We’re a small business dedicated to the love of books. A big part of our love language here is caring for books of all ages, but especially aging books and books with special needs. The more book lovers there are that know proper care techniques, the better our bibliophile community is. So today we’re sharing our (not-so) secret techniques for preserving our papery friends.

Basic Cleaning

Depending on the state of the book, you may not need any special materials to get your covers clean again. A lint-free cloth (like an old t-shirt or towel) makes an ideal gentle wipe and gets plenty of debris off all by itself. A toothbrush is useful for getting dirt out of crevices, just be sure it’s new and clean with soft bristles to avoid scratches.

For special materials such as leather, it’s a good idea to do more research – there are many types of leather that require different approaches, and if you aren’t sure what binding your books are in it would be best to get a professional to take a look.

General Care and Storage

Plastic covers are probably the easiest way to keep your books protected and clean – plastic surfaces are easy to clean with common rubbing alcohol and the cover keeps any deteriorating materials away from the book itself. Leather is best handled regularly by clean, dry hands to impart natural oils while other books don’t need this extra time. It’s best to keep all books in a controlled environment that isn’t too humid or too dry, isn’t too hot, away from sunlight and stored in an upright position rather than stacked on top of each other – the goldilocks zone for books.

For more information and a deeper dive into caring for your book collection, visit Biblio’s book collecting guide at this link: https://www.biblio.com/book-collecting/care-preservation/