How to Remove Mildew on Photos
Photos contain priceless memories that in some cases, cannot be replaced. The advent of digital photography has changed how we use and store our photographs, but older photos are still susceptible to mold and mildew. Mildew is a byproduct of mold, and dealing with one takes care of the other. Mold loves paper, particularly when that paper is kept in a damp, dark location. You cannot use chemicals to clean your photos, but it is possible to save your pictures should they become damaged by mold. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Rubber gloves
- Eye protection
- Mask or respirator
- Zippered plastic bag
- Soft cloth
Instructions
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Put on your safety gear. Rubber gloves and eye protection, such as goggles, are a must. You should also wear a mask or a respirator to avoid breathing in any mold spores. You should change clothes immediately after cleaning your photos to avoid spreading any spores, or simply wear coveralls that you can wash immediately in hot water.
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Quarantine the mildewed photos from the clean photos. If you have any doubts about a photo, isolate it as well. Mold and mildew are grey or black in color, and frequently give off a musty odor. Anywhere that you see discoloration is likely to be a concentration of mold and mildew.
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Place the mildewed photos in a zippered plastic bag, and put the bag in your freezer for an hour. Freezing the photos will cause the mold to go dormant, which will allow you to brush it away from the photo.
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Take the sealed plastic bag outside. Remove the photos from the bag, and use a soft cloth to gently brush the mold and mildew from the photos. If the mildew smears rather than brushes away like a powder, then the mold is not dormant yet.
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Allow any photos in which the mildew is not dormant to sit in the sunlight for no longer than one hour. Sunlight can fade your photos, but it will also cause the mold and mildew to become inactive so it can be cleaned away. After half an hour, brush the mildew away again with the soft cloth.
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Monitor the affected photos for several months. If the mold and mildew reappear, they may be so deeply ingrained into the photo that they cannot be removed. One option is to copy the photo and destroy the mildewed original. Photo shops can assist with copying the original photo.
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Tips & Warnings
Valuable or rare photographs should be cleaned by a professional photo restoration expert.
Take precautions when dealing with mold and mildew as inhaling spores can cause illness. Always wear eye, nose and mouth protection.
References
- Photo Credit pile de photos image by Oliv from Fotolia.com
