Is there a safe way to clean older books?
04-26-03 | 05:16 PM
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Is there a safe way to clean older books?
I just found some vintage Nancy Drew books today and I would like to clean them up. Is there a safe way to do this without doing a lot of damage to the books?
04-27-03 | 06:05 AM
#2
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Some web-links & tips from Usenet
- Book Collectors FAQ (Scroll down to section four)
- Cleaning books (Health warning: this is the Google cache; original is page gone)
- Specialist discussions (Seek out the relevant threads: there are some!)
A few people recommended setting fabric covers out in the sun to dry and air out. You can also try brushing the book with a cloth or brush that has been dampened with ammonia or vineger. Blotting tissues between pages can also help reduce dampness.
Sunlight and dry air are a good start.
If the books are made of leather then use Murphey's soap or saddle soap and then a coating of neat's foot oil.
One poster described his success with record album jackets. He
basically dusts the affected areas with cornstarch, and places them in sunlight for a short amount of time (outside, not through a window, since you want the UV). Some combination of the cornstarch, heat, UV light and/or dry air kills all the mildew.
For further info contact a local university library for advice.
Sunlight and dry air are a good start.
If the books are made of leather then use Murphey's soap or saddle soap and then a coating of neat's foot oil.
One poster described his success with record album jackets. He
basically dusts the affected areas with cornstarch, and places them in sunlight for a short amount of time (outside, not through a window, since you want the UV). Some combination of the cornstarch, heat, UV light and/or dry air kills all the mildew.
For further info contact a local university library for advice.
Hints from Alison Harding's "Renovating Books" I've found useful, with a tip of my own to start.
I bought a blusher brush which I use to rub off as much dirt as I can. It's a reasonable size, so it doesn't take too long per book, and it's soft enough not to cause damage.
On glossy covers, a damp sponge is a good start, but avoid
overwetting. Patience is the key.
Cloth or linen covers won't be waterproof. In desperation, try a light alcohol or spirit like isopropanol, but this may lift colour and cause rings on the cover, so use it on a Q-tip if at all. I prefer to rub a piece of bread over the cover, rolling it gently along. A stiff piece of dough works even better, if you happen to be a breadmaker; and if the cover is embossed, sprinkle some talc over the design, leave it to stand for a half-hour, then brush it off.
For leather, I'd use a proprietary leather cleaner.
On the pages, you can use a 2% solution of Chloramine T, but test on an endpaper first if the book is valuable. It's a gentle bleach, but go easy because the dampness may crinkle the page if you overdo it.
I haven't tried it myself, but a friend has made a sausage of Blu-tack and rolled it across the edges of a closed book to get grime off the paper.
Use any of these ideas at your own risk, but I'd practise on the cheap books first!
I bought a blusher brush which I use to rub off as much dirt as I can. It's a reasonable size, so it doesn't take too long per book, and it's soft enough not to cause damage.
On glossy covers, a damp sponge is a good start, but avoid
overwetting. Patience is the key.
Cloth or linen covers won't be waterproof. In desperation, try a light alcohol or spirit like isopropanol, but this may lift colour and cause rings on the cover, so use it on a Q-tip if at all. I prefer to rub a piece of bread over the cover, rolling it gently along. A stiff piece of dough works even better, if you happen to be a breadmaker; and if the cover is embossed, sprinkle some talc over the design, leave it to stand for a half-hour, then brush it off.
For leather, I'd use a proprietary leather cleaner.
On the pages, you can use a 2% solution of Chloramine T, but test on an endpaper first if the book is valuable. It's a gentle bleach, but go easy because the dampness may crinkle the page if you overdo it.
I haven't tried it myself, but a friend has made a sausage of Blu-tack and rolled it across the edges of a closed book to get grime off the paper.
Use any of these ideas at your own risk, but I'd practise on the cheap books first!
professional binder talking.
don't use any chemicals unless you KNOW the results.
Naptha (lighter fluid) is okay for stickers on covers.
Vulcanized rubber spongers used professionally to remove
smoke & grime.. they are great & cheap (see you hardware store)
white vinyl erasers are the best for not harming paper yet removing writing & marks.
don't use any chemicals unless you KNOW the results.
Naptha (lighter fluid) is okay for stickers on covers.
Vulcanized rubber spongers used professionally to remove
smoke & grime.. they are great & cheap (see you hardware store)
white vinyl erasers are the best for not harming paper yet removing writing & marks.
