How To Clean Mold From Paper

By Melissa Lewis Apr 2, 2009 1:43 pm EST

Things Needed

Soft brush
Newspaper
Trash can

Tip

Now that your mold is gone, try not to let it happen again. If you get papers wet, immediately lay them in the sun to dry, lay them over a chair, or hang them up on a clothesline.

Warning

Don't store papers in damp places such as attics or basements.

Mold is a fungus that grows and thrives in damp and musty places. It should be taken care of immediately because it can be dangerous. It also can spread quickly, causing more problems. Mold can grow on most things, including paper.

Step 1

Isolate the moldy papers in a dry place. Separate any papers with mold on them from each other and from other clean papers. The best place to move your moldy papers is outside.

Step 2

Let your papers dry out. Mold will turn into a powder when it dries out. Lay your papers outside in direct sunlight for about an hour.

Step 3

Brush off the mold. Take a soft brush, like toothbrush or an eyebrow brush, and gently wipe off the dry mold onto some old newspaper. Wear rubber gloves, safety glasses (especially if it's windy) and a mask so that you don't inhale spores of mold or get mold on your hands. Carefully fold over the newspaper and discard it in an outdoor trash can.