Sticky Stuff!

E

EastStander

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Hi - new member here. Apologies if this is the wrong forum, but I see none that are appropriate.

I have started to digitise my photo collection. As I progress, I'm removing the originals from albums, scanning them, and now want to store them in envelopes inside boxes. Unfortunately the little sticky squares which were used to mount them in the albums are staying stuck on the backs of the photos, and I have to find a way of removing the sticky stuff, as the photos inevitably tend to stick to each other.

It's incredible how such a seemingly trivial problem is causing such a headache.

I have tried a liquid cleaner that doesn't work, but am reluctant to try others for fear of causing damage to the photos. The only ways I have found so far are (a) scratching them with my nail, which will take far too long, or (b) cutting tiny squares of tissue paper and sticking them on top of the squares, which is incredibly tedious, as the tissue paper does not cut easily with scissors.

Any ideas?

Steve.
 
Hello Eaststander. Can understand you don't want to risk damage to your prints. If you have a less important photo have a try with meths. It won't dissolve all glue-like substances but it is pretty good. I'd leave the test print for a few hours to see if the meths causes any discolouration after it has evaporated.

Dave
 
Wasn't sure how well prints would take to being wiped with THIS STUFF, so tried a quick wipe (both surfaces of an old print) before leaving the tissue with the stuff on on the back of the print for a while - no problems. I've used the stuff for getting rid of old labels, tar and assorted glues and it works on pretty much everything. Not too expensive either!
 
Use talcum powder on the sticky bits.
 
Put each one on a piece of ordinary copy paper. It will stick to the remaining glue. Trim to size. Handy for writing stuff on too.
 
HoppyUK said:
Put each one on a piece of ordinary copy paper. It will stick to the remaining glue. Trim to size. Handy for writing stuff on too.
Click to expand...

This is the least damaging and quickest option, and also means that you can remount them easily because the back isn't damaged.
 
What was the solution? Please don't say it was the talcum powder.
 
Ha! No - and I thought some kind of liquid was just too risky, so devised a quick way to cut hundreds of squares of tissue paper using a sharp knife and cutting mat. Think this carries the least risk in the long term.
 
That should do the trick. Just one thing: you forgot to issue the standard Blue Peter warning for younger readers. "Please have a grown-up help you with the cutting"
There, I've saved you from being sued by the angry parents of some careless four-fingered child.
 
Quicksnapper said:
Why not?
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If handled carelessly, this stuff is awfully messy. The carpet will like like you've prepared it for a Shake 'n' Vac, but there's another, more important reason.
Suppose the OP was overly-liberal in his application of the talc and he runs out. There's none left for the baby's bum.
Can we risk a generation of photographers children growing up with sore bums because we were careless with our albums in days gone by?
 
My wife and I use talc all the time when card making, to "de stick" double sided tape etc that is still showing. If used carefully, (I usually stick my finger in a pot of talc and rub that on the tape) then no showers of talc all over the place. Still plenty for babies bottoms, not that we need it at the moment.
 
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