How to Rescue Your Water-Damaged Photos
Learn the tools you need and the steps to take to save photos that have been damaged by exposure to water
Texas. Florida. Puerto Rico. Those are just recent examples of places where storms have caused harm and destruction to lives, homes and belongings, including precious family photo collections. But you don’t need a large-scale natural disaster to have water-damaged photos. Even a leaky pipe or an overflowing bathtub can wreak havoc on those images we hold so dear. Obviously, it’s much easier to be prepared by having all of your images already scanned and backed up digitally. But we can’t always be prepared.
Many people see their water-soaked albums, negatives and prints and assume they will have to dispose of them. But you don’t! Many of the images can be saved, and even if they can’t, often they can be scanned and you’ll at least have it (such as it is) in your collection. If you find yourself with water-damaged photos, here’s how to rescue them and preserve those memories.
Many people see their water-soaked albums, negatives and prints and assume they will have to dispose of them. But you don’t! Many of the images can be saved, and even if they can’t, often they can be scanned and you’ll at least have it (such as it is) in your collection. If you find yourself with water-damaged photos, here’s how to rescue them and preserve those memories.
Prepare Yourself and Workspace
Clothing. Put on your protective suit or old clothing, respiratory mask and gloves. It’s important to protect yourself when working with water-damaged photographs.
Photos. Remove anything attached or stuck to the photos, like album covers, papers or envelopes in which the photographs may have been kept.
Photo albums. If you have albums, take pieces of wax paper and put them between each page. Then put albums in plastic bags and place them in the freezer. (This stops mold from growing.) If you don’t have a freezer, seal the bags and make sure to get the albums within 48 hours to a professional who can help prevent mold growth.
Clothing. Put on your protective suit or old clothing, respiratory mask and gloves. It’s important to protect yourself when working with water-damaged photographs.
Photos. Remove anything attached or stuck to the photos, like album covers, papers or envelopes in which the photographs may have been kept.
Photo albums. If you have albums, take pieces of wax paper and put them between each page. Then put albums in plastic bags and place them in the freezer. (This stops mold from growing.) If you don’t have a freezer, seal the bags and make sure to get the albums within 48 hours to a professional who can help prevent mold growth.
Organize Your Water-Damaged Photographs
Cleaning order. Start with wet photos, then the frozen pictures and, last, the dry images. Once you have those categories done, work with framed prints and prints without negatives next. Then move on to those with a physical or digital backup.
Frozen images. Remove and work on only a few frozen images at a time. Before you start on them, remove the bag from the freezer and let it thaw at room temperature on a dry surface.
First images. You’ll want to start with images you’re less attached to, especially if this is the first time you are rescuing images like this, to ensure you have a good process down.
Scanner. If the photo is dry, scan it before you do anything else to it in case it gets damaged while removing debris or cleaning the image.
Album information. Cut the pages with notes or descriptions out of the album so you can record that information elsewhere before throwing it away.
Cleaning order. Start with wet photos, then the frozen pictures and, last, the dry images. Once you have those categories done, work with framed prints and prints without negatives next. Then move on to those with a physical or digital backup.
Frozen images. Remove and work on only a few frozen images at a time. Before you start on them, remove the bag from the freezer and let it thaw at room temperature on a dry surface.
First images. You’ll want to start with images you’re less attached to, especially if this is the first time you are rescuing images like this, to ensure you have a good process down.
Scanner. If the photo is dry, scan it before you do anything else to it in case it gets damaged while removing debris or cleaning the image.
Album information. Cut the pages with notes or descriptions out of the album so you can record that information elsewhere before throwing it away.
Clean Your Photographs
Cleaning station. Fill a sink or bucket with room-temperature water. For best results, use distilled or purified spring water. Then dip each photo into the water, and use a brush to clean each side of the image.
Continue this cleaning process with all images. When the water gets really dirty, drain it and start again with clean water.
Brushing. You will want to scrub the photo very gently to remove dirt from both sides using a soft bristle brush, foam craft brush, cotton ball or microfiber cloth. Be careful not to brush off the image.
Attached images. If photos are stuck together, submerge them in water and gently start with the corner to peel them apart. It’s important not to go too quickly, as one or both of the images might tear. The photos might require longer soaking before they can be separated. This can take up to an hour — be patient, and use care.
You also can use a spatula or similar tool to help get between the photos or remove them from an album page.
Cleaning station. Fill a sink or bucket with room-temperature water. For best results, use distilled or purified spring water. Then dip each photo into the water, and use a brush to clean each side of the image.
Continue this cleaning process with all images. When the water gets really dirty, drain it and start again with clean water.
Brushing. You will want to scrub the photo very gently to remove dirt from both sides using a soft bristle brush, foam craft brush, cotton ball or microfiber cloth. Be careful not to brush off the image.
Attached images. If photos are stuck together, submerge them in water and gently start with the corner to peel them apart. It’s important not to go too quickly, as one or both of the images might tear. The photos might require longer soaking before they can be separated. This can take up to an hour — be patient, and use care.
You also can use a spatula or similar tool to help get between the photos or remove them from an album page.
Dry Your Photographs
Drying. Either lay the images on newsprint (a non-archival paper without printing, not newspaper with print) or paper towels. Or you can hang the images on a clothesline with plastic clothespins.
Flatten. When the photos are 100 percent dry, press them under the heavy books. Scan the flat, dry photos and create a folder on your hard drive with basic information such as the date and who is pictured.
Why and How to Name Your Digital Photos
Drying. Either lay the images on newsprint (a non-archival paper without printing, not newspaper with print) or paper towels. Or you can hang the images on a clothesline with plastic clothespins.
Flatten. When the photos are 100 percent dry, press them under the heavy books. Scan the flat, dry photos and create a folder on your hard drive with basic information such as the date and who is pictured.
Why and How to Name Your Digital Photos
What Not to Do to Water-Damaged Photographs
Don’t dry your images if they are inside any casing, frame or album, or if they are still attached to other images. If you try to remove an image after it’s been dried to a casing or another photo, you’ll find that it’s likely to rip or tear.
Don’t dry your images with a hair dryer or other heat-producing appliance.
Don’t dry the prints in direct sunlight or a dusty or windy location.
Don’t use your fingers or a nonmicrofiber cloth to clean the prints.
Don’t dry your images if they are inside any casing, frame or album, or if they are still attached to other images. If you try to remove an image after it’s been dried to a casing or another photo, you’ll find that it’s likely to rip or tear.
Don’t dry your images with a hair dryer or other heat-producing appliance.
Don’t dry the prints in direct sunlight or a dusty or windy location.
Don’t use your fingers or a nonmicrofiber cloth to clean the prints.
Regardless of how your photos were damaged, if you follow these simple steps, you’re much more likely to come out of the disaster with some of your photos saved.
If you haven’t lived through this experience, my best advice is to be prepared and back up your images now. You can back up your photos yourself, or hire a photo organizing professional to help you keep your memories safe.
More
How to Save Your Family Photo Albums
How to Organize All Those Paper Photos
Read more disaster recovery stories
If you haven’t lived through this experience, my best advice is to be prepared and back up your images now. You can back up your photos yourself, or hire a photo organizing professional to help you keep your memories safe.
More
How to Save Your Family Photo Albums
How to Organize All Those Paper Photos
Read more disaster recovery stories
Gather Your Photo-Rescuing Tools