Clean old books dry, never wet. Dust with a soft brush or microfiber cloth, sweeping away from the spine; wipe cloth or hardback covers with a dry or barely damp cloth; and lift pencil marks in the margins with light strokes of an art-gum or soft vinyl eraser. Don't use water or household cleaners on paper, don't soak leather, and never erase ink. For anything valuable, a professional conservator is safer than aggressive cleaning — over-cleaning lowers value.
Published June 2026 · By Josh Eldred, New Mexico Literacy Project
What you need
Almost everything safe is dry: a soft brush (a clean, soft paintbrush or makeup brush works), a microfiber cloth, and a gentle art-gum or vinyl eraser. A vacuum with a brush attachment on low suction can help with heavy dust — but hold the nozzle off the book and brush dust toward it, never pressing a vacuum onto fragile pages. Notice what's not on the list: water, spray cleaners, and disinfecting wipes. Paper and moisture don't mix.
Step by step
1. Set up clean and dry
Work on a clear, clean surface with washed and fully dried hands. For paper, clean bare hands usually beat cotton gloves: the Library of Congress notes that gloves dull your sense of touch and make a dropped book or torn page more likely. Save nitrile gloves for a book you suspect has mold. Keep the book closed at first so loosened dust doesn't slide down into the gutter.
2. Dust off the edges and covers
Hold the book firmly closed and start with the top edge of the text block, which collects the most dust. Brush away from the spine so dirt doesn't pack into the binding, then brush or wipe the covers.
3. Wipe covers by material
Cloth and hardback boards: a dry or barely damp microfiber cloth, then dry immediately. Glossy or plastic-coated covers, common on paperbacks and children's hardcovers, can take the same barely damp wipe; uncoated paper covers and dust jackets get a dry brush only. Leather: dust it and stop. Don't soak it, and don't oil or "dress" it: the Library of Congress advises against leather dressings, and crumbling, powdery leather is a job for a protective box or a conservator.
4. Lift pencil marks gently
For pencil in the margins, use light strokes of an art-gum or soft vinyl eraser while supporting the page with your other hand. Never erase ink (it smears and tears), and skip erasing on brittle, coated, or already-fragile paper.
5. Know when to stop
If a mark or stain won't lift with gentle dry methods, leave it. The damage from pushing harder is permanent; the mark usually isn't a dealbreaker.
Cleaning is as far as this page goes. Loose hinges, detached pages, a cracked spine or old tape are repairs, and my book cleaning and repair guide covers them, including when a job belongs with a conservator.
Cleaning used and thrift-store books
Secondhand books get the same dry routine with one extra step at the start: look before you clean. Check the gutters and the insides of the boards for fuzzy white, gray or green patches, which mean mold rather than dust (here's how to tell if a book has mold), and for tiny insects or their droppings. A book that came home damp needs drying before anything else, which my guide to water-damaged books walks through. If all you find is dust and a stale smell, clean it as above and give it a few days on a shelf by itself before it joins the rest of your books.
If the book might be valuable
Cleaning is one of the easiest ways to lower a collectible book's value — collectors prize original, untouched condition, and an obvious amateur cleaning is a red flag. If a book might be a genuine first edition or otherwise valuable, dust it lightly at most and stop; for real cleaning or repair, a professional book or paper conservator is the only safe route. How condition factors into value is covered in the condition grading guide, and longer-term care is in the preservation & storage guide.
Frequently asked questions
How do you clean old books without damaging them?
Dry methods only: soft brush or microfiber for dust (sweep away from the spine), a barely-damp cloth on covers, and a gentle eraser for pencil in margins. No water or cleaners on paper.
Can I use water or cleaning spray on a book?
No. Moisture stains paper, warps boards, and can trigger mold. Clean dry, and stop if dry methods don't work.
Should I clean a valuable book?
Minimally at most, since over-cleaning lowers value. Dust lightly and leave the rest to a professional conservator.
How do you sanitize used books?
Skip disinfectant sprays, wipes and UV lamps. The Northeast Document Conservation Center warns that liquid disinfectants can stain and discolor paper and does not recommend UV; for books handled by many people, it suggests setting them aside for 72 hours instead. A glossy or plastic-coated cover can take a barely damp wipe, dried right away.
How do you clean an old book cover?
Match the method to the material. Cloth: a soft brush or a dry microfiber cloth. Glossy or plastic-coated covers: a barely damp cloth, dried at once. Uncoated paper covers and dust jackets: dry brushing, plus a soft vinyl eraser for pencil. Leather: dust only, with no oils or dressings.
How do you get rid of bugs in old books?
Freeze them. Seal the book in a plastic bag and leave it in the freezer for at least two weeks; the Canadian Conservation Institute says two weeks at minus 18°C (about 0°F, typical of a home freezer) kills the common pest species. Keep the bag sealed until the book is back at room temperature, so condensation forms on the plastic instead of the pages.
Cite This Guide
Eldred, J. (June 2026). How to Clean Old and Used Books Safely. New Mexico Literacy Project.
https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/how-to-clean-old-books-safely
Licensed under CC BY 4.0.