How to Make Books Glossy Again

Know the materials you're dealing with. The boards or outer covers of modern textbooks and children's books are made of layers of pressed paper, glued together and coated with a protective laminate layer designed to resist dirt and grime. Other books come with protective paper covers (dust jackets) that should be removed before cleaning.

Place the book or dust jacket on a clean, smooth surface. Make sure this area is completely dry and free of dust, crumbs, ink or spills. When cleaning dust jackets, avoid placing them directly on wood tables: since dust jackets are paper, they can easily pick up oils from furniture polishes or waxes.

Wet a small area of your cleaning cloth with rubbing alcohol or lighter fluid. Both dry quickly without leaving a residue. Never pour a cleaning agent directly on the book cover, as this can cause damage just like a water stain.

Begin by cleaning any obvious dirty areas, like ink marks or sticky spots. Work in small, circular motions to avoid streaking. Keep rewetting your cloth in different, small, clean areas as you work to avoid reapplying the dirt you've already removed.

Attack especially sticky areas -- particularly residue from old price stickers -- with petroleum jelly or commercial products, like Goo Gone (available from art supply and craft stores or general merchandisers). This has a pleasant citrus scent and makes covers shiny.

Go over the entire book surface with a final light application of your cleaning cloth, working smoothly across the whole surface for a final polish.

Repeat this procedure using a small amount of a commercial, nonabrasive, cleaning product if the rubbing alcohol does not do the job. They impart a nice shine without a heavy residue.