First, don’t panic! Just because they are wet does not mean all is lost.
- Get them out of the water as fast as possible! If there is any debris, rinse off with clean water.
- If you don’t have the time to carefully dry them out, freeze your photos. Ideally wax paper should be placed between each photo, but if you don’t have time just pop them into the freezer together. The important thing is to do this as quickly as possible. The freezing will stall the degradation process and will stop mold from forming.
- If it is possible to dry the photos right away you will most likely need to remove the wet photos from albums, envelopes and stacks of other photos. With albums it is helpful to take a scissors and cut the plastic releasing the photo so you can carefully lift it off of the page.
- Once you have gotten them out of their albums, lay them flat on an absorbent surface (towels, paper-towel etc. ). Leave them there until they are dry. If space is a factor, you can put up wash lines and use clothes pins to air dry them. A clip may make a small indention, but that is considered normal for photo rescue operations. The drying process could take 3-4 days.
- When your photos are dry, don’t forget to get them digitized and backed up! Many photos have been lost to water damage. If you’ve been able to rescue a few photos you’re luckier than most. Take advantage of your second chance by contacting Pixologie Digital Solutions for help with securing your memories. Always make sure to have multiple back ups so your family memories are not susceptible to natural or electronic data loss.
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