At Mold Solutions, we often hear from clients about a rare but concerning issue: Their cherished books from years ago have developed mold or mildew.
It’s a frustrating problem, but with the right storage techniques, you can keep your books in basically pristine condition for years.
Mold and mildew grow on and feed off of organic matter, and “predigested” organic matter is an especially good food source for mold—like wallpaper, drywall or gypsum board paper, and books. That means you’ll want to store your books smartly to prevent them from growing mold.
Water, dampness, and high humidity are a book’s “worst enemy.” Preventing mold from growing in or on a book comes down to keeping the book dry. And not all wetness is actually water or water droplets. In Florida for example, there’s often enough moisture in the air alone (called humidity) to sustain mold and mildew.
How to Prevent Book Mold
Store in a Cool, Dry Space With Humidity Control: Store your books in a cool, dry place with controlled humidity levels. Ideally, keep the humidity between 30-50%. Avoid attics and basements—they’re too humid, and lack climate control. A room within your home is ideal, but even a garage can be improved with a dehumidifier.
Use Proper Shelving: Opt for metal or sealed wood shelves that allow for good air circulation. Avoid placing books directly against outside walls, because they’re usually colder and more prone to moisture. Keep about 1-2 inches of space between your bookshelves for air flow.
Don’t Bag Your Books: While it might seem like a good idea to keep books in plastic bags, they actually trap and hold moisture. Breathable book covers or boxes made of acid-free material are better.
Check Temperature & Humidity Often: Keep your temperature as stable as possible, ideally between 60-75°F. You can use a hygrometer to monitor humidity levels, and should consider a dehumidifier.
Baking Soda Can Help: If a book develops a musty smell, you can put it in a container with baking soda for a few days to absorb odors and dampness. Lay a “bed” of baking soda down at the bottom of the container, they rest your book above it (using wood blocks, an inverted plastic bowl, etc), so your book doesn’t touch the baking soda powder.
If Book Mold is Already a Problem
If a book of yours already has mold or mildew on it, there are often ways to fix that.
- Dry Brushing — Mildew can be carefully dry-brushed off of books. (PPE is a good idea—a N95 mask and gloves are a good and practical start.)
- Denatured Alcohol — Test on a small and hidden part of the mold damaged book or page. Apply with a cloth or cotton swab dampened slightly with denatured alcohol.
Does Book Mold Mean Bigger Problem?
Lastly, it’s worth mentioning that if mold or mildew is growing on books in your house, it is enough of a sign that you may have a more serious indoor air quality concern worth getting checked out.
The reason for this is as mentioned earlier: Paper and other “predigested” organic matter is often among the first things in a room that mold will damage, so if mold or mildew are growing on the spines and covers of your books, it’s very likely growing in other places as well.
But there’s a bit more to this:
Localized Mold — Cause & Effect are Plain as Day
Mold most often grows in a pretty well-defined space in your home as the result of an also pretty well-defined leak, flood, or other water source. Here you’ll see a pretty direct cause-effect:
- “Leaking bathtub caused wet wood, which grew this mold.”
- or, “Missing roof tile let in rain water, which caused moldy insulation and ceiling tiles.”
- Here the cause (water) and the effect (mold) are sometimes as plain as day.
Generalized Mold — Cause & Effect are Vague
Less often, but still not quite rare in in Florida, is a more generalized mold or mildew problem. There is often no direct or easy to spot cause and effect. Maybe you’ve never had a leak or flood, and your roof tiles are actually installed just right and aren’t letting water in. Yet you still have a mold problem, or you suspect that you do.
This is (or can be) a sign of a more generalized mold or mildew problem. And it’s often caused by the less obvious effects of moisture, humidity, and water within a house.
If you suspect you have a mold problem in your home, call us at Mold Solutions. We offer free Environmental Consultations and can help you address the root causes of a mold problem—if you have one.
