PVC cleaning via different methods: Comparison of laser and CO2 snow

In this work, we discuss two conservation methods, such as laser ablation and two-phase spray of CO₂ snow particles, evaluate their effectiveness in cleaning softened PVC samples and eventually we compare them to classical mechanical cleaning. First, we tested the mentioned methods on clean samples, which were later subjected to accelerated ageing. The results show that laser and CO₂ snow do not increase the aging of the PVC samples. The cleaning performances of laser and two-phase spray were assessed on samples with artificial encrustation made of dust and artificial sebum soil (palmitic acid). Afterwards, the mentioned methods were used for cleaning real PVC samples. The results presented are very promising and they show that laser ablation and CO₂ methods represent effective alternatives to the mechanical cleaning of library collections.