Can these board books be saved? Mold edition.
July 16, 2020 12:18 PM Subscribe
A bunch of hard-to-get important-to-us baby board books were mailed to us. They got water logged. They are moldy. Can these books be saved?
Assume that they are made out of normal board book material.
Assume that they are made out of normal board book material.
Here's some advice from the Library of Congress, also linking to white papers by other institutions:
What to do when collections get wet, and there are specific relevant subsections for you on "How to air-dry collections" and "Dealing with mold".
posted by theatro at 12:26 PM on July 16, 2020 [1 favorite]
What to do when collections get wet, and there are specific relevant subsections for you on "How to air-dry collections" and "Dealing with mold".
posted by theatro at 12:26 PM on July 16, 2020 [1 favorite]
Honestly? Not really. It's true that libraries and museums can salvage damaged collections, but they keep their materials in climate-controlled circumstances. Can you ensure that your children will not let these get wet? Or your house will never have humidity above 50%? You can clean off the materials but never kill the spores, and mold can spread, and is toxic to many people - especially young children. I don't know about your kids, but mine likes to chew on board books and I would never let a kid handle an item that's been moldy, since the spores remain and are an allergen.
posted by epanalepsis at 12:32 PM on July 16, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by epanalepsis at 12:32 PM on July 16, 2020 [1 favorite]
I would either scan or photograph each page at the highest resolution possible, and then reprint them when you can. I'm sorry about the physical books, it really does sound like they are a loss.
posted by fiercecupcake at 12:58 PM on July 16, 2020 [5 favorites]
posted by fiercecupcake at 12:58 PM on July 16, 2020 [5 favorites]
Try putting them in a sunny place like a window sill or shelf by a window standing up and open. Turn the pages frequently. (Colors may fade.) If you have a small room you can close off fairly well you could put them in there with a dehumidifier. Wear a mask when you move them around and wash your hands if you're very sensitive to mold.
Once they are dry wipe each page with a paper towel. Discard the paper towels immediately. Leave them in the room with dehumidifier for a few more days, check them again for mold.
I'm a librarian, I would generally follow recommendations people have linked above but I think your books are more in the category of irreplaceable historic documents and I would try everything possible to save them.
Good luck!
posted by mareli at 1:53 PM on July 16, 2020 [1 favorite]
Once they are dry wipe each page with a paper towel. Discard the paper towels immediately. Leave them in the room with dehumidifier for a few more days, check them again for mold.
I'm a librarian, I would generally follow recommendations people have linked above but I think your books are more in the category of irreplaceable historic documents and I would try everything possible to save them.
Good luck!
posted by mareli at 1:53 PM on July 16, 2020 [1 favorite]
You can try the freezer baking soda method - I’ve had luck with it in the past but only with slightly mildewed books, not severely moldy.
1) wipe each page down with hand sanitizer or rubbing alcohol.
2) sprinkle a fair amount of baking soda between each page
3) place a paper towel between each page
4) put the whole thing in a sturdy plastic ziplock bag & seal
5) put in the freezer for 6 weeks
After 6 weeks, pull it out and see if it still smells. If so, repeat steps 2 - 5 with new everything. If not, you’re probably good! Keep them somewhere very dry.
posted by mygothlaundry at 3:36 PM on July 16, 2020
1) wipe each page down with hand sanitizer or rubbing alcohol.
2) sprinkle a fair amount of baking soda between each page
3) place a paper towel between each page
4) put the whole thing in a sturdy plastic ziplock bag & seal
5) put in the freezer for 6 weeks
After 6 weeks, pull it out and see if it still smells. If so, repeat steps 2 - 5 with new everything. If not, you’re probably good! Keep them somewhere very dry.
posted by mygothlaundry at 3:36 PM on July 16, 2020
I've got a couple of rare, mildewed books that would be difficult to replace. They are big books that live in extra long ziplocked plastic bags, and when I do take them out to turn the pages, it's not for long.
posted by Scram at 9:15 PM on July 16, 2020
posted by Scram at 9:15 PM on July 16, 2020
I've got a couple of rare, mildewed books that would be difficult to replace. They are big books that live in extra long ziplocked plastic bags, and when I do take them out to turn the pages, it's not for long.
Right, this. It depends on whether you want to keep them as collectibles, or actually use them as board books. My previous answer was based on ordinary use, kids playing with books and handling them, gnawing on them, etc. That is definitely unsafe. But if you just want to look at them once or twice a year for sentimental reasons, you can probably remove enough mold to keep them in a ziplock safely.
posted by epanalepsis at 5:05 AM on July 17, 2020 [1 favorite]
Right, this. It depends on whether you want to keep them as collectibles, or actually use them as board books. My previous answer was based on ordinary use, kids playing with books and handling them, gnawing on them, etc. That is definitely unsafe. But if you just want to look at them once or twice a year for sentimental reasons, you can probably remove enough mold to keep them in a ziplock safely.
posted by epanalepsis at 5:05 AM on July 17, 2020 [1 favorite]
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posted by aetg at 12:20 PM on July 16, 2020 [3 favorites]