When you’ve got those photos stuck together, it’s tough to know how to fix them. You don’t want to just rip them apart and risk ruining the photo entirely. But you also don’t want to leave them as they are, because you’re aware that they’re practically unusable that way.
Don’t worry, there is a solution! In this blog post, we’ll show you how to unstick photos. It’ll take a little bit of patience and effort on your part, but in the end, you’ll have those old photos looking new again. So grab your old photos and let’s get started!
Why Do Old Photographs Get Stuck Together?
The main culprit here is moisture, or rather the humidity in the air. When prints are first made, the surface of the paper is covered in a very thin layer of gelatin, which contains water. Over time, this water evaporates and the gelatin dries out and becomes hard. However, if there is moisture in the air, due to alternating seasons of higher humidity, the gelatin will rehydrate and become soft again.
When two photos are placed together, the moisture from one can cause the gelatin on the other to soften and stick to it. The same thing can happen if you place a photo face-down on a table or other surface – the moisture from the surface can seep into the gelatin and cause it to stick.
How To Separate Photos Stuck Together
If your photos are stuck together, there’s a risk of further damage if you try to force them apart. However, whether you have an entire album or just two stock photos that won’t budge, we’ve got the solution for you.
Here are a few tips for separating photos.
Using Warm Water
This is the easiest method to try first and it will work on most photographs. First, fill a bowl with warm o room temperature distilled water. Next, soak the photographs in the water, making sure they’re completely submerged. As they soak, the adhesive should loosen and the pictures should separate easily.
After you’ve taken the wet photographs out of the water and managed to separate them, set them down on some paper towels for at least an hour. The emulsion will dry up and make the photo paper much more stick-free as a result of this procedure.
The paper may curl up while drying, but once it’s totally dry, you may add a lot of weight, for example, a heavy book, on top of it to remove the curl.
Freezing Your Stuck Photos.
This is an unorthodox method that can also save your photographs if done correctly. To attempt this, you need to put your pictures into an airtight plastic bag.
Next, you put the bag into a freezer and check back after a little while. After about twenty minutes, you can take the photos out of the freezer. You mustn’t leave them in the freezer for too long, since this might cause additional damage from water condensation. If they are sufficiently cooled, you can gently pull and they should peel right off.
Finally, you place your photos on paper towels as well, to dry them off.
Using Kitchen Oil
Another unpopular technique is using kitchen oil or butter. Unlike using water or a freezer, all you have to do is put a few drops of oil on an edge where the pictures are the least stuck together.
Next, you let it slide in between the pictures and it acts as a lubricant between both stock photos. Finally, you carefully use your fingers or a butter knife to gently separate them.
Using a Hair Dryer
This is a very simple method that works by utilizing low heat and pressurized air. Set the dryer to the lowest heat setting and hold it about six inches away from the surface of the photos. Move the dryer back and forth over the surface of the photos until they start to separate. If the photos are particularly tough to separate, you may need to repeat this process a few times.
But try not to overdo it, as too much heat can damage the photos.
Will My Photographs Get Damaged?
Unfortunately, once photos get stuck together, it can be very difficult to separate them without leading to further damage.
For example, moisture from warm water can cause your image to warp or discolor. The water might also soften the print and lead to a tear. Or, you might peel out the layers of a picture while removing it from another picture.
If you don’t have the negatives of your old photos, you must store them safely and properly. You can check out our guide to preserving your photos.
How To Fix Damage From Stuck Photographs
It is important to get the negatives of your favorite images from your photographer. In the case that the damage is already done and you don’t have a digital copy, what you need is the professional restoration of your image.
That is where we come in place! We are MemoryCherish, the #1 photograph restoration company nationwide. With a little description, we can bring your images back to life, exactly how you imagined them.
How Do We Fix Your Picture?
Our restoration artists will closely examine your blurred image, remove stains, mold, blur, refine and add more detail and color to each image. We won’t stop until your photographs are in the best condition. We can handle any damage to any photograph!
Our commitment to producing stellar quality restoration has even landed us on news reports by ABC, NBC, and FOX news.
What Do I Need To Do?
After separating your stuck photographs from each other, you need to make them clean and ready for restoration. You can check out how to clean your old pictures.
Next, you need to carefully scan this photograph. Then, you upload it and pick your restoration options.
You place your order, and that’s it.
How Long Does It Take?
We would restore and send a digital copy of your sharpened image back to you by email within 24 hours. If there is anything you would like us to change on your restored image, revisions are allowed on every restoration, completely free!
We also offer nationwide delivery of restored images in prints!
Can I Contact Someone For More Information?
Our customer support is available 24/7 to answer any further questions. You can send us an email at: support@memorycherish.com.
In A Nutshell…
In a world where digital technology is everywhere, it’s easy to forget the importance of printed photos. But there are lots of good reasons to take printed photos, even in today’s world.
For one thing, nostalgia is a powerful emotion. Looking at a printed photo can transport you back in time and bring up all kinds of happy memories. Even if you don’t have nostalgia for a particular period, looking at prints can give you a sense of connection to the past.
There’s also something special about printed photos. They are physical objects that you can hold in your hands, put in a frame, or even just keep in a box. They are real in a way that digital files are not.
It is therefore vital that you have your old, valuable photos looking as beautiful as they always were.
