1.

TAKE STOCK
The key to any successful mission is prep. You’re going to
need a plan of attack if you want to keep your old book
nice. That means identifying not only the book’s most
serious issues, but making sure that you’re not going to
hurt it.

List everything you want to do to the book before you

start. Then, one at a time, test any cleaning supplies that
you want to use on small, unimportant pieces of the
cover, dust jacket, pages, etc. You’re looking for a bad
reaction. If your book is allergic to citrus cleaner, for
example, then you’ll know to avoid that.

2. GET THE DIRT FIRST

Dirt is the low-hanging fruit when it comes to how to
clean books. For this step, you’ll need a gentle (!!)
vacuum and a soft paintbrush or unused soft toothbrush.
Consider putting a clean cloth over the vacuum hose to
weaken it. Soft cloth can replace the brush to an extent,
as long as it’s not scented. However, when you need to
clean dirt from between pages, you’ll be glad for long
bristles.
Flip the book onto its spine. If it’s got a dust jacket, take
that off. Use the vacuum to pull out any dust that’s built
up on the binding or cover. Once that’s done, brush away
dirt on and in between the pages.

Document cleaning pads are a good option for getting

caked dirt off a book. Gently squeeze them over the
afflicted area to release some of their powder. Then,
carefully scrub.

3. TACKLE GRIME, MOLD, AND STAINS

MOLD AND MILDEW

The familiar and beloved “old book smell” is mostly

mildew, which is terrible for your books. If your library of
old volumes smells like a library of new volumes, then
you’re doing your cleaning job well. If not, it’s time to kill
some microorganisms.

Don a dust mask. Mold and mildew are both bad for your
health. Use a fresh cloth or brush to remove mildew if
you can see it. When that’s not possible, dampen a clean
cloth very lightly with denatured alcohol and use it on
covers, making sure to dry them thoroughly afterward.
It’s also a good idea to spot-test before applying.
To treat mildewed or moldy pages, place a sheet of wax
paper under the infected page before you treat it.
Remember, mold and mildew are both alive and
contagious. Brush away the infection only after
protecting the rest of the book and gently swab moldy
spots with tiny amounts of denatured alcohol or
hydrogen peroxide.

After you’ve cleaned away the mold, put the book in a

sealed container with baking soda or activated charcoal
for a few hours. (Don’t let these substances get on the
book itself.) That should absorb the last of the musty
scent.

Keeping your library clean is a great way to prevent mold

and mildew from becoming a problem. If you’re serious
about the war on mildew, check out Biblio’s article on the
stuff.

GREASE

It’s the word. It’s got groove, it’s got feeling, but it can’t
stay in your book. Put a paper towel between greasy
pages. Close the book and put weight on top of it. The
paper towel will absorb the grease within hours or days.
Repeat as necessary.

GRIME
Grime is any gross stuff that you can feel when you run
your finger over it. Food residue is some of the worst of
this category, but not the only culprit by far. Luckily, a
stint in the freezer will make it easier to pop that gunk off
the page with a razor. Leave the book in the cold for a few
hours.

STAINS

Document cleaning pads are a good first step for stain

removal too. Vulcanized rubber dirt erasers, often called
dry cleaning sponges, are the second. Rub a small piece
of the sponge over the stain you want to remove,
discarding the sponge bit when it’s no longer effective.

Absorbene is a book person’s best friend. It’s a kind of

pink putty that picks up an amazing amount of stains and
dirt when you apply it to a page. Here’s a demonstration
of how to use it.

Finally, if all else fails, try using the citrus-based Brodex

Multipurpose Cleaner. Make sure you spot-check this
first!

4. DEAL WITH DAMPNESS

First, don’t panic if your book is wet. Don’t try to wipe
the pages, either, because you could smudge or tear
them. Dry the book before you mitigate the mold, dirt, or
stains.

If you need to make preparations for the cleaning of your

wet book, put that book in a sealed bag and stick it in the
freezer first. That should prevent or slow mold growth
while you get organized. When you’re ready, let the book
thaw before you start working on it.

Set up a fan in another part of the room. Airflow will help

your afflicted paper friend dry out faster, but uneven
drying can cause the book to warp. Air shouldn’t be
blowing right on the book.

If your book is dripping wet, you’ll need to put something

absorbent between each page. Paper towels are ideal
because they’re thin and easy to work with; you may need
to change them every ten or fifteen minutes at first. Once
the book is not sopping, sprinkle cornstarch between the
pages and seal it in an airtight container. Leave it for an
hour or two, then remove it and brush the cornstarch
out. Repeat until the book is dry.

5. WORK CAREFULLY WITH SPECIAL COVERS

CLOTH
Art gum is your best choice for cleaning cloth covers. You
can use Absorbene, too, as well as document cleaning
pads as described above. Some resources suggest using a
clean cloth with a little fabric softener, but try to avoid
exposing your book to chemicals you’re not 100% sure
about. If you really, really think you need to get the cloth
moist, use almost no water and dry the book thoroughly
afterward.

LEATHER

Leather is a shot in the dark. Different leathers react

differently to the same cleaners, so spot-check like your
book’s life depends on it. That said, saddle soap is
sometimes a good option, and some archivists like
petroleum-based cleaners. Always use as little as
possible. Never clean suede with anything but a dry cloth.

If you think you’ve got a vellum book on your hands, the

tool you need is a telephone. Just call an expert. Vellum
is not leather and doesn’t react like leather. It hates
humidity, it hates light, it hates most cleaning products,
and it’s probably not going to cooperate with anything
you do. Here’s how to prevent bad things from
happening to vellum, which is by far the best way to care
for it.
There’s also a degenerative problem that old leather can
experience called red rot. You’ll know that’s what you’re
dealing with when your venerable leather binding
crumbles between your fingers. Cellugel can stabilize a
rotten leather cover.

PAPER

Never use Windex on paper covers! People will tell you to

do this. I am telling you not to. Don’t do it. Fall back once
again upon our old friend, the document cleaning pad.
Treat paper and matte covers much as you would treat
pages. Absorbene can be helpful too.

6. CLEAN FRAGILE EDGES

After vacuuming, a toothbrush can help you clean
delicate page edges. (Remember, cover that vacuum tube
with cloth to weaken the suction!)

Obviously, you shouldn’t use a toothbrush that’s ever

been in your mouth on a book. Not only is a used
toothbrush full of germs, but if it’s tough enough to clean
your teeth, then it’s probably too harsh for brittle paper.
Get the softest brush possible. Makeup brushes can also
be good for this purpose.

7. GET OUT ANY BUGS

If you have a chest freezer, you can chill bugs to death.
Some, like bedbugs, are extremely hardy, so this could
take weeks. However, it might be preferable to using
pesticide since you may not know how the book will react
to being bug bombed.

That said, if the bugs must be bombed, try to ascertain

how the book will react before you expose the whole
volume to toxic smoke. If all appears to be well, stand the
book upright in a closed container so that its pages are
fanned out. Then, bug-bomb that sealed space. Air the
book out well afterward, then clean thoroughly to remove
dead insects and insect eggs. To sanitize, mix one part
bleach with five parts water and spot check, spot check,
spot check before you wipe away filth. As always, use as
little as possible.

You can also physically remove bed bugs and their nits.
You’ll need tweezers, a magnifying glass, and plenty of
patience. However, it’s probably preferable to fogging
your delicate book with unknown noxious chemicals.

8. HOW TO CLEAN BOOKS THAT ARE VERY

OLD: PREVENTION
Your best guarantee for keeping ancient books in good
shape is prevention. Keep them from getting humid and
carefully vacuum and dust them every week. Perform
preventative maintenance. The more you get to know
your book, the better you’ll know what works for it.

Consider having it professionally digitized if you want to

keep using it. That way, you don’t have to place wear and
tear on the real thing.

What other tips do you have for how to clean books?