What is Comic Book Dry Cleaning?
Unlike Dracula, comic books are not impervious to the effects of time. After a while, even the most well looked after books begin to show their age and can benefit from a little pick-me-up. The first step in this rejuvenation process is dry cleaning. As the name suggests, dry cleaning involves the removal of soil, without the use of liquids. Gentle methods are employed to carefully lift surface dirt and grime. This process can remove:
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✓ light pencil marks (best in white areas)
✓ grease pen marks
✓ surface dirt
✓ most dried-on debris
✓ production roller marks
While highly effective at improving the appearance of most books, dry cleaning does have limitations and cannot remove heavy soiling. Damage caused by the following cannot be addressed by this cleaning method.
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X fingerprints
X ink
X restoration
X stains
X foxing
X tanning
X sun shadows
X dust shadows
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Dry cleaning is also not recommended for fragile books, particularly if the paper is brittle or badly damaged.
