by Bill Retskin

Just after the last AMCC Swapfest, I needed to do a little house cleaning, especially in my sorting area. Moving matchcovers to new slots in my sorting bin was fun as I discovered groups of matchcover I hadn't looked over in a long time. Occasionally blowing dust from the edges of the sorting bin and wiping here and there with a lightly damp cloth, I never noticed any great accumulation of dust. On the top of one of my larger sorting boxes, I came across a full book. Without realizing it, I had placed this match book out of sight, and forgot about it for at least a year. Results: Killer Dust.

Exposed to nothing more than common house dust for a long period of time, this full book was almost completely ruined. As I attempted to blow, and then brush the dust from the front panel, I realized that where the dust had accumulated, ugly brown spots were easily noticeable. Viewing them under a high-power magnifying glass, I noticed that they varied in size, each appearing to be slightly raised. I attributed the raise appearance to whatever chemical bonding took place between the dust and the surface of the matchcover. Kind of like an "acid rain" residue. Other than normal house dust in my sorting area, I run my computer, a dot-matrix printer, and my cat "Ducks" wonders through occasionally. No doubt, all these elements added to the dust cocktail which deposited itself on my full match book.

So how do you prevent such mishaps? First, never leave any matchcovers exposed to falling dust for too long. Frequent light dusting of your sorting and stacking areas is important, using a vacuum cleaner for tougher spots. Dust accumulating in floor cracks and carpets pile can easily be agitated just by walking. Accumulated dust on higher shelves is a natural breeding ground for future destruction.

Wrap matchbooks and matchcovers in clear plastic or place them in Baggies for added protection. I keep full books in caddy and cigar boxes. If nothing else, turn your matchcover stack face down.

In our society, it is almost impossible to escape Killer Dust, even if you have an electronic dust inhibitor or air filter. If zero dust damage is your goal, make up a list of monthly preventative maintenance procedures to follow. If you have any tips for other collectors, please let us know.