How to Remove Water Stains From Printed Pictures
Water stains on printed pictures and photographic prints can decrease their aesthetic and monetary value and encourage mold growth.
![](https://img-aws.ehowcdn.com/360x200p/s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/contentlab.studiod/getty/cache.gettyimages.com/7d76d058ff4442b7ae3d658365d0c6ea.jpg)
Things You Will Need
- Fans
- Latex gloves
- White paper towels
- Clothespins
- Clothesline
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.
-
Put on latex gloves so you can handle pictures without damaging them further.
-
Take damaged pictures in a well-circulated room. Set up fans to provide additional circulation, but don’t point them directly at the pictures.
-
Set pictures on a flat surface.
-
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.
-
Gently blot excess water with plain paper towels, except with fragile pictures.
-
Place pictures image-side-up and allow them to air dry on a flat surface. You can also hang photos on a clothesline.
-
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.
References
Resources
Writer Bio
Christina Sloane has been writing since 1992. Her work has appeared in several national literary magazines.
Photo Credits
- Jupiterimages/Polka Dot/Getty Images
- Jupiterimages/Polka Dot/Getty Images
More Articles