- What should I do if my collections get wet or moldy?
- How can I get rid of a musty or mildewy smell from my collections?
- How do I get rid of bookworms and bookbugs?
- How do I get rid of the smell of smoke smell from my collections?
- How do I remove soot from collections?
Take necessary safety precautions if the water is contaminated with sewage or other hazards or if there is active (wet or furry) mold growth.
Most objects cannot withstand being wet for more than a day or two without sustaining serious, potentially catastrophic, damage.
To prevent mold growth, set out objects to dry immediately upon getting wet and control the ambient temperature and relative humidity.
Emergency Guidelines for Art Disasters [PDF: 224 KB/ 12 pp.] (New York Museum of Modern Art) covers -- in addition to paper, books, and photographs -- paintings, framed works of art, optical media, magnetic media, and film.
If there is moist or furry mold visible, follow the instructions for setting out objects to dry and, only when thoroughly dry, for removing mold.
If there are mold stains only, ensure ambient relative humidity stays between 40-65% to prevent regrowth; check items regularly.
Jump to emergency information specifically for books.
If there is active (wet or furry) or dried mold, follow the procedures outlined above: What should I do if my books get wet or moldy?
Over time, musty odors will decrease when items are stored in cool environments with good air circulation and relative humidity between 40-65%.
Additionally, you can: Increase the surface area of the book that is exposed to air -- stand hardcover books slightly open to allow pages to fan out for several days; Place book in a closed container with activated charcoal or baking soda (prevent the book from coming into contact with the charcoal or baking soda and check often to make sure there is no mold growth) for several days; Briefly expose book to sunlight, but only if the possibility of fading/discoloration/yellowing is acceptable.
Isolate the book in a ziplock bag with as much of the air evacuated as possible.
Kill insects by freezing [PDF: 562 KB / 4 pp.] ("An Insect Pest Control Procedure: The Freezing Process," National Park Service).
Reduce the likelihood of future infestations:
- Identify and seal entry points
- Maintain appropriate temperature and relative humidity
- Practice good housekeeping -- keep the environment clean, dusted, and free of food or trash.
For further information, see:
- Integrated Pest Management (University Library, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign).
- 'Bugs' Are Eating My Family Treasures! [PDF: 20.3 KB / 6 p.] (Bishop Museum in Honolulu, Hawaii)
- Controlling Insect Pests: Alternatives to Pesticides [PDF: 953 KB / 4 p.] (National Park Service)
- Integrated Pest Management (Northeast Document Conservation Center [NEDCC]).
Smoky odors can be difficult to eliminate, but the following measures may help:
- Carefully dust the object or remove surface dirt with a clean soft cosmetic brush or magnetic dusting cloth.
- Expose more of the object's surface area to air (e.g., stand hardcover books on end and allow the pages to fan open; place a single sheet of paper on an elevated screen so both sides of the paper are exposed to air).
- Place the object in a closed container with activated charcoal or baking soda (prevent the object from coming into contact with the charcoal or baking soda and check often to make sure there is no mold growth) for several days. If possible, maximize the surface area of the object that is exposed to air in the container. Note: there is a heightened risk of mold growth when enclosing the object in this way when the ambient relative humidity is high.
Soot can easily penetrate paper and other collection materials and can have an oily component that will not come off readily by dusting, dabbing, vacuuming, or other air movement. Furthermore, handling the object often worsens the condition. If the object is of particular historic, monetary, or collecting value, consider consulting a conservator, especially since the nature of the soot can vary widely from dry to oily.
Loose soot particles can be reduced with a HEPA vacuum on a low suction setting. Use a brush attachment on the end of the hose and move the hose in a direct up-and-down motion -- do not drag the brush across the surface of the object. Cover fragile objects with a flexible screen (like a plastic window screen) while vacuuming to reduce the risk of damage.
There are commercially-available products that conservators may use to further reduce soot. These products (e.g., kneadable rubber, vulcanized rubber sponges, powdered rubber) generally work by picking up the soot particles and are also used in an up-and-down motion -- never by dragging the material across the surface of the object. These products are not considered perfect solutions and there is ongoing research into other methods for removing/reducing soot.
For more information, see:
- The Fire at the Royal Saskatchewan Museum, Part 2: Removal of Soot from Artifacts and Recovery of the Building (Sarah Spafford-Ricci and Fiona Graham, Journal of American Institute of Conservation)
- A Comparison of Two Soot Removal Techniques: "Dry Ice Dusting" and Rubber-based Chemical Sponges [PDF: 329 KB / 4 pp.] (Seth Irwin and Randy Silverman)