Conservation of your passport collectibles

Conservation collectibles
I was offered a fine old document from the early 17th Century, but it was infected by mold. Here comes a comprehensive article from the NSW State Archive and Records about mold and how to treat mold.

What is mold?

Mold is a generic name often applied to various types of fungi that grow on the surfaces of materials such as fabrics, paper, food, and leather. They are multicellular organisms that send filaments through the materials they grow on and produce enzymes to break down their food. Molds reproduce through the production of small spores which are carried through the air and deposited on surfaces – these spores are in the air all the time and cannot be eliminated from storage areas. Given the right conditions, these spores will germinate and grow. Conservation Removing mold documents