Prevention

• 1). Prevent mold before it starts. Prevention is the first step to elimination. Warmth and moisture combined causes mold to grow. You can control the two with a humidifier. Humidifiers can be costly, but there are other products to help eliminate the problem.
  
  
• 2). Purchase DampRid. DampRid is a calcium chloride product that can be found in most household stores. Put it in plastic containers around your books and it will draw out the moisture in the air. When the plastic container starts to fill with water, empty and start new.
  
  
• 3). Use silica gel. If DampRid is unavailable in your area, try silica gel. The gel comes in bead form, making it easy to place in shallow containers. They also can be found in small packets in some products you buy to keep it moisture free. Save these packets and use them to prevent moisture on your books. Silica gel beads can be purchased at most hobby stores. Silica is reusable. Once they starts to fill with water, you can dry them out in your oven.
  
  
• 4). Check your air conditioners to make sure they are in proper working order. Check the vents for mold and change the filters regularly. Air circulation is an important factor in preventing mold and mildew. Make sure books on shelves have room to breathe. Use fans to help keep the air circulated.
  
  
• 5). Remove plants. Plants are pretty but they are not book friendly. The damp soil required by plants, along with the containers they grow in, bring moisture into the air, which can promote mildew and mold growth. If you like the look if plants, use fake ones.
  
  

Elimination and Treatment

• 1). Move the mold and mildewed book to a well-ventilated area. Close off the room to prevent the spores from spreading. Stand the books upright on their spines with the pages spread to allow them to dry. Let them dry completely so that the mold and mildew will become powdery.
  
  
• 2). Once the books are dry you can use a vacuum cleaner to remove as much of the powdery inactive mold spores as possible. For best results, use a brush attachment or a hose with cheesecloth attached to the end. This will guard against the suction causing too much page damage. You can also use an electrostatic duster to brush away the powder if you are afraid of damaging more fragile books, but you will need to vacuum the area when you are done. Move slowly and take care.
  
  
• 3). Wipe the covers with a solution of ethyl alcohol and a bit of water. Use a cotton swab to lightly wipe the outside of the book cover. This will act as a mild solvent to remove some of the staining. Take care to not wet the area too much. When working with older books, test the alcohol in a small area since dyes used years ago were not colorfast. You can still use the alcohol, but dab, do not wipe.
  
  
• 4). Fan the book pages and look for mildew and mold inside. These mold and mildew stains can be removed just as the stains on the covers. Use a cotton swab to gently dab the pages using caution to not over-saturate the pages. For tougher stains, allow to dry completely before repeating. Bleach is not recommended because it will deteriorate the pages.
  
  
• 5). Wipe down shelves with commercial disinfectant and allow them to dry. Once the shelves and books are cleaned and dried, the books can be returned to their homes.