Removing Mold from Books by HEPA Vacuum

· Do the project in an isolated area with good ventilation or outdoors on a sunny, low RH day.

· Wear protective clothing including gloves, respirator, and lab coat-disposable items if possible.

· Handle all materials carefully and gently. Many books are fragile.

· Use the vacuum cleaner's soft brush or nozzle to vacuum books. If suction is too strong, place a piece of fiberglass or cheesecloth between the nozzle and the book surface.

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Vacuum Cleaning Steps:

1. Unpack books from box and vacuum box thoroughly.

2. Hold each book closed by grasping the spine and gently vacuum top, bottom and sides.

3. Lay book flat on table front side up and open carefully. Do not bend or fold covers of paperbacks. If pages are yellowed AND brittle, DO NOT vacuum. Set aside for Preservation Office review.

4. Turn each page and carefully look for signs of mold. Use a magnifying glass to verify if questionable.

5. Vacuum any page that contains visible mold, including the gutter area. Use soft sweeping motions from side to side.

6. Repack cleaned books in cleaned or new boxes.