It can be removed using a vacuum cleaner and a soft brush or a brush attachment. Clean brushes and dispose of vacuum bag to prevent spreading the mold spores. Use a dry, clean rag or brush to remove mold from books and papers. Damp books are more susceptible to mold than wet volumes. Mold will start on covers and work inward on a book.
Many molds prefer the starch in cloth-coverings on books.
Mold is often noted on the bindings long before it grows on the textblocks. In warm and humid conditions, mold can begin to grow within 24-48 hours after the materials have gotten wet. The spores of fungi that become mold or mildew are always present in the air and on objects. When the temperature and moisture in the environment are suitable for germination, the fungus spore bursts and growth begins.