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How to Kill Mold on Books

Mold and mildew will grow on any surface that is in a dark, damp location. Books are particularly susceptible to mold because the paper provides a porous growing medium for the mold spores to attach themselves to. In addition, the paper retains moisture, which allows the mold to thrive. Cleaning mold and mildew off books is possible, but you must use care so that you do not damage the book in the process.

Things You'll Need

Cornstarch
Dust mask
Gloves
Eye protection
Paintbrush
Ethyl alcohol
Cloth
Cotton swab

Instructions

- 1
  Open the book and sprinkle 1/8 to 1/4 tsp. of cornstarch onto each molded page.
- 2
  Move the molded book to an area that has good air circulation and sit the book on its end as if you were putting it into a bookshelf. Separate the two covers 3 to 4 inches apart so that the book stands up by itself and allow it to sit for two to three hours to dry.
- 3
  Put on a dust mask, gloves and eye protection to protect yourself from the mold spores.
- 4
  Tap the spine of the book gently on a hard surface to shake out most of the cornstarch from the pages.
- 5
  Open the book and brush each page with the paintbrush to remove the cornstarch and mold from it.
- 6
  Close the book and lay it flat. Apply 1 to 2 tsp. of ethyl alcohol to a cloth and wipe the outside of the cover to remove the mold from it. Wipe with downward strokes and pick up the cloth when you reach the end of the cover.
- 7
  Open the book and look at the inside binding near the top and bottom of the book spine. If mold is visible in these areas, wipe it with a cotton swab soaked in ethyl alcohol until the mold is gone.

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