If you have ever had a photo damaged by water or damp, you know how upsetting it is. A photograph is only ink or dye on paper. A frame protects it up to a point, but frames are not waterproof, and prolonged damp will get in.
Water damage does not only come from floods and leaks. Too much moisture in the air is enough, which is worth remembering when you decide where to hang your pictures. Here is how to spot trouble early, and what to do if a photo gets wet.
Early signs of high humidity
The wall usually gives a warning before the photo is harmed. The first sign is mould or mildew behind the frame, where air cannot circulate. That is why well-made frames have small bumpers that hold them slightly away from the wall.
Outside walls are the most likely to cause trouble, because they are colder than the room, and moisture condenses in the still air behind a frame.
Moisture can stick a print to the glass
If you see signs of damp inside a frame, such as misting, pale or shiny patches on the photo, or rippled paper, handle it with great care. The print may have stuck to the glass.
Do not try to peel it off. That almost always tears away part of the image. Scan or photograph the picture through the glass first, so that you have a copy whatever happens, and then ask a conservator or photo restorer for advice. A mount prevents the problem in the first place, because it holds the photo away from the glass.
How to dry a wet photo safely
Act quickly, because mould can start within a couple of days, and work gently, because a wet photo is very fragile.
- Take it out of the frame if it comes away freely. Hold it by the edges and do not touch the picture surface.
- Do not rub or blot the image. If it is dirty, rinse it gently in clean, cool water.
- Dry it in the air. Lay it face up on clean, plain blotting paper or kitchen paper, or hang it by a corner with a plastic peg. Change the paper underneath as it gets wet.
- Keep the air moving. Open a window or run a fan in the room, but do not point it straight at the photo.
- Avoid heat and sunlight. No hairdryers, radiators or sunny windowsills, which make prints curl, crack and fade.
- Keep wet photos apart. Do not stack them or press them under a book while damp, or they will stick together.
If the photo curls as it dries, leave it. Once it is completely dry it can be flattened under a weight between sheets of clean paper.
If you have many wet photos and cannot dry them all in time, put them in sealed bags, separated by sheets of baking paper, and freeze them. They can be thawed and dried a few at a time later.
Do not try to remove stains with erasers, cleaning fluids or alcohol. They can lift the image. If a photo is valuable or badly damaged, take it to a professional restorer.
Make a copy
Once a photo is dry, scan it and keep the file safe. Even a stained or faded print can often be repaired digitally and printed again, and the copy means the picture can never be lost completely.
Conclusion
Saving a water-damaged photo takes patience, but it can usually be done. When the print, or its replacement, is ready to go back on the wall, choose a drier spot, and frame it with a mount so that it does not touch the glass. Our picture frames and mounts are made to measure.
Call EasyFrame on 01234 856 501 or email sales@easyframe.co.uk. We are happy to talk it through even if you do not want to buy.