How to Clean a Dirty or Stained Book

This article was reviewed by Claudia & Angelo Zimmermann. Claudia and Angelo Zimmermann are the founders of Everneat, an Eco-Friendly Cleaning Service based in New York City and in Connecticut. They are also the founders of Clean Code, a DIY 100% natural cleaning product line.

This article has been viewed 352,688 times.

With frequent usage and toting about, your favorite books may become dirty, dusty, or even stained. While it’s best to take antique or overly fragile books to conservationists for cleaning and preservation, you can clean newer books that are in relatively good condition by yourself at home. You’ll need to collect a few crucial supplies and be prepared to use a gentle hand to properly clean and care for your treasured tomes.

Use a soft cloth or toothbrush to dust the book edges while closed. Then, wipe dust and debris off of the spine and covers. Use a small vacuum for heavy dust or mold particles. To clean the pages, gently dust them from the spine outward to remove debris. Leave the book in a bag of baking soda overnight to remove odors.

• Use extreme caution with any tears or damaged edges. Use the soft brush to very gently address these spots.

• If the spine has raised horizontal bands, wipe across rather than up and over the bumps.
• Be careful of any damaged edges, leather corners, or decoration. Avoid snagging the brush or cloth on these elements.

• For damaged books, place some cheesecloth or a nylon stocking over the end of the vacuum. Vacuum up the dirt on the medium setting without touching the book by hovering just above the surface of the book.

Clean the dust jacket. Many books now come with dust jackets. These paper coverings are generally glossy or matte in finish. While they’re attractive, they often get dusty and may also tear. Use your soft cloth to gently brush any dust or dirt off the jacket.

Clean the pages. Set the book in your wedges, carefully open the book, and turn the pages. Use your soft cloth or toothbrush to wipe the page from the center of book outwards, removing dust as you go.

Address mustiness. If your book has a musty smell that you can’t isolate to individual pages, place the book in a plastic, resealable bag with a sprinkling of baking soda or unscented cat litter. Leave it in the bag for a minimum of 12 hours and up to two weeks. [1] X Research source

• While the eraser should remove most pencil and some pen marks, it likely won’t take care of dark stains. Dark ink or food stains may be impossible to remove from your book without damaging the pages.

Address insect infestations by freezing the book. If any pages show signs of insects, brush off the insect or egg debris, place the book in a fully sealed plastic freezer bag, and then put it in the freezer for 24 hours to kill any remaining infestation. Thaw the book slowly by first putting it in the refrigerator for 8 hours.

Employ a book cleaner putty for stubborn smudges. Book cleaner putties have the consistency of Play-Doh and can be purchased in small tubs. Take a small amount and roll the putty in your hands to warm it up, then gently rub the warmed ball over either the pages of your book or a cloth cover. Move in one direction only. [2] X Research source

• If your stain is from food, remove this first. Freeze the book for 24 hours and then gently scrape off the food with a plastic knife. [4] X Research source
• To make a homemade book weight, fill a cloth bag with dry beans or rice. Ensure the bag is sealed before use.

• For a matte dust jacket, which will not be shiny in appearance, gently address smudges by shaking your document cleaning pad to release the eraser dust. Then rub the dust onto the dust jacket, and gently brush it off when finished. [5] X Research source
• For a glossy dust jacket, rub a bit of petroleum jelly onto any smudges with a soft cloth. Use a different cloth to wipe off the jelly and fully remove the smudge. [6] X Research source

Community Q&A

Sadly, some stains are too stubborn to remove without doing damage to your book. If the methods discussed in the article, especially using an art gum eraser, didn't work on your stain, you may need to accept that it's permanent. Do not try to use a cleaning solution containing bleach on the stains, as you'll damage the page.

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Get a damp tissue and a dry tissue. Dab the marks with the wet tissue, then dry them with the dry tissue. Repeat these steps until the fingerprints have been removed. You can dry the pages with a hairdryer at the end if you need to.

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Close the book and clamp it tightly shut. Then take a small, clean paint brush and stroke the dirty area(s) in one direction, going away from the spine.

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Leather bindings need to be conditioned once a year with a restoration conditioner or oil specifically made for books, rather than leather tack.

Do not use bleach or household cleaners to attempt to remove stains from your book. These solutions will almost certainly damage the book.

Take extra care with leather- and vellum- bound books, as well as older books. In many cases, self-cleaning is not the best option for these items. Take them to an antiquarian bookseller or collector for advice tailored to the specific book's needs.

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1. ↑http://www.shopbrodart.com/book-care/
2. ↑http://bookriot.com/2012/12/14/the-beginners-guide-to-cleaning-your-books/
3. ↑http://www.shopbrodart.com/book-care/
4. ↑http://bookriot.com/2012/12/14/the-beginners-guide-to-cleaning-your-books/
5. ↑http://bookriot.com/2012/12/14/the-beginners-guide-to-cleaning-your-books/
6. ↑http://www.shopbrodart.com/book-care/

About This Article

This article was reviewed by Claudia & Angelo Zimmermann. Claudia and Angelo Zimmermann are the founders of Everneat, an Eco-Friendly Cleaning Service based in New York City and in Connecticut. They are also the founders of Clean Code, a DIY 100% natural cleaning product line. This article has been viewed 352,688 times.

To clean a book, prop it up on a padded wedge on a flat, clean surface. Mark any spots in the book that need to be cleaned with bookmarks or pieces of paper. Wash your hands with soap and water and dry them thoroughly. Keep the book closed and wipe down the outside edges of the pages with a soft cloth or toothbrush. Then, brush or wipe the spine and outer boards, moving in a single direction. If there’s any loose dust or dirt on the outside of the book, vacuum it with a soft brush attachment. Wipe down the dust jacket with your cloth or brush, then brush each page clean, moving from the center outward. If there are smudges on any pages, gently rub them away with a gum eraser or a piece of cleaning putty. For tips on removing musty smells from books, read on!