Fungal growth on wet or damp materials can be arrested by drying, freezing, or freeze drying the materials. If only a few objects are wet, spread them out in an area with low relative humidity and allow them to dry. To avoid scattering spores, do not use fans on moldy materials. When dry, the materials should be cleaned. Work outdoors whenever possible and always use protective gear, such as a respirator with a filter that can be changed frequently, disposable plastic gloves, goggles, and appropriate clothing for dirty situations.
Disposable clothing is best.
To remove mold from paper or book, vacuum it if possible with a multiple-filter vacuum. Cleaning moldy materials by brushing with a soft brush is not as safe as vacuuming, but is acceptable for inactive mold if precautions are taken. The area where the moldy books were will also need to be thoroughly cleaned. Although it is a popular belief that you can get rid of mold by microwaving a book, literature shows that microwaves do not kill all mold spores and will only kill active mold if heated to the point of damaging the object itself. Microwaving also causes adhesives to melt, leather to soften, and the internal structure of the paper to break down.