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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;2manycats, post: 9547122, member: 13761&quot;]My father studied conservation at the Newberry Library in the &#039;70s when deacidification was the big thing. There was a system of washing in various cleaning baths and basic solutions. Complicated, and mostly for monochrome prints or typography. Color prints presented further challenges, and a disadvantage was changes to the paper&#039;s texture.</p><p><br /></p><p>Foxing was then and still is not well understood. Mildew is different. Foxing will present as reddish-brown, often circular, discolored spots, often adjacent to coated paper, as in the plates of a book. The belief is that a it&#039;s caused by a mix of microbes &amp; paper chemistry, and exacerbated by heat and humidity. </p><p><br /></p><p>Mildew is usually black, sometimes pink or green or blue, and can have a fuzzy physical presence. It can be a health hazard. Both alcohol solutions and ultraviolet light kill the microorganisms that cause it. I suppose vinegar might, too, but acid and paper don&#039;t mix. </p><p><br /></p><p>For a mildewed piece, If we don&#039;t just throw it away, we brush off - outdoors - any surface debris with a brush used only for that purpose, then either wipe with a rag or paper towel moistened with rubbing alcohol. This is NOT without risk, as both alcohol and the water it&#039;s diluted with can affect paper, ink, and pigments. Experience and the willingness to lose the work are important. The work can also be laid out in the sun, not behind glass, for a few hours. The corners should be weighted so the paper doesn&#039;t curl, and both sides should be treated. There are several methods of surface cleaning involving erasers, pads, and rubber sponges, which often don&#039;t do much, but are occasionally surprisingly effective. </p><p><br /></p><p>Foxing we don&#039;t worry about. There used to be a lot of bad advice about bleaching and other chemical treatments, most of which will have unpredictable long-term effects. If kept in a reasonably comfortable human environment, it is not likely to worsen - it flourishes in damp basements, hot attics, and still parlors.</p><p><br /></p><p>There used to be a deacidification spray called Wei T&#039;o, but I think it&#039;s no longer produced, though there are comparable products out there. </p><p><br /></p><p>For your situation, I&#039;d de-frame the print, do a little surface cleaning, and re-mat and frame in archival materials. </p><p><br /></p><p>I&#039;d be very cautious about following random YouTube advice. Look at the online catalogues of reliable sellers of conservation materials like TALAS and Gaylord, and check reliable scholarly sources. But the key is knowing what the actual problems are before undertaking random treatments. Experience, practice, and experiments on otherwise valueless objects help, but there&#039;s no KNOWING what the long-term results will be.</p><p><br /></p><p>Dad used to keep the old Hippocratic motto for doctors above his workbench: PRIMUM NON NOCERE - &quot;first, do no harm.&quot;[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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