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Tips & Tricks
How to Remove Rubber Bands, String, or Ribbon from Rolled Old Documents
When undertaking this task, avoid stressing the paper by holding it without excessive pressure. Don't try to slide off the rubber band, string, or ribbon, as this may harm the document. Instead, cut the band carefully with scissors, avoiding force on the roll.
Warning: the rolled document may be brittle, and unrolling it may cause it to fall apart. If this is a concern, contact a professional conservator.
Simple Cleaning of Pencil Marks
When attempting to get rid of pencil marks, use a white plastic eraser (PVC is OK for once!); do not use rubber erasers or pencil erasers. Erase from the center to the edge of your object using only as much pressure as necessary. Be extra gentle around any text as the eraser can "bleach" it. Finally, brush off the eraser residue with a brush, not your hand or air.
How to Remove Staples from Old Documents
If you want to remove a staple from an old document, by all means try to avoid stressing the paper. Never use a staple remover, as it will harm the document. Instead, slide a wedge-shaped strip of polyester film under the staple's closed side. Then turn the document over, and, using clean needle-nose pliers, twist the tines of the staple 90º toward the wide end of the polyester wedge, parallel to the surface of the paper. Finally, turn the document over again, and, with the help of the wedge, gently pull the staple out.
If your document is fragile or of great value, you may want to consult a conservator before attempting this or any other restoration technique.
When the Levee Breaks
Flood waters are death to photos, especially digital prints. Be thoughtful of where you keep your collection. Never keep them close to the floor, and never, ever in the basement. Up high keeps them dry.
How to Make Preservation Copies
If you enjoy showing and sharing precious paper memories, it's better to do it with copies of the original objects rather than the objects themselves. This saves wear and tear on the originals, which may have become fragile over the years. Copies made on good quality acid-free paper will usually be stronger and last longer than the original.
One way to copy is to use a traditional photocopier. Many copiers allow you to vary the exposure or size of the image when printing, and this can be very handy when you want your copy to fit in a photo album or scrapbook. If necessary, you can touch up a copy with white correction fluid or tape and then make a second copy. Never touch up the original. While you're at it, make extra copies to share with family or friends.
Another way to copy is to use a scanner to make an image file of the original. Software like Adobe® Photoshop® can be used to touch up the image before printing. When printing from a computer, use a pigment inkjet or laser printer (avoid dye inkjet systems for preservation purposes). If you don't want to lose the "old" look, you can find specialty papers from scrapbook or stationary stores that mimic the look of old paper.
How to Store Albums: Vertical vs. Boxes
Photo and scrapbook albums may contain photographs, ticket stubs, postcards, or other memorabilia. They range from plastic pocket pages to intricate works of scrapbook art. However, they are all bound in book form and have similar storage requirements. They should first and foremost always be stored in cool, dry areas of your home. Avoid direct sunlight and areas with lots of airborne contamination like kitchens and basements. Albums are generally stored on shelves in two different ways, depending on their age and condition.
Vertical storage involves upright storage with side support of either another book volume or a bookend. It is appropriate for:
- Albums with an intact spine and a solid binding.
- Albums with embellishments. If the book is stored horizontally, its weight can cause embellishments to leave imprints on neighboring pages.
Box storage involves horizontal storage with a single album laid flat in an acid-free, lignin-free box suitable for photographs.* It is appropriate for:
- Heirloom or important historic albums.
- Albums that have a strained or damaged binding.
*For more information on what is suitable for photographs see the article How to Determine if a Product is Photo-Safe
Away from Kitchens and Baths
The best way to extend the life of your photos is to reduce the storage temperature and humidity. The simplest way to do this is to find the area in your house that is naturally cooler and drier than the rest of the house. Many people already know that their photos should not be stored in the attic or in the basement. But did you know that even in the living areas there are warmer and cooler areas as well as drier and wetter areas? Keep your photos and other heirlooms out of the kitchen and out of bathrooms with showers and tubs. The humidity in these rooms can be much higher than in the rest of the house. It may also be a good idea to keep your photos out of closets that share a wall with the kitchen or bathroom as moisture can migrate through many types of wallboard. Besides having higher humidity, kitchens also can be fairly warm when the stove is going. And finally, avoid storing or displaying your pictures near or above sources of heat such as radiators or heating vents. Remember: If it's humid or hot, it's not a good spot!
Preserving Your Very Old Photo Albums
Never store these objects vertically, as the weight of the pages can damage the spine. Keep old albums flat in acid-free, lignin-free boxes. Interleaving with acid-free tissue can help prevent abrasion between pages. And finally, make sure to keep your albums in a cool, dry place.
Coming Out of the Closet
One advantage of keeping your photos in a closed closet is that it may remain cooler than the rest of the house during winter. Unfortunately, it may get hotter during the summer. Closed closets also cause the air to remain stagnant, so if the humidity gets high in the summer there may be a greater risk for mold growth.
How Do You Preserve Your Ultrasound/Sonogram Print?
Most of these images are printed with thermal imaging paper. This paper can brown when exposed to the light for even a short time. They're also sensitive to heat and pressure. So keep these images in the dark, out of the attic, and be careful when handling. We strongly recommend you make copies of these important pictures with a photocopier or scanner and printer.
Beware the Upstairs
When looking for a place to keep you photos safe and secure, think about what’s above them. If it’s a bathroom, then think again. If a pipe in the bathroom bursts or a sink or tub overflows, that water can come down like a waterfall on your precious photos. Water damage to photos can destroy them entirely, especially digital photos.
Flood waters are death to photos, especially digital prints. Be thoughtful of where you keep your collection. Never keep them low to the floor, and never, ever, in the basement. Up high keeps them dry.
Going Green Fades Photos Faster
Many people are switching from incandescent to fluorescent light bulbs to save energy, but most don’t know that fluorescent fades photos faster. If you’re going green be sure to frame your photos behind glass. Glass cuts out much of the harmful UV energy from fluorescent bulbs and will help your picture remain pristine much longer.
Let Your Prints Dry
Always let your digital prints dry thoroughly before handling, stacking, or putting them into an album. Most prints today dry relatively fast, but it’s safer to give your prints at least an hour out in the open to make sure all the ink solvents have completely evaporated.
Permanent Pens Usually Aren’t
Some pens are called permanent, not because they last a long time, but because they don’t wash off with water. This is great for labeling clothes before you send the kids off to camp, but most people don’t wash their heirloom collections. These “permanent” pens can still fade, and some do quite easily. Some are even very harmful to photos. So pick a pigment pen that won't bleed or fade over time and that is non-reactive with photos.
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