Guest guest Posted July 21, 2007 Report Share Posted July 21, 2007 July 20, 2007 Don't let mold take hold Prevent mildew from destroying precious family heirlooms http://starbulletin.com/2007/07/20/features/story07.html By Jacquelyn Carberry / jcarberry@... It's that time of year, when Free's phone calls invariably revolve around the subject of mold -- or, more specifically, how to remove mold spores from the surface of an antique. Her standard response? Once mold becomes attached to a surface, it's virtually impossible to remove, but mold can be neutralized by controlling humidity. Store items in containers, said Free. " Keep the item clean and dust-free and inspect it. Make sure air circulates throughout the room. ... Create a good environment. " Nearly every day the museum conservator for Bishop Museum Laboratories takes calls concerning the disintegrating state of one family heirloom or another, with the hope that something can be done to repair the damage or at least halt its spread. Jalna Ke'ala, for example, rescued a family photo album on its way to the dump. The velvet-clad book with silver-plated clasp was nearly tossed out by a family member who saw the album not as a book filled with precious memories and family photos nearly 150 years old, but as a dusty old thing with a broken binder and yellowed pages hanging off the metal hooks. The response she got from Free was less than soothing and more matter-of-fact: " It's not going to get any better. Try to maintain the state it's in. " Ke'ala was advised to purchase acid-free archival-quality sleeves and a durable, quality storage box. " It's not about improving the aesthetics of an object, but about maintaining the way it is, " said Free. When items are still in good shape, the best approach is often a minimal one, Free said. When a man asked her about preserving a set of old leather-bound documents, " I asked him what kind of condition it was in, and he said it was in good shape. I told him, 'Store it flat and put it in archival containers.' If there's nothing wrong with it, don't fix it. " Free is one of a handful of conservationists in the state; her specialty is ethnographic materials. She says many issues come down to good housekeeping and proper storage. But more frequently, the calls she receives are related to high humidity. " In Hawaii there's a different set of circumstances, " Free said. " High humidity is a real bear for organic materials -- high temperatures, insects, salt-laden air and especially mold. ... You can't kill mold, but you can control the mold through environment. There's a misconception that you can kill mold by freezing it, but it's (just) in a dormant state. " Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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