Perhaps you have spilled tea on your favorite book or perhaps you were reading in the bathtub and your book has slipped from your fingers; in any case, books are often damaged by water. It is very sad to see how a book gets soaked, but you can use a freezer or a hair dryer, dry it with gentle touches or just let it air dry to return to its original state or, at least, a very similar one.
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Pat wet books dry
Step 1. Shake the book to remove any excess water
You can gently pat the book dry most effectively if it is not completely soaked through. If you have spilled something on it or it has fallen into a puddle, you should pick it up by the spine and shake it carefully moving it from one side to the other, this will remove the remaining water from the pages and the spine. By gently patting it dry, you can minimize the chance that the letters will fade and the sheets will wrinkle.
Step 2. Remove dirt or debris
Gently remove the residue that the water has left behind. It could be the soaked leaves of a puddle or a candy wrapper in a water stain. No matter what the problem is, remove the residue to avoid further damaging the paper you are drying.
- You can remove the residue from a wet book by removing it with your fingers or tweezers.
- To remove debris from a soggy book, get a large tub of cool, clean water and soak it a bit to slowly remove it. This will loosen the residue without risking damaging the already wet pages.
Step 3. Apply light pressure with a clean white towel
Gently pat each page dry with a clean white cloth or white paper towel. Moving the cloth back and forth can tear wet pages apart. Soak up the water on each page carefully before moving on to the next.
If the pages are only a little damp, you can place the cloth between each one. However, if these are completely soaked, dry the glued pages as one
Step 4. Wipe and soak up the water from the front and back covers
If the book has a paper cover, the safest thing to do is absorb the water, as you still run the risk of tearing the paper apart. If the book has a hard cover, you can wipe it with a cloth, but you should still use a gentle movement. The covers are more durable and resistant than the pages of a book, so you won't have to clean them as quickly.
Don't neglect the lid. When you finish drying, you should dry the cover thoroughly, as leaving water on it could damage the binding of the book and promote mold growth
Method 2 of 4: Use the Dry and Freeze Method
Step 1. Remove excess water
If the book is completely soaked, remove the water by laying it face up on absorbent paper or a towel. Let the water drain and drip. Change the absorbent cloth every time it gets soaked. If the book is only wet, you can shake it from side to side.
Step 2. See if there is still water
If there is still a lot of water on the pages, it means that you have not drained it properly. Leave the book standing and place absorbent paper inside the front and back covers. This will help speed up the drying process and keep the loin intact.
Do not use any absorbent paper (paper towels, newspaper, etc.) with letters or designs, as these could adhere to the book
Step 3. Place the book in a sealed plastic bag
Put the damaged book in a plastic bag and seal it. However, you should not vacuum seal, as you will need some air to get to the pages and some space between the texture of the bag and the book. You can use a simple kitchen bag.
Step 4. Place the book in the freezer
Leave the book on its spine in the freezer. If possible, keep food separate from the book and give it its own space to facilitate air flow.
Step 5. Check it again in 1-2 weeks
This process will take a long time to take effect, so you will have to wait 1 or 2 weeks, depending on the size of the book. Longer books will take more time, while shorter books may only take 4-5 days. If the pages are still wrinkled and soggy, you will need to wait a couple more days to remove the book.
By using this method correctly, you can prevent the paper from shredding and the ink from smearing
Method 3 of 4: Blow Dry Your Book
Step 1. Remove excess water from the book
This method is most effective for books whose pages are only partially wet. Totally soaked pages will not dry properly. Remove excess water by shaking the book or patting it dry.
Step 2. Open the cover of the book at a 90 ° angle
Turn the book face up, open the covers at a 90 ° angle, and let the pages air out. Try to ventilate the pages as best as possible, as this will give them the most efficient airflow.
The pages should be separated, but you should not touch the ones that are still wet. Separating the wet pages could cause the paper to tear or transfer the ink
Step 3. Place the book near a fan
Place the book under a ceiling fan or in front of a table fan, and set it to medium intensity. A low intensity will not provide sufficient airflow, while a very high intensity could cause pages to curl and wrinkle. If your fan does not have a medium intensity, you should use the minimum.
Step 4. Place a heavy object on the closed book to compress the wrinkled pages
Leave a paperweight, a large rock, or even a large book on the closed book for 24 to 48 hours to compress the dry pages. This will help smooth out any remaining wrinkles on the pages.
- Make sure the binding of the book is properly aligned before placing a heavy object on top of it. If the covers or binding are off-center, you could cause permanent damage to the binding.
- Fan drying may not prevent wrinkles, but placing a heavy object on the cover will minimize them and expand the pages.
Method 4 of 4: Blow Dry with a Hair Dryer
Step 1. Drain the remaining water from the book
Using a hair dryer is another more effective method for wet books, but it can also be used on soggy items. However, you will need to remove all excess water before using the dryer. Leaving water can damage the binding of the book and cause mold or discoloration.
Step 2. Lay the book face up with an absorbent cloth under the pages
This will give the book a great spot to rest as you tumble through the pages. Hold the book in place by placing your hand on its spine.
Step 3. Place the dryer 6 to 8 inches (15-20 cm) away from the book
Just as you would when drying your hair, keep the dryer 6-8 inches (15-20 cm) away from the book to avoid heat damage. Use the hot or cold setting, and blow air through each page until they don't feel wet or are just a little damp.
Using a high heat setting can quickly damage the pages and risk burning them. When you blow dry the pages, you should touch them to make sure they are not heating up. If these feel hot to the touch, you should go to another section and return to the previous one when it has cooled down
Step 4. Tumble dry a couple of pages at a time
Blow dry a couple of pages at a time, starting with the binding and working your way down to the edge of the page. Dry a few pages and then move on to a new section when they have dried.
- Don't dry the pages on their side, as you may miss some spots and could cause the paper to become brittle or wrinkle.
- If you dry the book quickly, this could wrinkle and cause the pages to spread out. This is the fastest method, but it could also do the most damage.
Advice
- If you have borrowed the book from a library or someone else, you will need to contact them to find out which method they would prefer. Some will have specific protocols to follow in the event a book is damaged, which could include fixing the damage on your own.
- If the book has only gotten a little wet, you may not have to go through the troublesome steps mentioned above. Instead, you can place the book covers between two tables, books, or other surfaces, and let the wet pages hang freely between objects for a few hours.
Warnings
- The above methods will remove the water from the pages of the book, but don't expect the book to look like new.
- Each drying process may cause the pages to turn yellow, wrinkle, or fade.
- Do not dry the book in a microwave. If you do, you run the risk of burning the pages and the glue and binding being ruined.
- If the book has been exposed to sewage, you should place it in a plastic bag and contact your local health authority for instructions on how to dispose of it. Books exposed to these waters should not be fixed.