Potentials and limitations of the laser cleaning of parchment and paper are demonstrated at model systems and historical originals. The advantages of laser cleaning is contactless and dry processing of various materials in the absence of chemical agents with micro-precision. Objects were chosen the conventional cleaning of which were either difficult or impossible. It is demonstrated that surface contamination can be removed by near ultraviolet pulsed excimer laser irradiation (308 nm, 17 ns) without destruction of collagen or cellulose fibre substrate structures including iron-gallus ink scripts. Soot ink spots or fingerprints, on the other hand, can be readily removed without deterioration of the parchment matrix.