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How to Clean Red Phosphorus Off Match Books

Collecting matchbooks is a wonderful way to preserve your travel memories. Although they are free and convenient to carry, matchbook designs often have a surprising amount of detail. However, given their flammable nature, matchbook collections must be properly processed before being shared with children. One way to make the collection safer to handle is to remove the strip of red phosphorus on the outside of the case. Keep in mind that this process ruins the value of the collectible. Serious collectors will only consider intact books worth keeping.

Things You'll Need

Acetone
Shallow glass bowl
Matchbook
Cotton Balls
Q-tips
Scissors

Instructions

Cleaning the Matchbook
- 1
  Cut off the heads of the matches without removing the cardboard stems. (They support the shape of the book.)
- 2
  Pour the acetone into the shallow bowl. Dip the cotton ball into the bowl. Do not saturate it. (Be sure you are working in a well-ventilated area.)
- 3
  Press the cotton ball onto the red phosphorus strip (where you strike the match). Allow this to soak through the chemical stripe.
- 4
  Use a water-soaked cotton ball to wipe the area you just soaked. The red phosphorus will come off of the book.
- 5
  Repeat Steps 2 through 4 with a fresh cotton ball each time. Swiping red phosphorus against itself may cause it to ignite, even in these minute amounts.
- 6
  Wipe the book with the water-soaked cotton balls to ensure all phosphorus is removed. Dry the matchbook on a window sill.

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