Preserving books against mold?

"Alan Meyer" wrote in message
...
I have a collection of several thousand books in a part of my
house that gets too humid in the summer time. The books
can get moldy.

I've dealt with that in the past with dehumidification, but in
the last year electricity costs have gone through the roof
in my state and it's getting really expensive. Has anyone
successfully controlled mold by cheaper means - air
circulation, lysol spray, ultraviolet light (which can also
damage books), etc.?

Thanks.

I've decided to try a very simple solution.

At least twice a week, and maybe more often, I'm spraying
some Lysol spray disinfectant into the air in the room with
the books. Lysol is an effective fungicide, and it's cheap
and readily available. I don't know whether it will do the
job or not, but I'm inspecting everything carefully to try
to spot any problems at the earliest stages. If I see
mold beginning on the surfaces most susceptible to them,
I may bite the bullet an turn on my dehumidifier.

Alan

Alan Meyer wrote:
"Alan Meyer" wrote in message
...
I have a collection of several thousand books in a part of my
house that gets too humid in the summer time. The books
can get moldy.

I've dealt with that in the past with dehumidification, but in
the last year electricity costs have gone through the roof
in my state and it's getting really expensive. Has anyone
successfully controlled mold by cheaper means - air
circulation, lysol spray, ultraviolet light (which can also
damage books), etc.?

Thanks.

I've decided to try a very simple solution.

At least twice a week, and maybe more often, I'm spraying
some Lysol spray disinfectant into the air in the room with
the books. Lysol is an effective fungicide, and it's cheap
and readily available. I don't know whether it will do the
job or not, but I'm inspecting everything carefully to try
to spot any problems at the earliest stages. If I see
mold beginning on the surfaces most susceptible to them,
I may bite the bullet an turn on my dehumidifier.

Alan


What is the pH of Lysol?


Francis A. Miniter

"Francis A. Miniter" wrote in message
. ..
Alan Meyer wrote:
...
At least twice a week, and maybe more often, I'm spraying
some Lysol spray disinfectant into the air in the room with
the books.
...

What is the pH of Lysol?

I haven't found a definitive answer. For one reason, there
are different formulations for different purposes. But all
of the sources I'm finding on the web declare it to be
highly alkaline. The lowest number I've found is "9",
and the highest (for Lysol Antibacterial Kitchen Cleaner)
is 12.5. I've seen a couple of web pages claiming 10. I
don't have any pH papers or a meter to test with myself.

Alan

Alan Meyer wrote:
"Francis A. Miniter" wrote in message
. ..
Alan Meyer wrote:
...
At least twice a week, and maybe more often, I'm spraying
some Lysol spray disinfectant into the air in the room with
the books.
...

What is the pH of Lysol?

I haven't found a definitive answer. For one reason, there
are different formulations for different purposes. But all
of the sources I'm finding on the web declare it to be
highly alkaline. The lowest number I've found is "9",
and the highest (for Lysol Antibacterial Kitchen Cleaner)
is 12.5. I've seen a couple of web pages claiming 10. I
don't have any pH papers or a meter to test with myself.

Alan



For my darkroom work, a few years ago I got a nifty little
meter from Hanna Instruments for under $35. See their web
page for current information.
http://secure.sciencecompany.com/Han...16315C679.aspx


Francis A. Miniter

On Sun, 25 May 2008 18:01:54 -0400, "Alan Meyer"
wrote:

I've dealt with that in the past with dehumidification, but in
the last year electricity costs have gone through the roof
in my state and it's getting really expensive.

Dehumidifier, but control air circulation too so that the dried air
remains around the library room / cupboard and humid air cant enter from
outside. That, and check your dehumidifer is efficient and in good
order. They're cheap to buy these days but expensive to run -
replacement can be worthwhile.

"Andy Dingley" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 25 May 2008 18:01:54 -0400, "Alan Meyer"
wrote:

I've dealt with that in the past with dehumidification, but in
the last year electricity costs have gone through the roof
in my state and it's getting really expensive.

Dehumidifier, but control air circulation too so that the dried air
remains around the library room / cupboard and humid air cant enter
from
outside. That, and check your dehumidifer is efficient and in good
order. They're cheap to buy these days but expensive to run -
replacement can be worthwhile.

I did seal the area that was dehumidified reasonably well.
I kept all the windows closed, and placed weather stripping
around the door.

Given the high price of electricity these days (it seems to
have more than doubled in our state in just the last year),
I probably could save money by buying a newer, more
efficient, dehumidifier. The one I've got is 20+ years old.
Unfortunately however, the basic process - chilling air in
order to condense moisture from it, is inherently expensive.

I'm now spraying small squirts of Lysol into the air around
my books once each day. My hope is that small amounts
of fungicides in the air, if applied very regularly, will keep the
environment unhealthy for fungal spores.

It's a cheap strategy. Time will tell if it works.

Alan

Alan Meyer wrote:
I have a collection of several thousand books in a part of my
house that gets too humid in the summer time. The books
can get moldy.

I've dealt with that in the past with dehumidification, but in
the last year electricity costs have gone through the roof
in my state and it's getting really expensive. Has anyone
successfully controlled mold by cheaper means - air
circulation, lysol spray, ultraviolet light (which can also
damage books), etc.?

Thanks.

In case anyone is interested in the outcome of my experiment,
here's a report.

I tried spraying Lysol, which is a pretty good fungicide, in
the air around the books a couple of times a week. As evidence
of failure mounted, I began spraying more and more heavily,
eventually getting to twice a day.

But I have to declare the experiment a failure. It didn't
prevent mildew from attacking my books - starting with the
most vulnerable book covers.

I've given up and turned on my dehumidifier.

On Jun 22, 2:00*pm, Alan Meyer wrote:
Alan Meyer wrote:
I have a collection of several thousand books in a part of my
house that gets too humid in the summer time. *The books
can get moldy.

I've dealt with that in the past with dehumidification, but in
the last year electricity costs have gone through the roof
in my state and it's getting really expensive. *Has anyone
successfully controlled mold by cheaper means - air
circulation, lysol spray, ultraviolet light (which can also
damage books), etc.?

Thanks.

In case anyone is interested in the outcome of my experiment,
here's a report.

I tried spraying Lysol, which is a pretty good fungicide, in
the air around the books a couple of times a week. *As evidence
of failure mounted, I began spraying more and more heavily,
eventually getting to twice a day.

But I have to declare the experiment a failure. *It didn't
prevent mildew from attacking my books - starting with the
most vulnerable book covers.

I've given up and turned on my dehumidifier.

You can buy medicated anti-fungal powders at the drug store -- perhaps
apply it to the shelves or the covers of vulnerable books?