Things You Will Need
Though some pictures are sensitive to water damage and impossible to recover, there are a number of techniques used to treating pictures damaged in floods, storms and other wet weather conditions.
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Put on latex gloves so you can handle pictures without damaging them further.
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Take damaged pictures in a well-circulated room. Set up fans to provide additional circulation, but don’t point them directly at the pictures.
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Set pictures on a flat surface.
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Place framed pictures with the glass side down and gently remove the backing materials and then the pictures. If a picture is stuck to the glass and difficult to remove, leave the backing materials off but leave the picture in the frame and let it dry glass-side down.
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Gently blot excess water with plain paper towels, except with fragile pictures.
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Place pictures image-side-up and allow them to air dry on a flat surface. You can also hang photos on a clothesline.
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Contact a professional conservator if the water stains don’t evaporate on their own. The Foundation of the American Institute for Conservation (FAIC) can provide you with a list of conservators in your area.