How Do I Stop My Charts Rotting!?

[Shanaly]

hi my charts went a bit mouldy so i sprayed them a year ago with bleach, then rinsed them in water and dried them on racks on a calm day. but they are now quite fragile i guess the bleach is still eating them.

does anyone with chemistry knowledge know how neutralise bleach?!

thnx
J

[Teknav]

Use Hydrogen Peroxide to stop the bleaching effect; sold in brown bottles at your local drug store. Wipe damp dry whatever you've bleached with Hydrogen Peroxide; 3% - 5% water solution is all you need. Do not leave the open bottle exposed to air for too long, or to the sun. Mauritz

[David M]

Maybe store them in a large plastic bag with an airtight zipper with desiccant inside of the bag? Or perhaps use a wide flat air tight Pelican case with desiccant.

[boating2go]

We place these all over the boat, 6.7 oz. Closet Dehumidifier (Case of 6)-755.6 at The Home Depot, Closet Dehumidifier. They help a lot and are not expensive. I have one sitting next to anything I don't want to get mold on it. I have to give my wife credit for this one. You can also purchase refill material for them.

[svHyLyte]

Originally Posted by Shanaly

hi my charts went a bit mouldy so i sprayed them a year ago with bleach, then rinsed them in water and dried them on racks on a calm day. but they are now quite fragile i guess the bleach is still eating them.

does anyone with chemistry knowledge know how neutralise bleach?!

thnx
J

I was advised by a used book/chart dealer that, depending upon the paper used in the making of the charts, the humidity in the air can/will combine with sulfur compounds in the paper and ink--particularly yellows--to create a mild acid which, of course, eats up the paper. That accounts for the, relative, rapid deterioration of inexpensive paper. While some chart papers are treated to provide a measure of water-proofing, the treatment may have been compromised by the bleaching which would also have weakened the fiber used in the paper making, even linen, and it's unlikely your charts are printed on linen paper. The suggestion for nearly air-tight storage with a desiccant by David M, above, is probably your best option at this point. Good luck!

[Sam Plan B]

Try storing the charts in clear plastic tubes. Put rock salt into a baby's sock and insert the sock into the plastic tube. The salt will keep the air in the tube dry. I pack my matches in rock salt sealed in a small plastic Rubbermaid container. It really does work.

[sushirama]

milk of magnesia neutralizes the acidity. I used to do to stop newspapers from turning yellow. It may work. large bowl and a tablespoon per full double page

[Teknav]

Before storing his charts, he still has to clean them from mold first! If you store moldy charts...I'll leave that to you to figure out what will happen next... Mauritz <Biochemist and Engineer>

[zeehag]

sushirama--mom will not neutralize a basic solution such as bleach. only acids.

[hellosailor]

J-
You need to restore the charts to neutral pH levels, and if they were not printed on acid-free stock to begin with...Are you someplace near civilization where there are museums or art galleries that can refer you to a local paper conservationist? They might be willing to share a little information with you without asking for the usual fees. Especially if you can find someone at a museum.
Paper, especially wood-pulp stock, doesn't like being washed or soaked, but you'll need to determine the material, test the pH level, then apply something to neutralize it. Possibly an alkaline solution in water.
I'd be reluctant to put peroxide on printed charts, since it is a "bleach" and the inks may not react well to it.
One you get them stabilized, you need a way to store them dry and flat, keeping damp air and spores away. Often not possible on a boat, so they get rolled & stored in tubes with screw-on caps.

[Teknav]

Bleach is an alkaline solution (base solution) with a pH of 12. You cannot neutralize it by adding another alkaline solution to it. An acidic solution is required to neutralize it. Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2) will neutralize bleach. In all likelihood, bleach has damaged if not destroyed the charts by now. Common sense dictates that you should never store anything moldy. For acute mold problems, a mixture of bleach and formaldehyde will kill EVERYTHING; formaldehyde is a highly toxic cancerous agent, not to mention that it also causes liver failure with prolonged exposure. Unless you are a Chemist trained in the use of fungicides, you should never attempt that route. Mauritz

[perchance]

Try Aquaseal map seal.

[Pete7]

How about having them photocopied?

[forsailbyowner]

I had a friend who coated his with thinned clear epoxy. He reported good results

[Hydra]

Bleach (sodium hypochlorite) is not only an alkaline solution, it is also an oxidizer, as is hydrogen peroxide. This oxidizing property is used to remove stains from clothes but everyone knows that too much enthousiasm might remove the cloth altogether.

You can neutralize the alkaline effect with an acid but I don't see how to neutralize the oxidizing effect (my chemistry lessons are a thing of the ancient past). However, I remember that sunlight destroys bleach. You could try to spread your charts in the sun.

To destroy mould, I would try "cooking" it: putting a chart in an oven at a "reasonable" temperature for a few moments (only to be tried with *paper*, not synthetic charts).

Alain