If you've spilled a cup of tea on your favorite book or were reading in the bathtub and your fingers have lost their grip, books have an unpleasant tendency to get damaged when they come in contact with water. While it is daunting to see a book getting soaked in water, you can use a freezer, hair dryer, paper towel, or you can just wait for it to dry in fresh air to make the paper look like new, or nearly as good as new.
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Using the Absorbent Paper
Step 1. Shake the excess water out of the book
It is best to use blotting paper on a book that is not completely waterlogged. If you've spilled liquid on the book or fallen into a puddle, collect it by the spine, then shake the excess water off the pages and spine with a slight horizontal motion. If done carefully, this method can minimize fading and wrinkling of pages.
Step 2. Remove any dirt or debris
Carefully remove any residue left by the water, such as wet leaves or candy wrappers. Either way, remove any debris to avoid further damaging the paper you want to dry.
- You can use your fingers or a pair of tweezers to remove foreign objects from a damp book.
- To remove foreign objects from a soggy book, prepare a large basin of fresh, clean water into which you will need to gently dip the book, then slowly remove it. This step will remove any remaining debris without risking damaging the already wet pages.
Step 3. Apply gentle pressure using a clean white towel
Gently blot each page using a clean white cloth or white paper towel. Moving the cloth sideways can tear wet pages. Gently and carefully blot each page before moving on to the next.
If the pages are only slightly damp you can place the cloth between each page. If they are completely wet, however, dab all the pages stuck together as if they were a single page
Step 4. Clean and dry the front and back covers
If the cover is paperback, it is safer to blot, as you still run the risk of tearing the paper. A hardcover book can be rubbed, although the movement must still be light and gentle. Because the covers are stronger than the inside pages, you don't need to take care of them as quickly.
Don't overlook the cover. Once you are done drying, be sure to devote yourself to the cover thoroughly, as leaving it damp could damage the binding of the book and encourage mold growth
Part 2 of 4: Using the Freezer
Step 1. Eliminate excess water
If the book is completely soggy, remove the water by placing it upright on a paper towel or towel. Let the water drain and drip. Replace the absorbent fabric every time it gets soaked. If the book is only wet, you can shake it horizontally.
Step 2. Check the remaining water
If a lot of water remains between the pages, it means that it has not been drained correctly. Place the book back upright and insert a sheet of blotting paper inside the front and back covers. This will help speed up the drying process and keep the binding intact.
Avoid using blotting paper (paper napkins, newspapers, etc.) that have lettering or drawings, as they may transfer to the book
Step 3. Put the book in a sealed plastic bag
Place the damaged book in a plastic bag and seal it. However, it must not be vacuum packed: a little air must be able to reach the pages of the book and there must be some play between the bag and the book itself. A regular freezer bag will do just fine.
Step 4. Place the book in the freezer
Place the book in the freezer on its back. If possible, keep it separate from food and leave it on a shelf of its own to facilitate air circulation.
Step 5. Check after 1-2 weeks
This process takes some time so you will have to wait a couple of weeks, depending on the size of the book. A thicker book will take longer, a thinner one may only need 4-5 days. If the book is still wavy and waterlogged, give it a couple more days before taking it out of the freezer.
When done correctly, this method prevents page tearing and ink dripping
Part 3 of 4: Use a Fan
Step 1. Remove excess water from the book
This method is most effective for books that have only slightly damp pages, as those that are completely soaked in water will not fan properly. Remove excess water by shaking the volume or blotting it.
Step 2. Open the book covers to a 90 degree angle
Place the book upright, opening the covers to a 90 degree angle and letting the pages fan out. Try to open the pages with extreme care, as this will allow for optimal airflow.
Your goal is that the pages are separated from each other, but avoid leveraging the very wet ones; separating two wet pages may cause them to tear or transfer ink
Step 3. Place the book near a fan
Place the book under a ceiling fan or in front of a desk fan and turn the device on at medium speed. Low power will not provide enough airflow, while excessive power may cause pages to curl and curl. If your fan does not have a medium speed, use the lower one.
Step 4. Place a heavy object on the closed book to press the curled pages
Using an ornament, a large stone or even another large volume, compress the dry pages of the closed book, leaving it in this way for 24-48 hours. This will help smooth out any wrinkles left in the pages.
- Make sure the binding of the book is properly aligned before placing a heavy object on top of it. If the binding or covers are not well centered you could cause permanent damage to these parts of the volume.
- Blow drying may not prevent creasing, but a heavy object on the cover will minimize wrinkles and expanded pages.
Part 4 of 4: Use a Hair Dryer
Step 1. Let all excess water drain from the book
The hair dryer method is also more suitable for damp books, although it can be used on very wet ones. Before drying with the hair dryer, however, it is necessary to remove all excess water; leaving some of it could damage the binding of the book and cause mold or discoloration.
Step 2. Place the book upright, keeping an absorbent cloth under the pages
This will give the volume an optimal position while you pass the hairdryer over its pages. Hold the book in place by keeping one hand along the spine.
Step 3. Place the hair dryer 15-20cm away from the book
Just like you would your own hair, keep the hair dryer 6 to 8 inches from the book to avoid heat damage. Using either cold or hot air, direct the jet on each page until you feel dry or only slightly damp to the touch.
A jet of high heat air could quickly damage the pages and run the risk of burning them. As you pass the hair dryer over the pages, touch them to make sure they don't overheat; if they become hot to the touch, move on to a new section of the book and return to the previous one after it has cooled down
Step 4. Dry a few pages at a time
Going over a few pages at a time, start from the binding of each of them and move down to the edge of the page. Once you've finished a section, move on to a new one as soon as those pages have dried.
- Do not dry the pages sideways, as you will likely miss some spots and could make the paper brittle and curled.
- Drying the book too quickly can cause wrinkles and paper to expand. It is the fastest method, but it can also cause the most damage.
Advice
- If the book in question was borrowed from a library or other institution, contact them to ask what they would like them to do. Some libraries, for example, have specific protocols to follow in such a case, which may include intervention instructions.
- If the book is only slightly damp you may not need to perform the above steps; instead you can place the covers between two tables, books or other objects, leaving the moistened pages to hang freely for a few hours.
Warnings
- Although the methods mentioned above remove water from the pages of books, do not expect them to regain the look they did when you bought them.
- Do not dry the book in the microwave. You run the risk of burning the pages and ruining the glue and binding.
- Any drying process may cause yellowing, wrinkles and discoloration.
- If the book has been exposed to sewage, put it in a plastic bag and contact your local health authority to find out how to dispose of it. Books exposed to wastewater should not be recovered.
