In this study, iso-triadecanol polyoxyethylene ether (TO-8) was used as the cleaning agent for oil stains on paper archives. TO-8 aqueous solutions with different mass fractions were prepared, and simulated oil-stained paper samples were cleaned with the help of a handheld ultrasound permeameter. A whiteness meter, an infrared spectrometer, a non-contact spectrophotometer, a scanning electron microscope and a video optical contact angle tester were used to characterize the cleaning effect of TO-8 on oil stains on paper archives. A universal material testing machine, a softness meter and a pH meter were used to characterize the effect of TO-8 on paper properties. In addition, a TG/DTG thermal analyzer was used to characterize the effect of TO-8 on the thermal stability of paper. The results show that the TO-8 aqueous solution with a mass fraction of 1.5% had the best effect on cleaning oil stains. For the paper samples, after the cleaning with TO-8, the tensile strength decreased, the softness increased, the pH remained weakly alkaline, and the thermal stability did not change.