How to Remove Stamps Safely
Stamp collecting can be a process that takes many years to acquire a large volume. Gathering stamps for your stamp collection and removing them safely from envelopes or paper is part of this process. Any stamp collector can affirm that ripping or tearing a stamp while trying to remove it is very frustrating. Without having to fumble with tweezers and spending an hour peeling a stamp away, there is an effective method for stamp removal that requires only a few basic household items.
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Instructions
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Cut the stamp away from the envelope. Leave about one half inch of envelope paper around the stamp as you cut.
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Fill a large bowl with warm water. Use a large bowl if you have a bunch of stamps to remove, a smaller bowl if you only have one or two.
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Place the stamps on the top of the water with the stamp facing down and the envelope paper visible from the top. The warm water will loosen the glue from the paper.
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Allow the stamp to soak for about three to five minutes. During this time the stamp may completely fall away from the envelope paper and sink to the bottom. If so, use tweezers to carefully remove the stamp from the water. If the stamp is still on the paper after about four minutes, remove it from the water and use tweezers to pull the stamp from the paper. The stamp should easily slide off of the paper.
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Place the stamp onto a stamp collecting page or album and allow it to dry for about five minutes. You can cover the album sheet with its clear plastic cover after the stamp has dried.
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Tips & Warnings
For newer adhesive-backed stamps, you can steam the stamps from the envelope or use very hot water with the above process. The stamps may take longer to remove because of the composition of the glue.
Use caution when pulling the stamps from paper. If you rip or tear the stamp, this will decrease the value or render the stamp completely useless for collecting purposes.
