Thirty years ago magnetic photo albums were all the rage. They were inexpensive and very easy to store all of your photographs. Little did we know at the time, that this type of album would eventually destroy our most precious photographs.

The pages within older magnetic albums are covered in a sticky glue material. After the photos are placed in the album, they are then covered with a clear sheet of plastic that is typically made from Mylar or PVC. The glue used in these albums is highly acidic, and mixed with the chemicals in the plastic cover sheets, make these older albums extremely destructive for your treasured family photographs and memorabilia. The longer photographs are in this type of album the more damage they will sustain and the harder it will be to remove them.

When removing the photos from the pages of older magnetic albums it is essential that special care be taken. It is highly recommended that if you have access to a photo scanner, it is wise to make a good quality scan of the photo or photos you plan on removing. This will ensure that you will have a copy of the original photo, just in case any damage occurs to your original photograph during the removal process. Here are some of the most common ways to remove stuck photos at home.

DENTAL FLOSS

One of the most common methods is the use of dental floss. Dental floss is extremely thin and works well to get in between the photo and the page it is glued to. Start by sliding a piece of floss under a corner of the photo and gently slide it back and forth, in a gentle sawing motion. This method works really well, however, it will require time and patience.

ADHESIVE REMOVER

There is a product on the market that has many scrapbooking enthusiasts, including myself, raving. It is called Un-Du Adhesive Remover. You can find it at local craft stores. This product neutralizes the adhesive temporarily, and comes with a special tool to assist in the removal process. Despite the fact that this product is in liquid form, it will not damage your precious photographs

HAIR DRYER

With your hair dryer on a low setting, blow the heat back and forth over the back side of the photo. Use caution to not over heat the page and cause additional damage to your photograph. Use the least amount of heat that is necessary to loosen the adhesive, and remove the photo while the adhesive is soft. Combining heat with the dental floss technique works quite well.

FREEZER

The reasoning behind this method is that by wrapping the affected page or album and sticking it in the freezer for a few minutes will allow the glue to become brittle, therefore making the photos easy to remove. Be very careful to not leave your album in the freezer too long, as condensation can build up and can cause water damage to your photograph.

OLDER SCRAPBOOKS

Many of these older scrapbooks were made by gluing items to a heavy weight construction paper, commonly with rubber cement or Elmer's Glue. These types of albums create a special challenge and concern when removing the desired memorabilia. The chemical methods like Un-Du Adhesive Remover, probably won't work due to the adhesives used, and the construction paper they are attached to is very fragile for other methods to effectively work. My recommendation is to make a quality scan of the pages to use for your scrapbook and store the original album in a safe place.

Removing photographs from older albums can be a daunting task that will require much time and patience. Take the amount of time needed and you will have better success in preserving your treasured family photographs and heirlooms.

Learn more about this author, Lisa Stephens.
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