How to Open an Envelope & Seal it Back Up With Adhesive Glue

Place a sealed envelope in the freezer for easy opening.

There are times that it is necessary to open a sealed envelope to either remove erroneously added contents or add contents that were forgotten. The problem is opening the flap without tearing the envelope. Steaming the envelope open is one alternative but an easier process is placing the envelope in the freezer. The temperature within the freezer causes the glue to separate from the paper. The glue most generally will reseal as it warms to room temperature. A glue stick provides adequate adhesion for flaps that will not reseal.

Things You'll Need

• Freezer
• Glue stick

Instructions

1. Place a sealed envelope on a flat surface in the freezer for a minimum of two hours.

2. Remove the envelope from the freezer and gently open the flap. Begin at the center of the flap and work to each edge.

3. Reseal the envelope by laying it on a flat surface for 15 minutes so the envelope heats to room temperature.

4. Press the flap in place. Check to see that the flap is sticking securely. Open the flap if it is not sticking securely. Draw a line with a glue stick along the glue line of the flap. Press the flap in place.

References

• Thrifty Fun: Opening a Sealed Envelope
• Priority Envelop Inc: Glossary of Envelope Terms