Getting dust off photos

[hallie615]

I am cleaning out my moms house and I am finding box after box of photos. The only problem is that they have been sitting out in a dusty basement and are covered in dust. Any good ideas about about cleaning them without messing them up??

[Groucho]

There may be more experienced answers out there, but my technique would be...

First, use some sort of a blower to remove as much loose dust as possible - not compressed air as it may blow some gunk onto the photos

Second, use a very soft (microfiber) cloth to gently brush the dust off... if you push, you'll be more likely to scratch. Also straight lines are generally better than circles when wiping. If there is stubborn dirt, you can probably press a little harder but a light touch will be better for the print. Of course, when moving on to the next print, make sure to use a clean portion of the cloth.