheets for folding clothes after washing.
Wrap the cards or boxes in this, and it should turn to a lavender smell or something nicer.
Also, I wonder, you know that rice trick, for getting water out of phones or whatever. Does that work for smoke? Lol
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I hate it …3 lots with the smell…its awful!!! smoke all you want but not on stuffs you want to sell 
I have an ultra pro folder that still stinks of it(empty now ofc…) its been months! ill only put smoke cards in there…if i ever use it.
I may just burn it >:^D
I collect Cameras and this is a really common issue in that hobby. To get rid of the smell I get a Tupperware container about twice the size of the item, pour a box of baking soda in there. Add a small rack to elevate the item and seal it up. After a week or two the smell will be entirely gone.
EDIT, dang missed gottaketchumall’s post where they advice the same thing!
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It just shows proof of practice.
That’s how retro collectors stumbled upon retro-bright. A way to clean yellowing of old white plastic. If everybody uses the same method with the same result it’s going to be common. Just spread the word!
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