Prep first
Before you start
- Dry the item completely and fix the water source first.
- Put on gloves, goggles without vents and an N-95 respirator before you touch it.
- Keep loose mold from scattering onto other paper and books.
Mold on paper leaves very little room for home treatment, since nothing wet is an option. Mold depends on moisture, and it can leave staining that doesn't always reverse, so a dry approach is where you start. The value of the item decides how far you go: a valuable book or print, or an embedded stain, belongs with a conservator rather than a home fix.
If you're trying to remove mold from old books, keep the pages dry and handle them gently. Old photos and prints need the same dry approach, and brittle or flaking paper needs extra care so it doesn't tear. If the item is valuable or the stain is set into the paper, a conservator is the right call.
Before you start
What paper, books & photos can take
Use with care1
- Scrubbing and abrasives
Avoid5
- Water
- Hot water
- Soaking
- Solvents (alcohol, spot removers)
- Heat, once the stain is out
5 items
What you'll need
Tap an item to get it on Amazon, or tick what you already have.
- Soft natural-bristle brushLifts loose mold off the surface gently. (opens Amazon)
- Non-colored vinyl eraserGrated into crumbs for sturdy prints only. (opens Amazon)
- GlovesKeep spores off your skin. (opens Amazon)
- Goggles without ventsProtect your eyes from spores. (opens Amazon)
- N-95 respiratorKeeps you from breathing in spores. (opens Amazon)
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6 steps
Step by step
Step 1 of 624 to 48 hours
Stop the damp and dry it
Mold needs moisture to grow, so find and fix whatever is wetting the paper before anything else. Then move the item to a cool, relatively dry room, away from radiators and vents, and let it dry completely. Wet areas dried within 24 to 48 hours usually won't grow mold.
Careful. Don't use heat to speed drying, because paper can't take it.
Step 2 of 6
Gear up before you touch it
Put on gloves, goggles without vents, and an N-95 respirator before you handle the item. That way you won't breathe in or touch spores while you work.
Step 3 of 6
Brush off the loose mold
Take the item outdoors if you can, then brush off the loose mold with a soft natural-bristle brush. Use short, light strokes that lift the growth off the surface. Keeping this part outside stops spores from scattering through the house.
Careful. Active mold can smear, so stop brushing if the growth drags across the page.
Step 4 of 6
Dust with eraser crumbs
On a sturdy, non-colored print that isn't brittle or flaking, grate a non-colored vinyl eraser over a clean sheet of paper and sprinkle the crumbs across the stain. Work them in gently with the soft brush, then brush them off.
Careful. Keep eraser crumbs out of books, where they get trapped in the gutter.
Step 5 of 6
Check the mark in good light
Look at the stain under bright, even light to see what's left. If the mold is gone and only a faint mark remains, that rest is likely staining or cosmetic damage that home cleaning can't reverse.
Tip. A lamp held at a low angle shows raised growth better than a flat overhead light.
Step 6 of 6
Store it cool and dry
Keep the item in a cool, relatively dry place, away from radiators and vents, and leave it loose so air can reach it. Check it again soon to make sure no new growth is showing.
Finished the steps? How does it look?
Nice work. Let it dry completely and check it again in good light. Here is what done looks like:
How to tell it's really gone →A faint mark usually needs one more round, not a stronger product.
Heavy buildup usually takes more than one round.
Heavy or long-standing buildup →When to call a professional →How to tell it's working
Once the paper is fully dry, the fuzzy growth should be gone and the surface should look and feel dry. If the spots keep coming back or the paper smells musty, moisture is still getting in, so fix that before doing anything else.
What changes for yours
Adjust for your paper, books & photos
Old photographs
Photographs are a different job, because they can't be surface-cleaned at all. Skip the brush and the eraser crumbs, and let the photo dry in a cool, relatively dry place, away from radiators and vents.
Store it loose and check it once it's dry. If it's valuable or the damage looks like it's getting worse, a photograph conservator is the right person to see next.
Books
Books change the job, so the drying and brushing steps are the only ones that apply to the pages. Because the pages are bound together, dry the whole volume fully before you shelve it.
Check the pages that were pressed together or stored against a damp wall, since that is where the damp tends to collect.
Brittle or flaking paper
Brittle paper and flaking ink can't be surface-cleaned, so don't brush or dust them at all. Even the eraser crumbs are off the table for these items.
Let the item dry in a cool, relatively dry place and keep it loose while it dries. If the paper is valuable or crumbling, see a paper conservator rather than trying more steps at home.
Hand-colored items
Hand-colored prints can't be surface-cleaned, so skip the brush and the eraser crumbs, which would only risk lifting the color. Dry the item in a cool, relatively dry place and keep it away from radiators and vents.
Then have a paper conservator look at it, since colored areas are the hardest to judge at home.
Heavy or long-standing buildup
Old mold on paper is often embedded in the fibers, so the stain can be part of the sheet rather than sitting on top of it. Home surface cleaning doesn't remove embedded stains, and that includes mold staining.
Once the item has dried, the mark usually stays, because mold can cause staining and cosmetic damage that can't always be reversed. Brushing and eraser crumbs take off the surface growth, but they won't lift the damage underneath.
If the stain is still there after drying and brushing, the realistic goal is a clean, stable item rather than an invisible one. For items of collector's value, leave the stain as it is, improve the storage, and ask a conservator before trying anything else.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on mold on paper, books & photos?
Most home remedies for mold are liquids, and paper can't take water, solvents or heat. Here's how each common remedy stacks up for paper, so you know which ones to skip.
Avoid7
What makes it worse
Mistakes to avoid
Don't wet the paper to clean it
Paper can't take water, soap, hot water or soaking, and soaking wet prints in cold water can cause irreversible damage. Any liquid risks spreading the stain, so keep every treatment dry.
Don't reach for bleach as a routine fix
Chlorine bleach isn't recommended as a routine practice, and it's a liquid the paper can't take. Never mix it with ammonia or any cleaner that contains it, because toxic fumes could be produced.
Don't tape, glue or stick the item
Self-stick tape is extremely difficult to remove, even when it's marketed as archival, and the same goes for sticky notes, glue and magnetic self-adhesive album pages. Keep the paper loose so you don't create a second problem.
Don't use a block or electric eraser
Only grated, non-colored vinyl eraser crumbs belong on this paper. Block, putty, electric and commercial abrasive erasers are not safe here.
Don't use canned air on old photos
Canned air is not safe for photographs, so skip it even to blow off loose spores. Dry any photos in a cool, relatively dry place and keep them away from radiators and vents.
When to call a professional
Call a paper conservator, or a photograph conservator for photos, when the item is valuable, the damage is getting worse, or it's handled often. A conservator is also the right call for embedded stains, tape residue, insect or rust deposits, or whenever you're unsure.
Questions
Can I wash mold off paper with soap and water?
No. Paper can't take water or soap, and soaking can cause damage that doesn't reverse. Brush off loose mold outdoors and dry the item completely instead.
Will the stain ever fully come out?
Sometimes not. Mold can cause staining and cosmetic damage that can't always be reversed, so a faint mark may remain after the growth is gone. Focus on drying and stopping the growth, since that protects the rest of the item.
Can I use eraser crumbs inside a book?
No. Eraser granules get trapped in the gutter, the fold where the pages meet the spine, and they are hard to get out. Keep the crumbs for loose, sturdy prints instead, and dry the book fully in a cool, relatively dry place.
Is chlorine bleach safe on mold on paper?
It isn't recommended as a routine practice, and paper can't take the liquid. Never mix it with ammonia or any cleaner that contains it, because that can produce toxic fumes.
Can I freeze a moldy photograph?
No. Freezing is one of the things to avoid with old photographs and negatives. Let the photo dry in a cool, relatively dry place and talk to a photograph conservator if it's valuable.
Can I iron moldy paper flat to dry it?
No. Heat is off the list for paper, so an iron is a bad idea. Let the paper dry in a cool, relatively dry place instead.
Could the mold spread to my other books or the heating system?
It can, so move the item away from other paper and books while it dries. Don't run the heating or cooling system if you suspect it's contaminated with mold, because it could spread mold through the building.
Mold on other materials
Other stains on paper, books & photos
Start from the bigger picture
How we know this
Every method, amount and warning here comes from university extension services, industry bodies and product makers. We read them, check every step for unsafe combinations and changed amounts, and write it up so you can follow it.