• When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

Cleaning Comics
2 2

237 posts in this topic

59 minutes ago, moemaya said:

I have several raw comics from an estate sale that have mild dirt build up and just plain dirty - otherwise decent books.

Any recommendations on how to clean them?

Don't touch them. You will probably do more harm than good, removing color/gloss. Send them to a professional for a dry clean and press.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 hours ago, moemaya said:

I have several raw comics from an estate sale that have mild dirt build up and just plain dirty - otherwise decent books.

Any recommendations on how to clean them?

A new white eraser can remove grime just be very careful-if you slip at the outside corners it can pull a corner right off.  Clean only white areas.  thats where most of grime shows up anyway.  Books usually have most grime on back spine area and it cleans up in a jif.  I've cleaned dozens of books. 

Edit: after extensive debate I have to concede to Hector-this is a bad idea.   Leave all cleaning to professionals.

 

Edited by kav
Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 minutes ago, Bomber-Bob said:
1 hour ago, moemaya said:

I have several raw comics from an estate sale that have mild dirt build up and just plain dirty - otherwise decent books.

Any recommendations on how to clean them?

Don't touch them. You will probably do more harm than good, removing color/gloss. Send them to a professional for a dry clean and press.

+1 Best advice is to ask a professional.

One caveat to the OP, there are plenty of well meaning people on this board who will not hesitate to give advice, even when they don't know what they're talking about. In this case, definitely consult a comic restoration pro or perhaps a professional presser who also does cleaning

Edited by Jeffro.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, Jeffro. said:

+1 Best advice is to ask a professional.

One caveat to the OP, there are plenty of well meaning people on this board who will not hesitate to give advice, even when they don't know what they're talking about. In this case, definitely consult a comic restoration pro.

It's really not rocket science.  Cleaning fragile paper has it's risks but consulting a restoration pro for a simple cleaning is a bit overkill in my opinion.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 minutes ago, 1Cool said:
7 minutes ago, Jeffro. said:

+1 Best advice is to ask a professional.

One caveat to the OP, there are plenty of well meaning people on this board who will not hesitate to give advice, even when they don't know what they're talking about. In this case, definitely consult a comic restoration pro.

It's really not rocket science.  Cleaning fragile paper has it's risks but consulting a restoration pro for a simple cleaning is a bit overkill in my opinion.

Define "simple cleaning" and what it entails. Are you an expert?

Perhaps it is overkill. Perhaps not, but there are lots of people here that give out bogus advice (as I said well meaning but still erroneous) on a daily basis and that was my main point. 

Edited by Jeffro.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 minutes ago, Jeffro. said:

Perhaps. Perhaps not, but there are lots of people here that give out bogus advice (as I said well meaning but erroneous) on a daily basis and that was my main point. 

Before and after "removing" a grease pencil mark.

1.thumb.jpg.c34d781d3143530a680382e341953f8f.jpg2.thumb.jpg.51f4db41142a0e94875976be4265eab9.jpg

 

Edited by BlowUpTheMoon
Larger pictures
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I reccomend only cleaning white areas.  Dont go near color areas.  Like anyone, I had to learn from trial and error.  I have sold dozens of books I cleaned no problemo.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I learned from someone who has done this professionally for decades and all I can say is what I thought went into dry cleaning was about 1/10 of what it entails.  Two books with the same type of grime buildup may use totally different tools to do the same job.  Its a huge learning process and took me a long time to be able to do it correctly.  

14 minutes ago, BlowUpTheMoon said:

Before and after "removing" a grease pencil mark.

1.jpg.97399a156a49857c4fe48ba11ef8d03a.jpg2.jpg.d4b5128fe59f74e9cc02c0577d091f86.jpg

I see they decided to leave the ".12" there.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

30 minutes ago, BlowUpTheMoon said:

Before and after "removing" a grease pencil mark.

1.thumb.jpg.c34d781d3143530a680382e341953f8f.jpg2.thumb.jpg.51f4db41142a0e94875976be4265eab9.jpg

 

While this may present 'okay' for a low grade reader copy, the loss of cover color, especially in the yellow area, would look terrible and ruin a high grade book. Not sure of your intent but your example shows us what NOT to do.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 minutes ago, Bomber-Bob said:

While this may present 'okay' for a low grade reader copy, the loss of cover color, especially in the yellow area, would look terrible and ruin a high grade book. Not sure of your intent but your example shows us what NOT to do.

That result would definitely give me the stomach ache of regret.  Even if the book is okay for the grade it still could've been better.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, comicquant said:

That result would definitely give me the stomach ache of regret.  Even if the book is okay for the grade it still could've been better.  

Yes. Also, from a CGC perspective, the grease mark would be a minimal, if any, downgrade. The loss of cover color would result in a bigger loss to the grade. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Did you ever go to someone's house and he shows his DIY project ? He thinks it looks good and you are thinking it looks terrible.  The trouble with showing a dry clean before and after with a two dimensional scan is you will not always see the damage. Look at the area that was dry cleaned, even the back cover white spine area, at an angle in hand and you will see the loss of gloss . It doesn't show up in the slab but raw, in hand,  I don't like the look. CGC sees so much of it that they probably let it slide.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

20 minutes ago, Dan82 said:

Use some of this stuff. I have cleaned a lot of books with it and it's great stuff... After every four or five strokes re-knead the lump and continue, and take your time, it's not a race. 

61XKEdwZA1L._SY450_.jpg

Actually, this makes more sense to me than an eraser. Dabbing the dirt out seems better than 'rubbing' it out. I know the 'trick' to a good eraser dry clean is to keep the eraser clean and rub ever so gently but for those of us without the patience, I like this idea.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
2 2