# Help saving a wet textbook! (Need answer fast-ish)

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-saving-a-wet-textbook-need-answer-fast-ish/666316>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [August 15, 2013, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-saving-a-wet-textbook-need-answer-fast-ish/666316 "2013-08-15T15:19:30Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![DivineComedienne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c67d28/32.png) [@DivineComedienne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DivineComedienne)\
**Post date:** [August 15, 2013, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-saving-a-wet-textbook-need-answer-fast-ish/666316/1 "2013-08-15T15:19:30Z")

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Not sure if this should be here or in GQ, Mods please move if I am wrong, but since I’m asking opinions…

My son’s car was damaged in a flash flood yesterday, wet up to the cupholder. :eek: In the backseat was one of the brand-new textbooks I just bought for him, $125!!!It is soaked through.

I need advice on how to salvage this book. It is soft-bound. I thought about pressing it flat between towels, with a heavy book on top, to keep the pages from curling up, but I’m afraid that all the pages will stick together. Considered putting it in a box with rice, but I’m afraid the pages will curl!

Help!!! What’s the best way to save the book?!?!?!?!?!?

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**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\
**Post date:** [August 15, 2013, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-saving-a-wet-textbook-need-answer-fast-ish/666316/2 "2013-08-15T16:50:30Z")

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i don’t think there is a way to have to book survive in good shape.

if you press the book to try to keep pages from curling then pages will get stuck together and the printing wrecked when you pry apart the pages.

if you dry the book to not have the pages stick then they will curl

i would put the book on edge and fan it open (use clothes pins and other methods to hold open and upright) have the lower page edges rubbing on the table/shelve) position it to have the most pages open and let dry.

after the book drys you could try to press pages flat, though the book would be out of use for some time.

if this was a rare book that would be unused for some time then other methods might be used.

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**Author:** ![FeAudrey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7feea3/32.png) [@FeAudrey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FeAudrey)\
**Post date:** [August 15, 2013, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-saving-a-wet-textbook-need-answer-fast-ish/666316/3 "2013-08-15T20:57:03Z")

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This is the advice I have received from librarians:

Press it flat (closed, not open), bound with maybe rubber bands. Put it in the freezer, not wrapped or bagged in any way. Leave it for at least a week.

This essentially freeze-dries the book, extracting the water with the least damage to the pages.

It should be done as soon as possible. I have gotten fairly good results with this technique – the book won’t be “good as new”, but it will be usable.

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**Author:** ![NeonMadman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/58f4c7/32.png) [@NeonMadman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NeonMadman)\
**Post date:** [August 15, 2013, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-saving-a-wet-textbook-need-answer-fast-ish/666316/4 "2013-08-15T21:05:47Z")

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If you bought the book with a credit card, they might have some sort of protection plan in place. Discover, for example, says on their website, “If it’s damaged or stolen, Discover has you covered. You’re protected for 90 days and up to $500 on stolen or damaged Discover card purchases. Value restored.”

It might be worth checking out.

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**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\
**Post date:** [August 15, 2013, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-saving-a-wet-textbook-need-answer-fast-ish/666316/5 "2013-08-15T21:56:04Z")

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The freezer suggestion upthread was a good one.

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**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\
**Post date:** [August 15, 2013, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-saving-a-wet-textbook-need-answer-fast-ish/666316/6 "2013-08-15T22:02:20Z")

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> [@Bob Ducca](#):
>
> The freezer suggestion upthread was a good one.

I thought so to. That’s thinking _inside_ the (ice) box.

Provided it’s frost free 😃