How to clean a book

Content

Part 2 of 3: General Cleaning
Part 3 of 3: Removing Marks and Spots
Tips
Warnings
What do you need

1 Stock up on a variety of cleaning products. Different parts of the book will require different cleaning methods. You will need several tools to deal with all the possible problems.

A soft rubber eraser is great for removing small pencil marks and small to medium smudges on the pages of a book.
Using a soft cloth (such as a white T-shirt) can gently clean the cover of a book. You can also use a chargeable material that attracts and retains dirt and dust.
You will need a small soft-bristled brush (such as a toothbrush) to clean the binding and the edges of the pages.
If the book is very dirty or dusty, you can vacuum the cover. To do this, you need a low-power vacuum cleaner with a soft-bristled brush attachment.
Use a document cleaning tissue, which is a cloth containing eraser chips, to remove dust from pages as well as stains from matte dust jacket.

2 Prepare the required cleaning solutions. You will need several consumables to clean different parts of the book from different types of dirt. Stock up on petroleum jelly, stationery putty, paper towels, and baking soda.

3 Choose a suitable location. After you have gathered the necessary tools and materials, find a well-lit and comfortable work area. It should be spacious enough and not afraid to get dirty.

4 Place the book on a tilted, cushioned stand. During cleaning, the book must be supported by something. Use liners that will partially support the book but won't stop you from flipping through the pages. This way you will not damage the binding.

You can place clean, rolled-up towels under the book, or purchase a wedge-shaped set of sponges.

5 Write down what needs to be cleaned. Examine the book and make a list of what needs to be cleaned. Place small pieces of paper between the pages you want to brush to mark them.

6 Wash your hands. Your hands should not be dirty or greasy, or you may stain the book even more. Even if you think your hands are clean, there may be a natural oil (sebum) on them that needs to be removed before cleaning the book.

Part 2 of 3: General Cleaning

1 Start by cleaning the outside edges of the book. Keep the book tightly closed and gently brush the edges of the pages with a soft cloth or toothbrush. Start at the top and wipe the top edge away from the spine. Then wipe off the opposite edges of the pages and the bottom of the book.
- Be extremely careful with any tears and damaged edges. Use a soft brush to brush over them very gently.
2 Wipe off the spine and cover. Wipe the spine with a rag or brush in one direction. To avoid damaging the front and back of the cover, mentally divide each of them into two halves and try to wipe them from the center, not from one edge to the other.
- If the spine of the book has ribs, wipe it along them, not across.
- Be careful with damaged edges, leather corners, and embellishments. Make sure that the brush or cloth does not get caught on them.
3 If the cover is covered with dust or mold, vacuum it. When doing this, use a very soft brush attachment and set the vacuum cleaner to minimum power. Remove dust and dirt carefully by moving in one direction. Walk along the top of the pages, move to the outside of the pages, then clean the spine and the front and back of the cover.
- If the book is damaged, press a piece of gauze or nylon stocking against the end of the vacuum cleaner hose. Set the power to medium and pick up dust and dirt by moving the vacuum hose over the book without touching it.
4 Clean the dust jacket. Nowadays, many books have glossy or matte dust covers. They look beautiful, but they are often covered with dust and may even tear. Gently wipe off dust and dirt from the dust jacket with a soft cloth.
5 Clean the pages. Place the book on a wedge-shaped stand, carefully open it and turn the pages. Remove dust from pages with a soft cloth or toothbrush. At the same time, move from the center of the pages to their edges.
6 Get rid of the musty smell. If individual pages of a book have a musty smell, place the book in a resealable plastic bag and add some baking soda or odorless cat litter. Close the bag and leave the book in it for at least 12 hours (up to two weeks is possible).

Part 3 of 3: Removing Marks and Spots

1 Remove smudges and small marks on the pages with a soft rubber eraser. Always rub in one direction with the eraser. When you clean the page, wipe off the eraser crumbs with a soft cloth.
- The eraser should help remove most of the pencil lines and some of the pen marks, but dark spots may remain. You may not be able to remove dark ink or food stains without damaging the pages.
2 Freeze the book to get rid of insects. If any of the pages show signs of insects, remove the insects or their eggs, place the book in a freezer-safe, tightly sealed plastic bag and place it in the freezer for 24 hours to kill any remaining insects. Then transfer the bag of the book to the refrigerator for 8 hours to slowly defrost it.
3 Rub hard-to-remove stains with stationery putty. Stationery putty resembles plasticine in consistency, it is sold in small tubes. Take some putty, hold it in your hand to warm it up, and gently run it over the soiled area on the page or cover. At the same time, move in one direction.
4 Remove greasy stains with paper towels. Greasy stains can be difficult to wipe off, especially if they have soaked into the paper. Try to pinch a paper towel between the pages, close the book, and press down on it. Leave the towel in the book for 2-3 days, then check if that worked. Repeat as necessary.
- If you leave a food stain, try to remove it right away. Place the book in the freezer for 24 hours, then gently scrape off any leftover food with a plastic knife.
- To crush a book at home, fill a rag bag with dry beans or rice, close it, and place it on top of the book.
5 Remove stains from the dust jacket. Depending on the material of the dust jacket, you may need a variety of tools to do this that will not damage the jacket.
- If the dust jacket is made of matte material and does not shine, lightly rub it with a document cleaning tissue over it to apply an eraser chip to the stained area. Then rub the crumb over the dust jacket, then gently brush it off with a brush.
- To clean a glossy dust jacket, apply a little petroleum jelly to a soft cloth and scrub the soiled areas. Then wipe off the remaining petroleum jelly and dirt with a clean cloth.

Tips

Leather bindings should be treated once a year with a regenerating conditioner or special book oil rather than a regular leather product.

Warnings

Do not use bleach or household cleaners to remove stains from the book. By this means, you will almost certainly damage the book.
Be especially careful with leather-bound books and older editions. In many cases, it is undesirable to clean them yourself. It is best to consult an antique book dealer or an experienced collector.