What solution can be applied to detach photos or documents stuck together by moisture?

Question

The photos, greeting cards and a few documents (and some books) were stored in boxes and were damaged from flooding. They were discovered several days after the flooding. Some are still damp. Have tried to pull some of the photos apart but only succeed to tear them apart. Have tried to soak them in water to weaken the bond, but it doesn’t help.

Answer 1

this problem will require several steps to do, fortunately I have them.

Things You’ll Need:

Water

Dental Floss

Microwave

Freezer

Oil

Toothpick

Something heavy

Step1Steam: Bring a pot of water to a boil. Hold the pictures over the steam produced, and gradually pull them apart. Let them rest under something flat and heavy for a while.

Step2Soaking: Place the photos into warm water, WARM, not hot, and let them soak for about 5 minutes, or until the pictures float apart. You can pry them apart in the water if you want, as long as you're careful not to damage them further. Let the photos dry, even if they curl.

To uncurl, just iron them on the lowest setting possible, just enough to warm them up and flatten them out, and then leave them under something flat and heavy for a little while.

Step3Dental floss: Use a piece of unwaxed dental floss to gently pry apart the photos, being very careful not to rip or damage them. Work the floss inbetween the photos in a gentle sawing motion.

Step4Oil and Toothpick: Put a drop or two of oil on a spot where the photos are the least stuck together, and, using a toothpick, slowly and gently work them apart.

Step5Freezer: Leave the pictures in the freezer for about twenty minutes. Try not to overdo the freezing process, or condensation will form on the photos as they come back to room temperature. After they're frozen enough, gently work them apart with a butter knife, dental floss, or a toothpick.

Step6Microwave: Put the photos in the microwave for 5 seconds. Let them cool down for 5 to 10, and then repeat. Check between heatings with dental floss or something thin to see if they're coming apart. Don't overdo the heating, or put them in for more than 5 seconds at a time, or the adhesive can burn and ruin the photos.

Step7Un-du, a product commonly used by scrapbookers, is an adhesive remover that may help safely remove the photos. It comes with an attached tool to help you get the Un-du solution safely under the photo to help release it. It is safe for use on the back of the photos, but be careful not to get it on the images themselves.

in reality the steam should unstick the pictures and documents enough, however if they don't just carry out the steps.