Saving Wet Photos After a Flood
Quick Action Matters More Than Anything Else
If you had to leave your home in a hurry, irreplaceable family photos are often the last thing on your mind and the first thing you regret leaving behind. If you do have access and there are wet photos to deal with, what you do in the next few days matters a great deal.
How to Dry Wet Photos
If photographs are stuck together or stuck to glass, do not try to pull them apart. Gently rinsing them in clean water can help them separate naturally.
Flood water is often contaminated, so a gentle rinse in clean water before drying is a good idea. Dip rather than run water directly over them to protect the surface.
Separate photos from frames, albums, or displays right away. Cutting open an enclosure with a blade is often safer than trying to pull a photo free.
Let excess water drain off, then lay photos flat, face up, on an absorbent surface such as paper towels or a clean cloth. Keep air moving around them as they dry. Curling is common and can be addressed later.
If you have negatives, hang them to dry like laundry on a line, using plastic clips rather than metal ones, which can cause stains.
For framed pieces, remove the photo, painting, or artwork from the frame and let it dry separately from the glass and matting.
If You Do Not Have Time Right Now
If everything is chaos and drying photos is not realistic yet, freeze them instead. Place wax paper or parchment paper between individual photos and between any that are stuck together, then thaw and deal with them once things settle down.
When Reprinting Is an Option
If you still have the negatives, or if a portrait was originally created by a professional photographer, there is often a good chance it can simply be reprinted rather than restored.
For especially valuable or historically important photographs, a professional conservator may be worth contacting. The American Institute for Conservation maintains an online directory to help you find one near you.
When the Damage Is Too Far Gone
Once things have settled, if you have photos that are damaged beyond what you can fix on your own, we can help. We offer digital photo restoration, and your original photograph never leaves your possession. We work from a high-resolution scan and return the original to you.