Warning: Don't grab books from a damp basement sale without checking for mold first

I hit up a church basement sale last Saturday in Albany and grabbed a stack of old sci-fi paperbacks for like 3 bucks total. Got home and started flipping through one and saw this weird speckling on the edges. Turns out it was mold spores that had been dormant. By day three I had this coughing fit every time I sat near my reading chair. I had to throw out the whole batch and spend 45 minutes wiping down my shelves with vinegar water. The worst part is I didn't even notice any musty smell at the sale because they had those plug-in air fresheners blasting. Now I check every book for water stains or that powdery look on the cover before I even put it in my bag. Anyone else get burned by hidden mold in a bargain bin?

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the_barbara28d ago

Used to think mold was only in old smelly basements, but you're making me rethink that. I never would have considered air fresheners masking the smell that cleverly. Definitely going to inspect every bargain book more closely after reading this.