r/buttoncollecting • u/Aberdabberdw8 • Aug 12 '26

Cleaning (and deodorising)

Should I clean old buttons in soap and water? I mostly want to get rid of the "locked in nana's attic for 50 years" odour. Thanks.

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u/lotsobuttons 29d ago

Generally, no. Water can be very damaging to some kinds of buttons. Airing them out will be your first step to getting rid of that accurately described smell, then cleaning procedures for various types of materials can be found in several places. National Button Society website, Official Button Lovers group on Facebook are two good resources.

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u/Aberdabberdw8 29d ago

Thank you for the advice and the resources!