Any solution to moldy books?

Question

I just discovered that there is a leak in my room in one corner. This is corner is where I have been keeping three stacked boxes of all of my books. The bottom box is ruined, so I took the books out and I have them in the open to dry (after I tried to wipe some of the mold off). The second box was half bad, and I did the same.

My problem is that I love some of these books. The first box has several books which are all signed and personalized by authors (Nicholas Sparks, John Grisham, Steven King, and Harlan Coben). I would never want to sell them, but the fact that they are in ruins makes me extremely mad.

Does anyone have any solution?

If I dry them out and wipe them again, do you think it would be safe to keep them? Is mold really that dangerous?

Answer 1

Not all mold is dangerous (even though its gross).

One of the dangerous ones is a variety that grows in wood and makes it black.

If you dry them out, put them in the sun, wipe them with disinfectant or spray Lysol, etc., chances are they're fine in view of the fact that it isn't like mold in the wood in a house that just keeps growing.

You may want to seal their covers in some kind of clear plastic, so if you want to touch them again you'll know you're not handling "ex-moldy" covers.

I don't know what the covers are made of or how the mold is on them, but you could try a very gentle cleaning with something like the non-abrasive (yellow container) Comet cleaner (which has bleach in it, and which would probably get rid of the smell in the covers).

You could hang the books over some kind of clothes-line type of thing by their bindings, so the pages would be kind of spread out; and then blast them with Lysol.

Answer 2

They're really not worth keeping, unless for sentimental value, because they will likely always stink. You can get most of those authors books at the secondhand stores like Salvation Army for very little money, so I would suggest making a game out of trying to collect the ones that have become ruined, and throw them out as you replace them! (or just make a list and get that smell out of your house!)

Answer 3

Try Baking Soda,put in big plastic bags.let them set for a few days. Baking Soda is good for getting out many smells.