Flooding: Before & After
Restoring Vital Services — Books and valuable papers
Books and valuable papers soaked by flood waters may be put in a freezer to keep them from mildewing until you have time to clean and dry them carefully. Place sheets of wax paper between layers of paper bundles or books to make later separation easy.
When you are ready to work on papers and books stored in the freezer, remove a few of them at a time. Separate them carefully while still partially frozen. Wipe book covers with a cloth wrung out of a solution of one part rubbing or denatured alcohol and one part water. Sprinkling cornstarch or talcum powder on pages may help absorb water. Place books on end and spread the pages fanlike to air dry. If the pages begin curling, close books and press papers flat for a time, then again open or separate to continue drying. Alternate drying and pressing until items are completely dry. After drying, shake out book pages to remove excess powder or cornstarch. Wipe vinyl and leather book covers with a very light coating of petroleum jelly or leather or vinyl dressing.