Photo Damaged by Water  -  Preserving Water Damaged Family photos.

Always ask yourself, is it easier to replace Family photos rather than restore Family photographs. If you decide to restore, National Archives experts in restoring and preserving historical photos and or documents offer the following tips for salvaging water-damaged family papers, books and photographs.

I have found poor advice on how to handle water damaged historical photos and or documents in some of the materials I've reviewed that have been in the Extension system. One such recommendation suggested using a microwave oven to dry water soaked paper. DO NOT DO THAT! If you have any information that suggests such, please discard it and replace with the following information:

Over the years people always seem to argue whether fire, water or wind is the most destructive element in society. From a photographic point of view they almost always tie back to water. In the event of a natural or accidental catastrophe it seems that the most common order in which things are saved is, people, family photos, pets, livestock, food, belongings and furniture. That number two item, family treasures, is many times photographs.

In many cases the amount of warning or space does not allow for saving everything you might like and water damage occurs. Flood waters, driving rain and tons of water from fire hoses are not kind to items left behind. It is always part of the news coverage to see the survivors going through the devastation clutching those few treasures that can be picked up.
Finding that soaked water logged box of family photos is the first step. Saving what is inside in most cases is possible.

Understanding the damage and knowing what to do is the key. The following information is going to attempt to give you tips and advice on handling materials that have been affected by water. This information will increase the possibility of restoring your family photos and or treasures. This information will help you understand the recommendations and suggestions of professionals when faced with, floodwaters damaged photos and documents.

• Freeze Your Flood-Damaged Photos

I f you have experienced a flood or a fire and your photographs have become water damaged. You need to take some immediate steps. If you want to save your photographs that have been damaged by floodwaters, the first thing to do is get them out of the water. Then, if you don't have time to care for them immediately, freeze them, this step is widely agreed by the experts to be the most effective.
"If other flood cleanup is more pressing, put flood-damaged photos in the freezer "Freezing will delay further damage."

Drain off the water and while still wet place into a plastic bag. Place the bagged images into a freezer. Some surface damage can occur when the water forms ice crystals.

Photographs fall into two general types. A modern photograph is on a type of paper called RC or "resin coated". The emulsion or the image itself is in a layer of plastic that is held with a binder to a paper underlayment. Long immersions in water can cause this sandwich of paper and plastic to separate. Older photos have the emulsion chemicals soaked into the paper itself. While fiber based papers are still used by professionals and display prints most family photos are on fiber paper if they are more than 20 years old. While this can be more stable during a long soaking, it will still surfer greatly from the effects of the flood water.

Ivan Hanthorn, head of the Preservation Department at the Iowa State University Library, agrees. "Freezing buys you time by stabilizing the situation."
The important thing is to act quickly, before mildew sets in. ( Mildew is the enemy its spots and discolored your precious photographs and other bacteria breaks down the fibers in the paper ) You have the best chance of saving items that are not mildewed already. If they are mildewed the only way to save the image is to have it digitally reproduced and repaired. Photos that are still wet have not yet been attacked by mildew. Mildew doesn't grow on wet material -- it grows on damp material.

If a photo already is mildewed and can be replaced, throw it away. If you can't make that decision now, then freeze the item. Freezing does not kill mildew, but it temporarily stops mildew growth. And, freezing does not dry the item. Freezing simply buys time. Eventually you will have to decide what to do with each photo you freeze.

How to freeze photos.

First pick the item up out of the water and hold it while it drains. Then place the item in a plastic bag, and stick it in the freezer. If you have several items of approximately the same size -- such as small photo boxes, scrapbooks or photo albums -- you can place them upright in a milk crate or box, separated with paper toweling, butcher paper or wax paper. If you're freezing photo albums, stand them vertically on their spines. A milk crate is a good choice for this task because it allows air flow around the photos. Use a container that won't become water-logged. Pack the items just tight enough so that they remain upright.
If a photo album is obviously wet and is still closed, keep it closed. Don't open it or you may destroy the book. Let it drain, then freeze it.

After the items you want to save are in the freezer, you can go back to other flood cleanup duties. You can leave the items in the freezer, literally, for years. Freezing won't hurt them. But we suggests that you contact your insurance company and see if they cover the expense of drying and restoring them. Please deal with the items as soon as you can.
When you have time and can decide calmly, review the items you've frozen. Decide which items you really want to save and which items you can discard. Later, you can get the items out of the freezer -- as many or as few at a time as you like -- and then attempt to dry them yourself, or send them for professional restoration.

Drying frozen photos.

Thaw and Clean When Wet:
Wear rubber gloves, a respirator and protect yourself from contact with disease organisms present in floodwaters. Practice safety first. "fema guidelines" ( http://www.fema.gov/fema/cpsctip.htm ) for images that are found still submerged in water. Most flood waters are very muddy. Rinse away the flood silt with lots of slow flowing clean water.
When the flood water is replaced with clean water, slowly and gently separate the layers of paper. You may find that next all you need to do is re-rinse the photos and dry them by placing then between sheets of photo blotter paper. Paper towels will also work. Do not use news print. Place the layers of photos and blotter paper under a weighted object so the stack drys as flat as possible. If the photo is not mildewed, the RC based papers may now be re-filed or placed in albums. Fiber based paper may dry in a wavy condition. Some photo retoration services have a drum dryer and will be able to re-wet and re-dry the photos to a flatter condition.

You can air dry the items yourself. Follow these guidelines:

Work in an area that doesn't present more problems. For example, don't dry the items in a damp basement. As the items thaw, water will drip and conditions will get humid.

Place wet items on a surface that won't be damaged by dripping water. Or place items on a surface that has been covered with polyethylene.

Documents and photos can be hung on a line.

Remove all photos and deal with them separately. Stand photo albums on end, fanned open. You may want to place paper towels within each book, between every page. The towels will act as wicks and pull water out of the books.

You may want to put paper towels underneath the items to absorb water that will drip during thawing. Change the towels as they get wet.

Run a fan to circulate air over and around the items as they dry, open windows to prevent humidity buildup in the room.

After books feel dry, close them squarely and stack them under a brick. Let them dry another 24 hours. This should help them resume their shape.

It may take two or three days to dry out a photos or letters, Hanthorn says, and several days to dry out a book.

After they've dried, photos probably will be curled. To uncurl them, you can wash each photo carefully in a photo tray, then put them between clean white blotters under pressure. Photography blotters, which are preferable, may be available at photo supply stores, but any kind of clean white blotter would work. Change blotters as they become damp.

Images Found In A Dried Mass

Wear rubber gloves, a respirator DO NOT TRY TO PRY APART DRY PHOTOS. Place the mass into clean water. Add a photo wetting agent to the water. Allow the mass to soak for about 24 hours. Ideally the photos will separate by themselves. Those that do are removed to be further gently cleaned in fresh clean water.

Smaller clumps of stuck photos should be placed in a new bath of clean water with a greater concentration of photo wetting agent. After 8 additional hours try to gently separate the paper while under water. Stop a the least resistance and wait with the area wedged apart. Try again to gently peel the paper layers apart. Each time the paper is still stuck you may be at an area that has yet to be reached by fresh water and wetting agent. Be patient and allow the water and wetting agent to work.

Generally some emulsion damage and separation may occur. Gently clean the separated images in fresh water. Try to save any small identifiable pieces of image. Dry the photos and pieces by placing then between sheets of photo blotter paper. Paper towels will also work. Do not use news print. Place the layers of photos and blotter paper under a weighted object so the stack drys as flat as possible.
Prints with surface damage can be restored by experts. Keep the torn or surface emulsion pieces together with the individual photo source. When completely dried the parts can be placed in a clean dry storage bag.

Some photos bond so completely that they never can be separated. After several more days of soaking you have nothing more to lose - try to separate the images as gently as possible. If still stuck place those photos in a bath of a mixture of water, photo wetting agent, a strong surfactant and an ultrasonic vibration. You may reduce the paper to a gel at this point and all is lost. But then, it was anyway. In some cases this may allow the last stubborn sheets to separate. Generally emulsion damage and separation will also occur. Collect and sort the fragments as best you can and decide if restoration of these images is worth it.

Mold and Mildew Damage

Once photographs have stuck together and/or become moldy, saving them may not be possible. Wear rubber gloves, a respirator and protect yourself from contact with disease organisms present in floodwaters. Practice safety first. Fema Guidelines (www.fema.gov/fema/cpsctip.htm) the mold or mildew is generally seen in dark patches growing on the surface and may be accompanied by a moldy smell. Mold and mildew are common terms for fungus that attacks organic materials such as paper, books, cloth, photographs, and leather. Mold grows from spores which are everywhere in our environment. Usually these spores are inactive, but they will germinate when the relative humidity exceeds 70 percent. Temperatures above 65 degrees increase the likelihood of mold growth. Active mold growth is slimy or fuzzy and is usually green, black, orange or purple. Inactive mold is dry and powdery and may be white. In early stages, the mold may look like a fine web; in full bloom it looks bushy. Mold spores spread easily, they are carried by air currents, pets and people. Active mold "digests" organic materials such as cloth book covers or the cellulose that composes paper. It can also make permanent stains.

Saving Moldy Photos

Wear rubber gloves, eye protection, an appropriate respirator (NOT a painters mask) and clothing you can wash in very hot water and bleach or discard. The best choice for clothing is special coveralls made from DuPont Tyvek and discard after each wearing. Mold can be hazardous to people with respiratory problems. Many can cause allergic reactions or irritate skin. Some species (Black Mold; Stachybotrys chartarum (atra) is one) of mold/fungus are toxic, and in some cases exposure can lead to serious illness or even death. Consult an expert in industrial contamination if you are unsure of what you are dealing with.
Air dry them away from other objects. Spread out the photos. Use photo blotting materials, clean towels or paper towels between the layers of photo paper. Increase air circulation with a fan, but don't aim the fan directly at the photos.

Although ultraviolet light can be damaging, and causing fading, brief exposure to sunlight can stop mold growth and aid drying. Exposure should not exceed 60 minutes. The trade off is image fading from exposure to the sun and killing the mold.
Clean the mold only after it is dry and inactive. Very gently wipe or brush away the mold residue. Always work outdoors if possible and always wear the protective clothing, gloves and a respirator and provide proper ventilation.

While harsh cleaning products and bleach; will kill the contaminants they can ruin photos. Never vacuum fragile or deteriorating photo surfaces. Use a household vacuum cleaner outdoors, since the exhaust will spread mold spores.

Be sure display and storage areas are free of mold before you return any clean object to its proper place. Re-inspect the photos from time to time for any new mold growth.
Valuable artifacts and photographs should be handled by a professional restorer.

Copying and replacing may be the only sure way to stop mold growth on photographic paper.

Nothing is going to replace the sentimental attachment you had for the original photos. However a professional photo service will be able to reproduce your images so you can save those treasured memories.

Domestic Or Fire Control Water

This type of water damage may also have a heat damage component. Soot may be found on the photo surfaces. Photos are usually found damp or wet rather than submerged. Place them in clean water and slowly, gently separate the layers of paper. You may find that next, all you need to do is re-rinse the photos and dry them by placing then between sheets of photo blotter paper. Paper towels will also work. Do not use news print. Place the layers of photos and blotter paper under a weighted object so the stack drys as flat as possible. RC based papers may now be re-filed or placed in albums. Fiber based paper may dry in a wavy condition. If this is of concern, find a photo lab that still has a drum dryer and they may be able to re-wet and re-dry the photos to a flatter condition.

If the photos are melted together from heat damage, they may be beyond saving. Try the water submersion and a short soak and attempt to peel them apart. The soot damage is a sticky black residue that can be difficult to clean away. Try soaking the photos for 8 hours in a water bath with a photo wetting agent. Very gently wipe the soot from the surface. Dried soot may permanently bond with the emulsion surface.

Transparency, Slide or Negative Damage

When the flood water is replaced with clean water, slowly and gently separate the layers of film. You may find that next, all you need to do is re-rinse the film in a water bath containing a negative wetting agent and dry it by hanging it by clothes pins. Grip the film on an edge rather than the film face. Re-rinse and re-dry as necessary. If you no longer see an improvement they are as restored as possible.

For film that is found as a dried mass stuck to itself, paper or plastic, the challenge is much greater. Allow the film to soak overnight in clean water and a film wetting agent. Slowly and gently try to separate the layers of film from themselves or the paper. Each section of film needs to be handeled by itself and what it is stuck to.

Plastic may release quite easily, while paper may stick almost as tightly as the film to other film. When seperated place in a water bath containing a negative wetting agent for a short time and dry it by hanging it by clothes pins. Grip the film on an edge rather than the film face. Re-rinse and re-dry as necessary. If you no longer see an improvement they are as restored as possible.