help! how to disinfect old books?

Submitted by robotapricot t3_z5upv3 in books

edit: thank you to everyone for the help !! after consideration i think it'll be best to read an online copy of the book instead. the last thing i want to do is damage a book and if my germaphobia won't let me read a hard copy then online is the best option. :)

just a note tho, i came to this subreddit asking for help and advice and i appreciate everyone's help but not everyone was so nice. maybe in the future don't be a dick to someone who's asking a genuine question and has genuine fears. i probably won't be asking for advice in this subreddit again.

my father in law has found his old copy of The First Men On The Moon by H G Wells and has leant it to me. i'm a bit of a germaphobe tho so i was wondering if there's any way to safely disinfect the cover and pages of a book? i think the cover is made out of some kind of leather if that helps. the books seems rather old too so i'm afraid of damaging it.

i'm really interested in reading this book so any suggestions are welcome !

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Jack-Campin t1_ixy3m38 wrote

Don't. Unless it's got obvious mould there is nothing hazardous in it. The only human pathogen that lasts for decades is anthrax and I doubt there has ever been a case of that being transmitted by a book.

Anything you do to kill microbes on the book will damage it.

It'll be easy to find an electronic copy, just read that instead and give him his copy back.

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Eireika t1_ixyjslf wrote

There was a stir in my Uni when someone donated XIX century book with envelope containing something that resembled dried smallpox blisters.

OP, if you are so nervous there's an option- large libraries and archives taking care of old books offer fumigation- but it's not a cheap thing. I paid over 100$ for one bath

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Jack-Campin t1_ixykrth wrote

I used to visit car boot sales regularly. Never saw a book that looked like a menace, but did spot a couple of odd things. One was a clear plastic envelope labelled in English and Greek, "do not open or touch the contents" - it was a dried scorpion. The other was from the 1930s - a radium-boned corset in its original packet:

https://underpinningsmuseum.com/author/lorraine-smith/upmtc-the-curious-history-of-radioactive-corsets-by-lucy-jane-santos/

You have to wonder if anybody ever tried that to make books you could read in the dark.

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glugolly t1_ixy3toy wrote

Some info from a good source.

Please don’t microwave, moisten, or otherwise damage your books if you can help it.

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PansyOHara t1_ixyqnje wrote

As far as disease-causing germs: very, very few pathogens will survive on a dry surface like a book/ pages to transmit diseases. If the book appears clean and has no visible (or smell-able) mold, and no evidence of insect infestation, it’s fine to touch and handle.

If it’s moldy I would search for an electronic copy and read that. Keep any moldy book away from your other books, as it can spread.

Same with insect-infested books. There may be some helpful techniques for getting rid of them, which you can Google.

However, for a book that’s in the public domain like this one, if you’re worried about it, just get a new paper or electronic copy and read that one.

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robotapricot OP t1_iy09014 wrote

thank you so much for actually being helpful and not antagonising me like some others, i really do appreciate it

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minimalist_coach t1_ixzfnd0 wrote

I wouldn't risk damaging a book that doesn't belong to you. If you are truly phobic, I suggest you find a copy that you feel safe touching. I see you can get it on Kindle.

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robotapricot OP t1_iy08vii wrote

yeah i was thinking if it wasn't possible to disinfect a book then i'll just read it online, i just wanted to know if it was possible first

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minimalist_coach t1_iy0kys2 wrote

I'm sorry that you have this struggle, it would break my heart to feel uncomfortable with used books. I'm so glad that digital books are so readily available. I get most of my loans from my library in ebook or audio book form, but I still love the feel of a printed book.

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robotapricot OP t1_iy0n83l wrote

thank you, yeah it sucks but oh well, i'm trying to work on it so hopefully in the future i'll feel much more comfortable with used books :)

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Purple_Grapes_14 t1_iy1fd8i wrote

The UV in sunlight is a natural disinfectant! Might fade the pages though.

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kteb20011 t1_ixyof2d wrote

Whst about putting it in a zip lock bag for a few weeks? Not exactly sure what you are worried about but that will take care of most issues.

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SSSS_car_go t1_ixyyml9 wrote

Use white cotton gloves to handle the book, like the ones used in the rare book room of some libraries.

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Paradoxornithidae t1_ixyki0f wrote

Nice that you want to read it! As mentioned, it might be safe to read in regards to germs, but that doesn't change how you feel about it. For the pages, you can put a book in your freezer for a couple of days (put it in an open freezer bag so moisture can escape), that way germs and other things will freeze and die. For the cover, I suggest wiping it with a (desinfecting) wet wipe. That shouldn't damage it.

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zedatkinszed t1_iy07b4a wrote

What the actual.

You have got to be trolling. If not please do the world a solid and stay away from old books with any "disinfectants"

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robotapricot OP t1_iy08s1g wrote

wow i'm sorry i want to read despite being germaphobic, i haven't ever disinfected a book so don't you worry, i was just wondering if it was possible

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zedatkinszed t1_iy0asfv wrote

Sorry I'm not sugar coating this. If you have an anxiety about germs don't borrow other people's old learher-bound books.

There are a lot of alternatives that don't involve damaging perishable materials (leather, animal glue, paper) with modern chemicals. Like ebooks.

How the hell would you feel if you lent some else an antique or family heirloom only for them to destroy it.

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robotapricot OP t1_iy0bddq wrote

you don't need to sugar coat it but you also don't need to come in guns blazing y'know? i never want to damage a book and i was literally only asking if it was possible. this is why i came here first instead of just trying to do it myself. i thought maybe people here could give me advice or tell me it's not possible, and they did and i appreciate that. what i don't appreciate is you assuming i'm likely trolling and also telling me to 'do the world a solid and stay away from old books'. literally all you needed to say was 'no you can't disinfect old books' and leave it at that.

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zedatkinszed t1_iy0gcba wrote

C'mon. Srsly now. If you're a germaphobe you know how disinfectants work. You have seen them work. Leather, glue and paper do not mix with bleach based chemicals.

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robotapricot OP t1_iy0n2hj wrote

yes i'm fully aware which is why i asked if there was a safe way to do it (meaning a way to disinfect without the use of harsh chemicals)

i'm not aware of every type of disinfectant method in the world so maybe there was a way to do it safely, but turns out there isn't and i understand that now, i don't know what you're getting out of this but i'm done, thanks for your help

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ep1c_gamer69 t1_ixyb3cz wrote

If you are mainly concerned about something like book lice, you can basically bake your books at a low temperature for a few hours. Libraries do this with special ovens, but in theory you should be able to do it at home.

There has been this post on this subreddit a few weeks ago where some comments explained how to do it (also there was a wild discussion about book scorpions, but that's something else...)

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Professional_Mood_10 t1_ixzvoq3 wrote

Please do not do this. One of the fundamental keys to conserving books is to maintain even heat/moisture. Baking books in a home oven is not only a massive fire risk due to the nature of the heating element, but you will shorten the lifespan by a lot. Old book pages already get crumbly when they lose moisture over time. Do not hasten the process by further removing moisture and exposing it heat. You will also damage the binding, melt adhesive, etc. this way.

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zedatkinszed t1_iy0gwzv wrote

Oh FFS. Stop posting this jackarsery. This is how house fires start. It is not safe to put book paper in a home oven.

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[deleted] t1_ixy3n3z wrote

[removed]

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jefrye t1_ixy7l28 wrote

>Not sure why this is getting downvoted

Probably because it sounds insane lol

Not saying it is (or isn't), but it sounds like a step above throwing a book in the dishwasher.

I guess the archives where you worked don't use RFID tags?

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Historical-Boot9050 t1_ixyeuiv wrote

Use bleach. Don’t mix with water . Just spray on every page

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