Is there something I can put on my vintage fabric books to make them look brighter and healthier?
Is there something I can put on my vintage fabric books to make them
look brighter and healthier? I have some vintage books that I want to
clean. I tried a damp wash cloth and it took off some of the color. I
just want them to look brighter and cleaner.
Please only answer this if you have hands on experience with books.
Please only answer this if you have hands on experience with books.
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Oct 14, 2009. 7:51 PMV-Man737
says:
Anything you put on them to make them "look" brighter andhealthier will end up shortening the life of the fabric in the end.
It's a sad fact you'll have to deal with that the books were not takenvery good care of before; but now you need to do something to ensurethey at least deteriorate more slowly.
Place the books in a dry, cool place out of the sunlight.
It's a sad fact you'll have to deal with that the books were not takenvery good care of before; but now you need to do something to ensurethey at least deteriorate more slowly.
Place the books in a dry, cool place out of the sunlight.
Oct 15, 2009. 9:40 PMV-Man737
says:
Depending on how old your books are, you might be able to use a dry-cleaning agent (usually available at a fabricstore), following the directions carefully. Use no wax or sealant, just keep them away from what damages them(sunlight, heat, and humidity) and you will maximize their life.
Oct 15, 2009. 11:25 PMthreadbare (author)
says:
Have you ever tried this....<br /><br />http://apps.webcreate.com/ecom/catalog/product_specific.cfm?ClientID=15&ProductID=23545<br /><br />Someone suggested it but hadn't tried it personally. <br /><br />I am repurposing some old book covers into new notebooks (journals) soas far as them being kept for as long as the time of man, I'm not tooworried. I just want them to look cleaner and brighter. Some of thecovers are faded. <br />
Oct 14, 2009. 1:25 PMorksecurity
says:
I'd suggest just giving up and making slipcovers for them. They probablycame with slipcovers in the beginning anyway, unless the binding isremarkably fancy.
Oct 14, 2009. 8:18 AMRe-design
says:
I doubt that there much of anything you can do. They look dull anddirty because they pick up dirt over the years but they also age. The fabric yellows and the dyes that make up the color fade and oxidizeover time. If they are exposed to bright light they fadefaster. The shine that was there when new has oxidized and is nowa dull finish rather than bright and shiny.
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