Easy ways to keep your books clean

Chances are, the only dirty books you'll ever be concerned with are those gathering dust on a forgotten shelf or ones that get splashed with mud on the way home from school. And here are some easy ways to clean them up.

• Dust them, using a vacuum cleaner armed with its soft brush attachment, or wielding a feather duster.
• Or, dip a clean rag in water, wring it out, wipe the books and then dry with another rag.
• If the cover of a book is smudged with fingerprints or smeared with food, use a damp rag to remove spots.
• If you need more cleaning power, mix 125 ml (1/2 cup) of mild detergent, in a bucket of cool water and test it on an inconspicuous spot. (Sometimes covers will come apart if you use too much soap and water, so it's best to test first.)
• For a cover that appears safe, wipe with a rag slightly dampened with the detergent solution, then dry with a soft cloth.
• Can't stand that grimy paperback cover? Use a soft pencil rubber to clean it up. But be careful, as too much pressure can rub off some coloured inks.
• Grime and sticky label residue on covers can be removed by rubbing very gently with a dab of eucalyptus oil on a soft cloth until the residue has disappeared.

• Use restraint.
• Try wiping with a clean cloth first, or use the vacuum to remove visible dust.
• Fine booksellers sell leather cover cleaners, but be careful, as some conservationists no longer favour using products that contain neat’s-foot oil, lanolin or other oils that can permanently darken or stain the cover and give it a greasy feel.
• Another consideration is that leather-bound books treated with oil tend to mould when they're jammed in close together in a bookcase.

• Set up an oscillating fan nearby and open the book so that its pages rustle as the fan sweeps over it.
• Once the book is dry to the touch, sprinkle the pages liberally with medicated baby powder. Use a soft brush to remove any excess.