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Wet volume pages have a trend to dry out into wavy, folded patterns that can make them hard to read. If yous accidentally got your favorite book wet or left information technology in a humid area, you don't accept to become out and buy a new one! Instead, you tin spend a few days making sure your book is really dry so flattening it out to restore its pages and make your volume readable once more.

  1. 1

    Put your book in the freezer if you don't have time to repair it now. If you demand to wait a few days earlier starting to dry your volume, seal it in a plastic purse and identify it in the freezer. This will stop any mold from growing and damaging your book pages farther.[1]

    • Make certain the plastic bag is airtight so that your book doesn't selection up whatever boosted wet from the freezer.

  2. two

    Blot the pages with a paper towel to brand sure they are dry out. Grab some paper towels and insert them between the pages of your book every 10 to 20 pages. Press downward on the book to soak upwards any residual moisture that might be left in the pages.[ii]

    • Drying the volume beforehand volition make sure the pages don't stick together.
    • If your book has any mold on the pages, gently brush off whatever topical mold spores with a make clean textile and and so set your book in the lord's day to dry out out.

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  3. 3

    Open upwardly your book and stand it on its side. Carefully open your book pages upward until your book is open up at a 45-caste angle. Stand it up on a towel so that the pages stay fanned out. Use caution, equally your book might be fragile.[three]

    • Wet or h2o damaged books are prone to falling autonomously, and then it's important to be careful when you handle them.

  4. 4

    Point a fan at the pages to dry it out overnight. Put the fan on low and then that it doesn't ruffle the pages of your book also much. Exit your book with a fan pointed at it for 8 to 12 hours to ensure that it dries out all the way.[four]

    • Yous tin too prepare a dehumidifier to dry out the pages even more, if you take ane.

  5. five

    Sandwich your book in between 2 boards. You lot can apply whatever scrap wood you accept on hand equally long as it covers the book completely. Lay the book on its side with one board underneath information technology and one on top.[5]

    • Plywood is a great wood to apply for sandwiching your volume, since information technology's pretty thin.

  6. 6

    Place heavy items, like bricks, on acme of the peak lath. Make sure they are centered on the pinnacle board so your book is getting fifty-fifty pressure. You can also use cinder blocks if you don't have any bricks.[half-dozen]

    Alternative: If you have access to a book press, use that instead of heavy objects.

  7. 7

    Point a fan or dehumidifier at your book to dry information technology out. Every bit your volume is being pressed, you lot tin dry it out fifty-fifty more by circulating the air effectually it. Make sure yous turn off whatever humidifiers in your dwelling house and shut the windows and so that your book stays cool and dry. Turn on a fan or a dehumidifier and place it in front end of your book as information technology dries.[7]

    • Try to go on your book out of the direct sunlight so that it doesn't go too hot.

  8. 8

    Exit your book for ane to two days. Try not to disturb your volume equally it flattens out. Keep the heavy objects on meridian of the book for as long as yous can.[8]

    • If your book is nonetheless wavy, yous can try leaving it pressed for longer.

  9. ix

    Continue your volume pressed flat when you store it. If you can, try to put your book in betwixt 2 book ends or a few other books and so that it is being continually pressed flat. This will assist flatten out the pages more and brand sure your book pages stay in their new shape.[9]

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  1. 1

    Spray a fine mist of water over the pages of your book. If your volume has already been dry for a while, use a h2o bottle to get it slightly damp once again. Brand sure all of the pages are damp, but don't soak your volume in water.[10]

    • If you don't take a spray bottle, use a clean paint brush to dab water onto the volume pages instead.

  2. 2

    Prepare your iron to the "no steam" setting. This will ensure that your iron doesn't add any more moisture to the book. Let your iron heat upwardly for about 5 minutes before you lot showtime using it.[11]

    • If you accept an ironing board, you can ready that up every bit well. Otherwise, you tin make a small workstation on your table or counter elevation.

  3. 3

    Place a tissue over one folio of the volume. The tissue volition help to protect the book page from any estrus damage. If y'all don't have any tissues, you can likewise use a sheet of plainly white paper.[12]

    Warning: Never put your atomic number 26 directly onto the pages of your book, or it could fire.

  4. 4

    Swipe your iron quickly over the tissue. Gently printing your atomic number 26 onto the tissue over your book and motion it in a circular motion. Leave your fe on the tissue for nearly iii seconds, then quickly pick it dorsum up.[xiii]

    • Don't exit your atomic number 26 on top of the book pages for likewise long, or you could fire your book.

  5. v

    Iron each page individually to flatten it out. Although it may take a while, this is the best manner to flatten out each and every page of your book. Effort to practise each folio at a time, because the iron won't be hot enough to flatten out 2 pages at one time.[14]

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  • The sooner you start drying and pressing your volume, the better information technology will look.

  • Your book may never wait how it did originally, but you tin restore it partly.

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  • If your damaged book is old or expensive, accept it to a professional person book repair shop.

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Things You'll Need

  • Newspaper towels
  • Towel
  • Fan
  • ii wooden boards
  • Bricks or cinder blocks
  • Dehumidifier
  • Spray bottle
  • Iron
  • Tissues

References

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