What professional dust removal is
Dusting is an essential operation for the preservation of cultural heritage. Archival and library assets are made of materials such as leather, parchment, cardboard and wood, so their chemical and physical reaction to dust differs considerably and can accelerate degradation through insect and fungal attack.
We use professional vacuum units with HEPA filters and flow regulators to treat each item according to its state of preservation. For items of particular value or in a problematic state of preservation, dusting is carried out by hand with soft-bristle brushes under an extraction hood.
The supports on which the items are placed are first vacuumed and then disinfected with quaternary ammonium salt solutions, in order to eliminate and prevent agents of deterioration. All products and equipment used are certified.
Our process in 6 phases
Every intervention follows a rigorous protocol documented at every stage, designed to guarantee compliance with tender specifications and maximum preservation of the material.
Site survey and assessment
Visual inspection of the archive, environmental sampling if necessary, census of archival units. We define volume, criticality, and intervention timelines.
Pre-intervention photographic report
Systematic photographic documentation of the current condition. Basis for the certification of work performed required by public tenders.
Environment preparation
Setup of a controlled work area, with materials positioned so as to avoid obstruction inside the work sites.
Manual or mechanical dusting
Document-by-document cleaning with HEPA H14 vacuum units, soft anti-static brushes and micro-vacuums for rigid covers. Every unit is treated with the utmost care and respect.
Library and Archive Disinfection
Treatment of shelving and floors with products accompanied by technical data sheets, returning the prepared spaces in the best condition.
Final certification and documentation
Post-intervention photographic report, signed work report, technical data sheets of the products used.
Prep-for-Scan: securing archives before digitization
Large-scale digitization projects commissioned by the Public Administration (PNRR and European funding lines) require a fundamental preliminary step: the physical preparation and sanitization of documents before optical acquisition. Layered dust, spores, rusted staples and folded sheets risk irreparably damaging historic media and jamming the high-speed equipment used by IT companies.
Integrated with our specialist dusting service, our Prep-for-Scan protocol turns deteriorated holdings into batches perfectly ready for scanning:
Absolute HEPA H14 Dusting: Controlled-pressure mechanical cleaning that removes particulate and neutralizes spores and moulds, safeguarding scanner lenses and sensors.
Mechanical De-conditioning: Careful extraction of rusted staples, pins, decomposed elastic bands and deteriorated adhesive tapes without affecting the structure of the paper.
Flattening and Conditioning: Cold flattening of folds using bone folders and calibration weights, making every sheet suitable for continuous feeding or flatbed optical capture.
Ordering and Targeting: Checking of sheet sequence and insertion of barcodes or colour-calibration targets to speed up automatic indexing by System Integrators.
Properly preparing paper material eliminates the risk of machine downtime during the digital acquisition process and guarantees the Superintendencies full compliance with ICPAL preventive-conservation guidelines.
Do you have a documentary holding destined for digitization? Request an exploratory technical inspection to analyse the state of preservation of the papers and receive a tailor-made Prep-for-Scan operating plan.
Why choose Porcacchia Egidio
Certified HEPA H14 filtration
We use exclusively vacuum devices with verified HEPA H14 certification — not H10, not H13, but H14. The difference is significant when working with material of high historical value.
Documentation for public tender specifications
Our documentation is designed to meet the requirements of public tender specifications: signed reports, photographic reports, technical data sheets, compliance certifications.
Team specialized in cultural heritage
Our operators are specifically trained in the handling of archival and library material. We do not use generic operators or unqualified subcontractors.
76 years of documented experience
Since 1950, we have treated archives at over 200 Italian public institutions. This operating history is our most solid reference — verifiable and available for review.
On-site intervention, no unnecessary transport
We work directly at your premises. This minimizes the risk of damage, reduces logistics costs, and guarantees the chain of custody of the material.
Nationwide coverage
Operating offices in Rome and Monza. We operate throughout the national territory. Our Goeldlin International network contact ensures logistics coordination even for large volumes.
"Dust removal is not optional — it is preventive conservation. Every year of delay is a year of irreversible degradation on material that cannot be replicated."
Porcacchia Egidio — Founder, Cultural Heritage since 1950Who needs this service
Professional dust removal is recommended for any institution that preserves historical or current paper documentation. In many cases it is legally mandatory or required by tender specifications.