Musty Meerschaum

[Sweet Home Alabama]

Would Scrubbing Bubbles with bleach be a safe option?

 

[badbeard]

I cleaned one of the three I purchased like that. Came out looking ok it’s just the lingering smell like old paperbacks That sat in a 1977 Ford maverick in the woods of Oregon for a decade.

Being from Oregon.. I know that smell exactly.

 

[Chasing Embers]

I cleaned one of the three I purchased like that. Came out looking ok it’s just the lingering smell like old paperbacks That sat in a 1977 Ford maverick in the woods of Oregon for a decade.

Fill the chamber with baking soda and let it sit for a couple of days.

 

[Jordanson]

Siri thinks I have a fowl mout

Would Scrubbing Bubbles with bleach be a safe option?

You know I might try that on one.

Fill the chamber with baking soda and let it sit for a couple of days.

I thought about filling a plastic bag with baking soda and leaving the pipe in for a few days

 

[Jordanson]

Hey everybody, I’ve got a question that I’m sure has been answered here before. I’ve read a bunch of threads but I’m still not sure of myself. I’ve just picked up a few estate Meers that I guess have been stored in an old cardboard box, in a basement, in Atlantis. They’re beautiful pipes with all that green and grey all over them. And the smell is wonderful!
But I digress. I took one and did a thorough rinse with water and toothbrush. Pipe looks good but still smells. I let it soak in white vinegar. Now it smells like moldy vinegar. I’m afraid to do too much more. What can a guy do?

Hey people, new problem. I left one of the stanky meers on the window sill for a few hours while working on other things. Now it has a few hairline cracks.

 

[lelik]

For your own safety I'm not recommending to smoking moldy meerschaum pipe.

 

[DAR]

Maybe it's my lack of understanding meerschaum but I get the heebee-jeebees just thinking of dousing it in chemicals, dunking in water or sticking it in a hot oven over night. If it were mine, I'd let the dead rest in peace.

 

[Jordanson]

Maybe it's my lack of understanding meerschaum but I get the heebee-jeebees just thinking of dousing it in chemicals, dunking in water or sticking it in a hot oven over night. If it were mine, I'd let the dead rest in peace.

Yeah I probably shouldn’t mess with it but, at this point I need the win. Plus I inhale horrible things all day at work, so I’m sure I’ll be ok… maybe?

 

[Chasing Embers]

dunking in water or sticking it in a hot oven over night

That's the same process involved in carving it.

 

[badbeard]

Yeah I probably shouldn’t mess with it but, at this point I need the win. Plus I inhale horrible things all day at work, so I’m sure I’ll be ok… maybe?

Just look at it this way - if it is mystery mold, your first smoke might be a total trip.

 

[Country Bladesmith]

Fill the chamber with baking soda and let it sit for a couple of days.

What ‘embers said. I dampen the pipe and baking soda a bit with water, too. I figure as water evaporates it might help wick some of the funk out. I used to do this if I happened to accidentally couple a long streak of floral Lakelands with lazy cleaning habits, and needed to do some ghost busting. Rose-geranium can be persistent, but the baking soda has always taken care of it. ?‍
I’ve been a lot more attentive about cleaning lately though.

 

[DAR]

That's the same process involved in carving it.

Does it make a difference that it's been smoked and not a fresh meer?

 

[warren]

Does it make a difference that it's been smoked and not a fresh meer?

No. I wouldn't leave a meer in a sink of water for a month though. Meerschaum pipes are a tougher than a lot of pipe smokers think with regards to being dropped, smoked in the rain or below zero temperatures and so forth. That doesn't mean bits and pieces of carving can't be broken off from rough treatment. But, they will take day to day misuse, gathering dings and scratches like a briar or cob.

 

[DAR]

No. I wouldn't leave a meer in a sink of water for a month though. Meerschaum pipes are a tougher than a lot of pipe smokers think with regards to being dropped, smoked in the rain or below zero temperatures and so forth. That doesn't mean bits and pieces of carving can't be broken off from rough treatment. But, they will take day to day misuse, gathering dings and scratches like a briar or cob.

And I thought my meerschaums were in pristine condition because I take such good care of them. I treat them as if they are made of pipe ash or something. LOL!

 

[warren]

And I thought my meerschaums were in pristine condition because I take such good care of them. I treat them as if they are made of pipe ash or something. LOL!

Smart, conservative choice. I have "beater" meers and some nicely carved, treat with tenderness, meers. I'm pretty much a exclusive smoker of meerschaums.

 

[jhowell]

No. I wouldn't leave a meer in a sink of water for a month though. Meerschaum pipes are a tougher than a lot of pipe smokers think with regards to being dropped, smoked in the rain or below zero temperatures and so forth. That doesn't mean bits and pieces of carving can't be broken off from rough treatment. But, they will take day to day misuse, gathering dings and scratches like a briar or cob.

As an experiment, I soaked a meer strummel in water for 30 days with no ill effects... Did the same with 95% alcohol and then bleach - also with no ill effects.

 

[Jordanson]

As an experiment, I soaked a meer strummel in water for 30 days with no ill effects... Did the same with 95% alcohol and then bleach - also with no ill effects.

I’m going to try the bleach thing now on one.

 

[Jordanson]

Hey everybody, I’ve got a question that I’m sure has been answered here before. I’ve read a bunch of threads but I’m still not sure of myself. I’ve just picked up a few estate Meers that I guess have been stored in an old cardboard box, in a basement, in Atlantis. They’re beautiful pipes with all that green and grey all over them. And the smell is wonderful!
But I digress. I took one and did a thorough rinse with water and toothbrush. Pipe looks good but still smells. I let it soak in white vinegar. Now it smells like moldy vinegar. I’m afraid to do too much more. What can a guy do?

Update: so I’ve tried pretty much everything mentioned here. After cleaning and letting them sit for a week in a tub with baking soda, I let the meers bake in the oven for several hours this morning. They are clean and look good. The smell is definitely better, but still there. I’m going to let them sit out for another week and then wax. I’ll see how they are again after that and maybe just smoke them and hope for the best.

 

[jhowell]

Update: so I’ve tried pretty much everything mentioned here. After cleaning and letting them sit for a week in a tub with baking soda, I let the meers bake in the oven for several hours this morning. They are clean and look good. The smell is definitely better, but still there. I’m going to let them sit out for another week and then wax. I’ll see how they are again after that and maybe just smoke them and hope for the best.

Put them in the oven overnight. Any odor is from volatiles, heat accelerates the outgassing...

 

[Jordanson]

Put them in the oven overnight. Any odor is from volatiles, heat accelerates the outgassing...

Ok I’ll do that. I had to go back and re-read your reply. I put them in at 175 for several hours.(Ive read several posts now) I’ll try tonight at 250 overnight.