How to Remove Old Photo Paper From a Photo Album

Photos are a way of reliving the precious moments of our lives.

Before the advent of digital cameras, people would place pictures in physical photo albums. Photo albums typically have a cardboard page with a plastic covering on top of each page. Photos are placed neatly in between the plastic and the cardboard to preserve the pictures, however, over time the cardboard can turn yellowish and the pictures fade. Capturing the image before it becomes unrecognizable requires removing the photo from the album and scanning the photo to capture its image digitally. Not knowing the right way to lift the photos from each page will ruin the pictures.

Things You'll Need

• Hair dryer
• Utility scissors
• Snap off cutter
• Dental floss

Instructions

1. Cut through the plastic and cardboard around the entire photo, using utility scissors. Cut at least one inch from the edges of the photo to provide some space to lift the plastic. If there are important pictures on the other side of the cardboard, and you do not wish to cut through those pictures, then skip this step and proceed to the next one.

2. Cut the plastic around the edges of the photo by running a snap off cutter at least 1/2-inch from the edges of the photo along each side. Lift each corner of the plastic, then dog-ear the corner.

3. Turn on your hairdryer to its "Low" setting and gently heat the surface of the plastic until the plastic becomes soft. Lift a corner of the plastic and carefully try to separate it from the photo without tearing the surface of the photo paper, but do not proceed along areas where it is difficult to separate the plastic from the photo paper.

4. Heat the surface of the plastic a little more, lift the corner of the plastic and slide a segment of dental floss between the plastic and the photo. Carefully slide the dental floss back and forth, then lift the plastic very gently. Heat the plastic again if you encounter a spot where it is difficult to remove the plastic. Work on removing the plastic from different corners and sides of the photo to loosen as much plastic as possible.

Tips & Warnings

• To avoid the risk of not being able to copy the image in its original form due to the damage that can be caused by trying to remove the photo from the album, cut out the photo from the album along with the plastic and cardboard, then scan the photo in its original state before proceeding with trying to remove the plastic on top of the photo and the cardboard beneath.

• Not all photos in albums can be safely removed without damaging the image; scan the photo in its original state to avoid any risk.