Deacidification sprays

Lisa Muccigrosso <lisa.mucci [at] gmail__com> writes

>I am curious as to the experience that others on this list may have
>had with paper de-acidification spray.  I am a bookbinder who is
>occasionally asked to construct storage enclosures for personal
>materials of sentimental value, the most recent enclosure being for
>about 130 newspapers from the late 1990s.  My storage plans include
>inserting each paper into a 2-mil poly bag with an acid-free backing
>board, but my client expressed concern about the high deterioration
>rate of newspaper.  Is de-acidification spray the proper way to
>handle this concern? ...

In the case of newspapers it is imperative to neutralize or remove
the acid and buffer the paper.  A high tech system is not necessary
and the project can be done in a home studio.  Acquire a tub large
enough to lay the paper sheet in without folding (a plastic mortar
mixing container might be large enough for the newspapers).  Pour
the deacidification fluid into the tub and dip the paper into it.
Take it out and lay it flat on absorbent (non printed) newsprint to
dry.  If you prefer you can brush on the deacidification fluid with
a large hake brush so that less of it is lost to evaporation.  Using
either of these methods also gets around the sprayer clogging issues
involved with spraying deacidification products.

Randolph Stilson
Archivist
The Evergreen State College


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 21:1
                 Distributed: Saturday, April 28, 2007
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