Die, Dust, DIE! or: How I Clean My Bookshelves

It's not easy living in urban India with a bunch of bookshelves full of comics that you don't want to have behind glass or doors because that just doesn't look that nice to you. The dust is bad as it is, and now I've gone and rejected what protection common sense dictates one use.
Still, over the years, I've picked up a few tips, tricks and habits that help me combat dust (the devil!) better. in this video, I share some basic guidelines to maintaining and cleaning open bookshelves through a little bit of autobiography in how I clean my bookshelves.
A little bit of effort goes a long way if you coordinate it right!
What are your favourite approaches to storing and displaying your books?
*Join the brand new Patreon to support the channel: / fortheloveofcomics , or become a KZbin Member by clicking the 'Join' button above! *
The shelf in this video is Shelf 2, our 'Alan Moore' shelf, although it holds a lot more than the British wizard's works.
The multipart bookshelf tour so far is collected in this playlist
• Our Comics Collection
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Music by Jimmy Fontanez, Media Right Productions from KZbin Audio Library.
#comics #cleaning #bookshelf

[@drderrickchua]

I’ve been asking all those collected edition vloggers and they all respond as if dust don’t exist. Great channel & show. Each of your 10 minute videos contain more information than hours of theirs.

[@ftloc]

Thank you so much for the kind words and I'm thrilled you're enjoying the channel! I'd love to hear any suggestions, feedback and recommendations you may have!

[@slickcatricky7694]

@@ftloc hi why is the blade reversed on the fan? Also how do you clean your vacuum cleaner filter wihtout spewing back the dust you colleted? Thank you.

[@ftloc]

@@slickcatricky7694 the reversed blades draw air in rather than blow out, like an exhaust fan, so the air with dust is pulled through the filter. And yeah, emptying a vacuum cleaner was always a nightmare. Until I found bagless vacuum cleaners, which have these bodies like removable pitchers. I just take that off, take it into an area like a balcony or bathtub, and just our everything out into a lge garbage can. The bagless design has changed everything! 😁

[@tssyasha]

basically what I need, I wonder why those booktubers never create videos like this when they have tons of books

[@ftloc]

Thank you, so glad to know it helped! I was wondering if I should make a follow up video to this one - any suggestions of what else you'd ideally like to see covered? 😁

[@kapilbhat]

​@@ftlocpls make a follow up video on this topic. A longer detailed video.

[@ftloc]

FtLoC drinking game: take a drink every time I say ‘dust’! *Join the brand new Patreon to support the channel: www.patreon.com/fortheloveofcomics, or become a KZbin Member by clicking the 'Join' button above! *

[@0617kitty]

Very good ways to clean books and book shelves. I just realized I skipped the cleaning of book shelves after I cleaned most of the house after remolding. I tried to do it with the most efficient and safe way for me who is allergic to dust too. Thank you!!😊

[@ftloc]

So glad you enjoyed it, cheers!

[@nathand256]

What I do 1. Wrap all my books with wrapper. This way the cover of the book gets protected. 2. Read in such a way such that spine is never creased. Maybe difficult at first but it becomes more easier. 3. Store books in a dry, enclosed cabinet. Less dusting. 4. Use 2 separate dusting equipment. One for the base plate, one for the book. 5. Never lend books to others. 6. Of course, I don't use damp cloths. 7. For old books, I use a 3-5 sandpaper, grip the papers tightly and remove the excess dust on top/sides. 8. Don't stack books horizontally- one on top of another. Vertical is the way to go. 9. Collector editions, rare copies are covered in non stick plastic, then put into an airtight container and kept away. No sunlight, no water. Nothing. I have saved 4 such books in this way. ( they're my most prized collection)

[@ftloc]

That's sounds impressively thorough and I can really respect that. Unfortunately, out of both laziness and wanting everything easily accessible, I end up putting none of those into practice, save for a few rare books wrapped in plastic. Maybe I'll improve one day! 😋

[@nathand256]

@@ftloc 🤣🤣 Thanks.

[@G2312]

Don't they become more yellowish inside the cabinet? Have heard they must get proper air ventilation

[@sharonwilson6601]

Thank you very much for your help. I live in London and have some extremely dusty and quite frankly dirty bookshelves. I was making the mistake of using a damp cloth on my books in an attempt to clean them quickly. However, after watching your video I now know I was doing it all wrong. Thanks again for your very helpful tips.

[@ftloc]

So glad I could help! And don't be so hard on yourself - it's not a*all* wrong, just avoid the damp cloth coming in touch with paper or cardboard, I'd say. It works fine on the bare shelves, and then you let it dry before putting the books back in! 😁

[@haywoco2]

As always, a pleasure. I myself have a modest personal library that includes many older books that are literally irreplaceable were they to be damaged. I found myself agreeing with many of your sentiments and much of your advice, but I do disagree on the positioning of books. Leaving a space behind them may allow you to push two forward to pull one out, but it also creates a dark open space behind the shelf that is extremely inviting to all manner of insects and small creatures. Of course, I try to keep the library as hermetically sealed as possible, but insects are insects--even aside from actual bookworms, I don't want to create any space in the library that invites their traffic. I do agree that it is not desirable to tilt books forward, so I try to leave a very small bit of horizontal breathability in my shelves, rather than squeezing the books in as tightly as possible. This helps in two ways: it reduces stress on the bindings from having the boards compressed, and it allows me to wiggle my fingertips into the space between books enough to draw them out naturally and harmlessly. As for dust, I might honestly consider some form of glass in the future, especially the sort that tilts up and folds into the shelf, both to protect against dust and because some form of UV protection can be built into the glass, given that sun weathering is a serious problem for books over long periods of time...but it's certainly true that books are most handsomely displayed and easily accessed without that protection. I'd love to talk more with you about this in the future! I'm genuinely curious about what an "ideal" library condition would look like...what sort of wood shelves, pest countermeasures, fire countermeasures, water countermeasures...it's a fascinating topic. I don't know much about New Delhi, but I do remember there were disastrous floods in Kerala a few years ago. Is flooding or water damage (even possible rain damage from an unexpectedly leaky ceiling during the rainy season) something you've had to worry about much?

[@ftloc]

I find myself, in turn, agreeing with a lot of what you say here. I too want to avoid pressure on paperbacks in particular and often have them a little looser than I do for hardcovers. Sunlight /UV is definitely to be avoided at all costs and none of my shelves are in direct light at any point in the day. Insects are a big fear and I know some people who one day opened up their volumes of Absolute Sandman to find them hollowed out by termites! I actually have never encountered insects on my shelves - I start with treating the wood/ boards and keep cleaning them regularly. I also use napthalene sometimes (although I hate the smell, so I’ve avoided them recently) I could definitely talk for a long time on this topic and I’d love to know more about what you’ve found to work best. I am leaning towards capitulating re glass doors the more I age too. And flooding has not been as much of a concern for me in landlocked Delhi, although I often wonder about burst pipes when I’m in holiday etc, the way I am sure most sane, normal people do! 😀

[@rudrakshgupta7322]

Loved the video!! Thank you for the tips. I used to keep old newspapers on my shelves and the books on top of them.and to be honest with you, it didnt look good. Ill definitely try the dry cloth technique and remove the newspapers. Will also keep some distance between the edge of the bookshelf & the book/comics so that the spine isn't damaged The only comics i own are tintin (full set) and its very valuable to me. Do you cover your paperbacks with transparent plastic covers, so that they are not torn/folded etc? Ps- your English is the best ive heard. I can speak fluently but i look forward to your videos just to learn more ( be it pronunciations etc). Thanks again and have a nice day.🙂🙂

[@ftloc]

Thanks so much for the support and kind words always! Yes, not only do I not like newspaper re: looks, but being cheap paper it actually creates more dust. I’m also worried that not being acid free paper means it will possibly spread foxing and discolouration on to pages (although I don’t know if foxing actually works that way, I just feel it does 😀) I do have some books in plastic covers (they arrived that way when I bought them used etc) and I like them enough that I haven’t taken them off, but they do tend to dull the look of the book a bit. For mybsingle issue comics I use Mylar bags when I can because their scratch proof nature at least makes the colours of the comics look vibrant and not dusty. If there were crisp plastic sleeves for all bold that didn’t dull with age, I’d definitely consider them more, although it still feels like a lot of effort! 😋 For a paperback Tintin collection, I would recommend just keeping them in a deep shelf away from sunlight and loosely - not too tightly - packed next to each other. You just have to watch for the spines (don’t pull on the top!) not getting damaged and they’ll last a long time. I only upgraded to hardcovers a few years ago myself.

[@rudrakshgupta7322]

@@ftloc Thank you so much. I used to pull all my paperbacks from the top.😅 I own the 3 in 1 tintin volumes(hardcover). In one of the videos you did mention that you preferred the paperbacks and i completely agree as they have a bigger font. The only reason i got the 3 in 1 volumes - because they were a little cheaper and volume 1 had Tintin in congo , volume 8 had alph art which were an added bonus for me. Not a fan of the small font though. I do own a lot of paperbacks including Tintin in Lake of Sharks & Herge and his Creation etc and will give your techniques a try Thank you.

[@slickcatricky7694]

@@ftloc hi thank you so much for this video. Do you think that using a microfiber mop and cloth will get smaller particles like pm 2.5? Example if you have ash fall small particles on the floor and table tops?

[@Hannah-du4yg]

2:28 I'm gonna do this from now on! I love how detailed this video is. Thank you very much!

[@ftloc]

Thank you! Glad it was helpful!

[@starofmagi8127]

So informative. You really love books. That love is genuine and it shows

[@ftloc]

Thank you so much and I am so glad you enjoyed the video!

[@zoesyverson1828]

Hey, Thanks for this video! I just got a new collectors edition book and found a massive layer of dust on my shelf. This is really really helpful!

[@ftloc]

Glad it helped! Just out of curiosity, what book was it?

[@zoesyverson1828]

@@ftloc Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo

[@jodyj0]

I like seeing how everyone does their cleaning bc everyone does it differently & you can always learn helpful tips or you can teach others techniques they could use.

[@lord-fish]

Great tips. Love the micro vacuum attachments. Im going to look one. Thanks sir.

[@ftloc]

Haha, I’m glad! They certainly changed my life (being also terrific for Lego 😀)!

[@lord-fish]

@@ftloc I have a few legos and action figures. So when I saw that it was a eye opener.

[@dshodaw]

Thanks for the video. I watch it every time it's time for shelf cleaning

[@ftloc]

Glad to hear it! I haven't ever updated this video because nothing's changed in my approach! 😁

[@angelclaudio604]

Very thorough instructions, thank you so much for this! 👍

[@ftloc]

Thank you - I hope it was helpful!

[@debygiannioti4271]

This is the most thorough explanation on this topic I have ever heard. Much appreciated!!!

[@ftloc]

So glad you enjoyed it; thank you!

[@krishnaprasad4910]

Thanks a lot for your video on cleaning books.

[@ftloc]

Glad you liked it, hope it helps! 👍🏽

[@anupkeerrthi5752]

Thank you for all the suggestions and detailed explanations. Can you let us know the products you used for your DIY air purifier. which fan did you choose for the smartfilter HEPA filter? - i like that the fan has place for the velcro as well.

[@ftloc]

The unit is called the DIY purifier and it is sold by Smart Air here in India. Simple and effective for a small room.

[@thesecretsaucechannel]

Good video and some tips I can definitely adopt here. I myself keep the books aligned right at the edge of the shelves so that with one push from the back I can get them out. As for the dust that accumulates at the back, I dust them regularly. As for dampness, its the worst thing to happen to books. I'd suggest to keep bookshelves, especially wooden ones away from the concrete walls since during monsoons the moisture that seeps in through the concrete has a tendency to soak up the wood that are placed close to the walls...and you'll be welcome with a ton of mould and once it comes it just spreads. I had gone through this ordeal last year. I also use Absorbia or dehumidifiers since then. And during summers I place silica gel bags inside all the bookshelves. As to completely protect the books, I go for cellophane seal kings for the books. I think you'd mentioned that you dont like it using it. But its the best!

[@ftloc]

Yes, I love using silica gel dessicate packets on my shelves for humidity and moisture! I was once told they help keep insects away as well, but I don't know if that is true. I never want a bookshelf anywhere near a 'split' airconditioner for exactly the reason you mentioned. Luckily, I have never had to deal with damp myself but I have seen the effects of it on others' books dozens of times in my life. I do use mylar bags for some rare and signed books but yes, I can't take the 'wrapped in plastic' look, which is why I rely on regular cleaning and avoiding the front of the shelf instead. I love the physical object of the book but I also need it to be truly open and available to really be a book (instead of an antique, or a showpiece, or jewelry, all of which it would be very easy for me to treat books as). That's why I make a special effort to never let them get too 'precious to be read' or handled. Just a personal peccadillo, I want books to be books first and foremost and sealing or closing something up always seems spiritually the opposite of what a book is. 😀

[@Yakerbb]

I live in Central Valley California where its VERY dusty and hot. Pretty much a desert. and at night we sleep with fans in the windows which only increases the amount of dust that comes inside. So at night, I use tension rods and curtains to cover my book shelves. Effective and much cheaper than getting a book case with glass doors. Then every morning i take them down which takes about 2 minutes lol.

[@ftloc]

Yakub Wow, now I have a new research project - tension rods and curtains! Thanks!

[@heeralbhalla9621]

Hey thanks a lot, I have been looking for something like this!! I wish to clean my old wooden cabinets that are home to my books.. How do you treat your wooden cabinets? Also, what's your take on placing naphthalene balls in book cabinets for keeping silverfish at bay?

[@ftloc]

Sorry for the delay in replying! I've never used naphthalene balls myself - growing up, I really disliked the smell in winter clothes and other things in storage 😁 I am sure they would work, but the tradeoff is too unpleasant, In any case, I think insects and pests come most with unuse and neglect. If the shelves are themselves treated for termites etc, regular cleaning and maintenance should be good enough. Of course it helps to keep doors and windows shut, restrict food and other attractants around the library etc, but if needed, I think rubbing the shelves down with a water-vinegar solution or organic things like citronella may help with pests. Hope that helps!

[@claraschumann4482]

Awesome tips man! Thank you so much!

[@ftloc]

So glad you liked the video! Cheers!

[@PalaszewskiFamily]

Your video is excellent! Great technique, love the graphic novels too.

[@ftloc]

Thank you so much, so glad you enjoyed it! This video is a bit of an aberration for my channel, which is really about comics/graphic novels. But somehow this little thing I made for my viewers ended up catching a lot more attention than normal for the niche little FtLoC! 😁

[@danielc3563]

Hi, I want to use this method for a thorough cleaning but I noticed some of my second hand books had foxing on them. If I use the same vacuum attachments to clean both my new and second hand books will the foxing spread to the new books?

[@ftloc]

I'm no expert on foxing, but I have not had it spread through contact in that way. If the environmental conditions are sound (not too humid) and the paper quality of the unfoxed books are good, they'll be fine. I don't want to say my anecdotal experience is science, so if you're worried, you could just use different attachment heads. But I don't think that's necessary as long as you you keep the attachment itself clean and dry.

[@danielc3563]

@@ftloc Thank you for your response and suggestion!

[@arindam_sen]

aka How I learned to stop worrying and love the HEPA filter! 😄

[@arindam_sen]

Laziness is my friend, so I've opted for dustproofing via glass doors and the gaps being sealed by gasket tapes.

[@ftloc]

Oh I would love to learn to start enjoying doors. But then my deep rooted appreciation of powerful vacuum cleaners may dissipate 😀

[@abhirajsah6308]

Can you please do a video on how to prevent the pages from yellowing . It will be really helpful last year i bought death note book set and 3 to 4 manga pages have turned yellow . Can you help me on that ??

[@ftloc]

Ah that’s a great idea for a video! I wonder if I know enough about how to prevent it though - I may need to do some research. What I can tell you is to avoid heat, humidity and moisture: those are the contributors most often. Sometimes though it is also about the paper used and cheaper paper with acid content tends to break down far worse than acid free paper. Off to the research station I go!

[@jaykolkata]

@@ftloc As for my experience I have seen paperback books get yellowed very easily ... where as hardbound is much more weatherproof ... as you said before page quality also matters .

[@ftloc]

Jayanta Saha haha yes, I just replied to you in another comment in which I mentioned Vertigo TOBs - my copies of Fables, Y the Last Man, Swamp Thing and Preacher have all discoloured and foxes pretty badly. I think not using acid free paper sometimes has that effect. Paperbacks tends to use cheaper interior paper than hardcover, especially deluxe, editions, although I have seen some TPBs/HCs use the exact same paper too. It’s mainly about paper quality, from what I can tell and then partially to do with environment and storage.

[@_Aesthetix.moonx_]

Can u pls suggest a spray to clean the books

[@spongebobsquarepants4576]

Such an important video. Very helpful, thank you

[@ftloc]

Glad it was helpful!

[@NoahRichard]

Do you have any specific recommendations for people with uncovered shelves? I have a bunch of tall art books that sit on top of my desk shelf, and without anything above them they collect dust really easily. I'm worried about degradation over time, but don't have anywhere better to store them at the moment.

[@ftloc]

Yes they could get damaged over time so in cases like these I'd recommend keeping the books themselves covered in plastic, either in large bags, or wrapped. It's not aesthetically pleasing, but necessary with absolutely no cover, I think.

[@NoahRichard]

@@ftloc Okay, thank you for the reply!

[@imu4ia]

Great advice!! Gonna buy the micro tools and hepa filters now. Thank you!

[@ftloc]

Glad that helped! I think you'll find them to be boons 😁

[@TREVASLARK]

Me too. :)))

[@vg_jan]

Thank you, this is really helpful. My books got a lot of dust.

[@ftloc]

Glad it was helpful!

[@matthewjorange]

Do you have a link for the micro vacuum attachments you use?

[@ftloc]

Not the exact one I got, but something like this? www.amazon.com/Schneider-Industries-Micro-Vacuum-Attachment/dp/B000BSJCLY/ref=sr_1_5?crid=3BGXA4HH1HKOB&keywords=micro%2Bvacuum%2Battachments&qid=1659420435&sprefix=micro%2Bvaccuum%2Battachement%2Caps%2C314&sr=8-5&th=1

[@dikshajain541]

Hi! What vacuum do you recommend?

[@kapilbhat]

Is it better to store books in an enclosed cabinet or in an open bookshelf where there is continuous airflow? pls reply...

[@ftloc]

I'm sure cabinets protect from dust a bit better, but my personal preference is for open shelves so I have to do a tradeoff.

[@seanmuniz4651]

Can you link the video mentioning why not keep the books behind glass? Thanks!

[@ftloc]

Sorry I missed this! It's just a personal peculiarity, no scientific reason beyond an aesthetic and psuedo-spiritual one 😁 I think talk about it a little bit in the introduction to my Shelf Tour videos, which can be found here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gnjWf3SCarOYpNU Cheers!

[@hollyfrink7789]

Good ideas! I use a Swiffer duster which works well too.

[@ftloc]

I will look that up, thanks!

[@miguelhidalgo9372]

Many great ideas are offered for a well-rounded presentation. However, you gave me a creative idea. If the books are partially pushed back, an action figure displayed before the themed books, magazines, or comic books is a terrific idea! The need to obtain the book is negated by the fact that the book has been read many times and won't be handled again for at least a year. Take care!

[@leendat.5587]

Been looking for different tips, thanks!

[@ftloc]

So glad it helped!

[@user-uz6wm9sf9m]

Great video, exactly what I was looking for

[@ftloc]

So glad you enjoyed it! Cheers!

[@user-dp2xi8ud4e]

Thanks for the tips you kindly mentioned...

[@ftloc]

So glad you enjoyed it!

[@sgtOOX]

awesome advice; great for use with all my easton press and folio society books as well as comics and manga collection

[@ftloc]

I'm so glad you enjoyed this video! And Folio society makes some gorgeous gorgeous books, don;t they? Do you follow this channel Pontus Presents? If not, I think they would be right up your alley! 😁 kzbin.info/door/OUr2VRpJ76cEkyk9ByIw_w

[@sgtOOX]

@@ftloc Yep already follow Pontus Presents as well! Vicariously enjoying more Folio Society books through him and comics through your channel before purchasing more of my own is an absolute pleasure

[@monikasharma7142]

Hey where can I find micro vacuum kit? Great video btw!

[@ftloc]

I got it off Amazon, just search for "Micro vacuum attachment kit" or similar.

[@ahmedalam5048]

clever !! will you please share the name of your Vacuum Cleaner so we can also buy it

[@ftloc]

The one I use is a Black and Decker bagless model that I think is discontinued but I'd say anything of 2000 watts or greater for power and a HEPA filter would be good!

[@shreyasee8024]

Aye that was very helpful, adulting 101 for me. I'm totally considering getting a book case with glass door, kind of like Ikea's Billy book case series.

[@ftloc]

I wonder if I should finally give in and go for glass door shelves as well. The real problem is having to get over a dozen of those would leave me no money for books...

[@retro_cody_]

Hello there. I have a quick question as to what you mean by strong vacuum cleaner. I seen in comments you mentioned 2000 watts, but isn't that commercial vacuum cleaners that are around 500 dollars? Or do ya mean a regular strong vacuum? Would appreciate the help, want to get right vacuum cleaner, and perhaps not spend too much if possible.

[@ftloc]

@@retro_cody_ definitely not anything in the 500 dollar range! Prices and models will vary across the world, but I'd say between 150 and 200 dollars would be expensive enough, and you may even find something cheaper that works as well. Essentially you want to pair a strong suction with a HEPA filter, and the best combination of those one can afford should be the goal.

[@retro_cody_]

@@ftloc I see thank you very much. And just for last confirmation, 2000 watts is what I should be aiming for correct? Thank you very much

[@ftloc]

Yes, if you can see the wattage, that is the level where I saw a difference in effect. Mind you, this was some time ago (I still use the same vacuum cleaner, though) - perhaps newer tech means less wattage can do the same as more used to, if that makes sense?

[@deepakmanral8497]

Its a great way of organisation of the books 👍🏻 📚 ............................I am fortunate to see this vedio 😁😁😁😁....... thank you so much

[@ftloc]

It's my pleasure; so glad you enjoyed it!

[@telur_dadar]

what if I use the cleaner mix of essential oil, oilve oil, soap, vinegar, and water? is it still considered bad for bookshelf & books?

[@ftloc]

That may be good for wood, but unfortunately I'm no expert there. The shelves I have are cheap ply and composite stuff, and I would be worried about oils not soaking away completely and seeping into the paper. Even when I use water, I wait until the shelves are bone dry before putting books back. So as long as you make sure there's no moisture at all, I think you should be fine. But don't take just my word for it!

[@telur_dadar]

@@ftloc thank you so much! that helps 🥰

[@michaelreynolds5091]

Great video. However, at the end I’m still no closer to obtaining the proper equipment necessary to do the job, which is why I watched the video in the first place. Links to the vacuum supplemental materials would have been extremely helpful.

[@ftloc]

It's a very valid point, and one I did consider a while. My thinking went along two lines: 1) Most of my small viewership is very fragmented across many countries, so many specific products available in one place are not available in another, etc and any specificity I would undertake could find itself irrelevant to many viewers. 2) I didn't want to say any particular brand or company or model is the 'best' or the most desirable. I am not a tech/ gadget reviewer by any means, and I didn't think it would be fair to present the 'only option I could find/afford' as somehow the most desirable. That is why I focused on the general guidelines : search for HEPA filters, a vaccum cleaner of 2000 watts or higher, Google/Amazon the term 'micro vacuum attachments' etc to enable people all over the world to find what is available for them in their context. I hope that makes sense! 😁

[@nostep2262]

Clear and enjoyable video. I’m on the island of Cyprus where even the rain is full of North African dust, never own a black or dark blue car here and have a modest collection of books so I feel your pain with Indian dust. Some very good advice and useful tips. Thank You

[@ftloc]

Honestly, having doors - glass or otherwise - would be a simple step to take, but I'm just not a fan of the look and feel of closed shelves. My own peculiarity, perhaps... Greetings from India! 😁

[@nostep2262]

@@ftloc Thank You and my greetings from a sunny and dusty Cyprus to you. Theres good sense to be found in what you say as glass doors are a magnet for fingerprints especially if you’ve children in the house and are encouraging them to read and make their own choices of suitable reading material from what’s available in your collection.

[@paulinetaylor4211]

Seems reasonable I have a load of books on my bookcase and when clean it incast dust clogs up I have to take ever single book out to dust it and I dont want to do that and yet I dont want it to get mouldy.

[@ftloc]

Yes, it's all a personal balance everyone has to find for themselves, based on our individual peculiarities and priorities! 😁

[@carwashconnoisseur7216]

What can prevent dust from appearing in bookshelves again?

[@ftloc]

Ah, the million dollar question! Not much other than hermetically sealing the house/apartment or at least the shelves will completely prevent dust buildup, I think. I’d say minimise it through keeping doors and windows shut and bookshelves away from them, not wearing outside shoes indoors etc, having fewer carpets and rugs, reducing upholstery on furniture and so on. Most of dust is dirt and fiber, so as little of that around helps keep things dust free. And then HEPA filters on air purifiers and vacuum cleaners, of course 😁

[@johnflanagan6367]

Excellent and informative!!!!

[@ftloc]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@myne5689]

What are the best towels for dusting?

[@ftloc]

As I say in this video, if it is heavy dust, I don't actually like using a duster first - you just displace the dust temporarily and then it settles back down. So the vacuum first. For slight dust, I prefer using either a slightly damp cloth (without books around!) or a microfiber cloth. I hope that helps! 😁

[@beefusthemighty]

I love your comics collection!!

[@ftloc]

Thank you! I've made a bunch of videos giving a complete tour, have you checked them all out? 😁

[@dawnthomson9269]

Thanks for the video, it was very good & full of some good advise. Don’t know if this helps but where I live in Brisbane Australia we have a lot of humidity & rainy days & this is not good for your books. I read a story about a lady who puts chalk behind her books on the shelf to help absorb the moisture, I tried it & it seemed to help however I agree with you the regular maintenance is very important.

[@ftloc]

That's a great tip and actually explains why I have seen chalk on some shelves - I never understood what that was (I thought it was some sort of insect repellent) until now! Luckily where I live now is not that humid, but for a couple of years I lived in very humid city and all my TPBs went yellow and foxed in a very short period of time. I'm not sure if it that's a connection, but I've never had it happen since, so I definitely think it contributed!

[@beckyesther8669]

Well explained,.. thank you.

[@ftloc]

Glad it was helpful! I thought about making an update video, but the process has more or less stayed the same, so I'd say it definitely works for me still!

[@TheVinny1232]

Just came across ur video wanted to understand how the entire process of cleaning happens as it's a task for me to clean the books I use micro fibre cloth to dust off but now the micro vaccum attachment n buying a vacuum cleaner makes more sense

[@ftloc]

Yay, glad I could help! Yes, because I am lazy and will not be cleaning my books every day, the vacuum cleaner makes most sense as the 'first pass'. So instead of the dust going up in the air to come back down later, or just one small shelf making the microfiber cloth completely black, the heavy lifting is done there first! The main tricks are having the power (high wattage) and the HEPA filter!

[@TheVinny1232]

Can you suggest which air purifiers, and compact vaccumcleaner do u suggest with high voltage ,micro vaccum attachment?

[@ftloc]

@@TheVinny1232 I use a SmartAir purifier, available at smartairfilter (dot) com. For the vacuum cleaner, mine is a Black and Decker but I have heard good things about the Dyson ones too. various ones become available at different times and prices, I would just recommend getting something above 2000 watts in power and with a Hepa filter. The micro attachments will probably have to be bought separately, but they're very useful for not just books but also small knick-knacks, electronics, toys and models etc so completely worth it. Hope that helps!

[@wriddhipratim2582]

Another problem we face to deal with bookworms and small insects that destroys the pages of valuable books. How do you manage to prevent those things if you tell..🙂

[@ftloc]

To be honest, I just rely on 1) making sure the shelves are treated (anti-termite etc) and 2) the cleaning and dusting on a regular basis. I have never had that much of an issue keeping insects out, but I know friends who had had issues. I asked them and they use vinegar and water spray to clean their shelves regularly, and one of them uses camphor/kapur in water as non-chemical insect deterrents. I don't have any personal experience with them though.

[@wriddhipratim2582]

Thanks for sharing for such detailed personal thoughts. This kind of reply makes you more close to heart. 🙂❤

Yours is such a great and underrated channel, I'm so glad that I found you! Very nice collection you have, and unfortunately the dust is a problem here in Hungary as well. I do sort of the same thing as you, review and show off newly acquired comics/graphic novels, only in the Hungarian language. If you're interested you can check out my channel, to compare some of the different editions we have here in our country. From Hell is especially beautiful in my opinion, since we have it as a cloth-bound masterpiece with a dust jacket, and also Saga is done the same way. Also vol 1. of Sandman is coming out in June and it is going to have a real leather binding, something that is unique amongst all other editions I think, I absolutely cannot wait, and I'd love to hear your opinion about some of the editions we have. Keep up the good work, peace! :)

[@ftloc]

Thank you so much! And I'm going to check out your channel right now, and those editions you mentioned sound truly lovely.

[@twocupsstudio]

4:50 mins you tell about not fire but dampness spoiling the book. I live in humid climate and due to lack of space I had pushed many books behind front layer of book (therefore the behind layer was never accessible and now I see book pages have turned yellow and settled dust as if a humid kind of dust and not which gathers on your fingers easily by pressing/rubbing over). You love comics (which was childhood love and had 500+ plus then) and now I love picture books and each picture book cost on average around 1k and so it feels painful to see some good books now yellowish and dirty. I will remove newspapers from cupboard. Your tip on how to remove book is useful as just few hours back I removed by pulling and damaged the dust jacket. Can you show yourself using filter fan. Also link of fan. I already have air-filter but it is in another room for father. I am worried about how to maintain book-top and so would love how you practically do it. Also even in a week, dust gathers, so to clean every week?

[@ftloc]

Cleaning every week is a chore and I will admit I get lazy and things get dusty before I do a thorough cleaning. I definitely wouldn't push books to the back, and one thing to be careful is to watch for damp walls behind shelves, either due to rain or leaky pipes, which could cause a lot of trouble. Keeping the air dry inside a room that store your most valuable books by using a de-humidifier is something I have seen people do too, maybe that would help?

[@twocupsstudio]

@@ftloc Thanks for reply. One cannot attach images here in comment. I do ordered some boxes from ikea where in can keep books vertically and also have a glimpse from outside (you may not love this idea as you do not even like to have a glass door. Still you have gone for your choice and also maintain the books, that is good). But for me, rather than keeping books in second layer, now have accessible arrangements with also boxes placed. www.ikea.com/in/en/p/samla-box-with-lid-transparent-s69891471/?. Yes once, I did also face issue of wet wall affecting cupboard and then structurally things had to be fixed and now walls are dry. Need to check de-humidifier solution.

[@alphabetplants9530]

This was helpful :)

[@ftloc]

So glad to hear that! 😁

[@MashuSenpai]

thank you for this! im going to take care my lovely manga's

[@skts117]

Very impressive

[@ftloc]

Ha, glad you enjoyed the video!

[@kristovoda2318]

I am not a comics fan but thank you for the helpful info :)

[@ftloc]

Glad it helped! 😁

[@harriskhan7821]

can I use a blower ?

[@ftloc]

You definitely could, and it would help in the immediate visual effect, but the dust doesn't really get removed from the location. It just goes up in the air, and settles back down eventually. Without a vacuum or a filter, reduction isn't happening, just displacement. I hope that makes sense.

[@yzx9122]

This is really good info video.From Bangladesh

[@ftloc]

So glad you liked it!

[@pysarlis]

Although it was probably not your intention, this video kept making me laugh!

[@ftloc]

Haha, I'll take what I can get! 😁 I *am* curious as to what the specific things were that made you laugh, though - just for future reference should I feel my videos are lacking humour! 😁

[@pysarlis]

@@ftloc what made me laugh was the fact that I haven't cleaned my bookshelves for over 5 years. Oh the shame...

[@ImeldaFagin]

Great video. I wonder how you dust your legos

[@ftloc]

Thank you! And there are 3 answers to that question 1) With paintbrushes 2) With the same micro attachments I show here 3) Not often at all! 😁

[@waihungwong590]

I enjoyed the video

[@ftloc]

Thanks so much!

[@comicchemistry]

Naice

[@ftloc]

Thanks! 😀

[@User-of-internet]

This guy is charismatic.

[@ftloc]

aw shucks, thank you! 😊

[@stopmotionman1866]

As long as I know that's 1 million IQ...OP

[@ftloc]

😁

[@MySouravdas]

In Delhi dust in Kolkata the humidity And in Future the kids

[@ftloc]

Future? What future? 😥

[@jaykolkata]

For Kolkata , some dehumidifier is very effective.. I use something called Absorbia .. it just changed my life .. of course all of my book shelf are with glass door so that also help.

[@ftloc]

Jayanta Saha luckily humidity is not a big concern where I am, but I sure wish I had a dehumidifier for the couple of years I lived by the sea; that sure wreaked havoc on my Vertigo TPBs, among others!

[@arushibajpai4147]

Don't you think you should simply have glass doors to your bookshelf?

[@ftloc]

Yes, that is something a lot of people go with. But as I say in this video and others, it is not to my personal taste. The aesthetics of books behind glass or doors has never been what I want in my shelves. There's something quite wonderful to me to not have anything between me and a book i want to grab. So it's not at all a practical thing, more like a spiritual thing of how i like my surroundings 😁

[@krishnapanchal0735]

If a bookshelf is closed , then there can be still dust inside the bookshelf.

[@TheGilbalfas]

This guy is so handsome. Wow

[@sreejithmlsree8187]

The simplest way is to use a bookshelf with door. Open shelf like this will get dust easily

[@ftloc]

Haha perhaps, but I mention my personal aesthetics in the video. One day I may capitulate and just go for glass doors, the best compromise, but till I can, I'll stick to this regime! .

[@kusuma.kusuma]

I trust you Oscar Isaac!

[@ftloc]

Haha I suppose we have Ex Machina in common (in fact, Vaughan's comics masterpiece resides in this very shelf I'm cleaning!)

[@kusuma.kusuma]

@@ftloc i was just playing. Love your video. I have a book and a bluray shelf and they are prone to dust. Need to learn your hacks. Thank you

[@ftloc]

@@kusuma.kusuma No offense taken! In fact, quite the compliment 😁 Good luck with your shelves!

[@kusuma.kusuma]

@@ftloc i live in Jakarta so I can totally relate to you in terms of climate. Thanks again bro... keep it up.

[@adamwest3266]

Don't use a damn cloth... ahaha

[@ftloc]

Haha i meant a DAMP cloth! 😋

[@adamwest3266]

@@ftloc I know. I couldn't resist. :) Lol

[@rashikumar2776]

Tip no.1- Don't own pets 🙄 God, I love my dog. But, she makes it 3000 times harder.

[@ftloc]

Oh I can imagine, but I am guessing it is worth it! 😁 I use the same tip as my friends with pets do - never put the vacuum cleaner away (in a cupboard, or a box under a table etc). It is always out in the open, ready to go at the drop of a hat!