Keeping your books clean requires little patience, small amount of time and very little money.

If you have a book with laminated cover and if the cover is dirty with stain then try this. Take a piece of cloth pour a small amount of rubbing alcohol and gently wipe the cover until it is free from dirty marks. Use this method for books that have laminate cover only. Note - Do not pour the alcohol directly on the book.

Books with cloth-covered boards must be cleaned with cleaning pad. Gently rub the dry cleaning pad over the boards until it is free from dirty stains. A few stains may require a bit of hard rubbing.

Some old books do not have a layer of laminate. In such case, do not use rubbing alcohol because it'll eat the color. Sometimes it may even destroy the cover. The only thing you can do is protect them from further dirt. Cover the book with plastic book cover.

When you don't touch a book for long time they have a smoke smell, nothing can be done to absorb the smell of smoke from a book. You can never free the book entirely of the smell but you may cover up the odor with a stronger fragrance like perfume.

If you want to protect your books from dust and dirt then store them in a bookcase in an upright position.