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Help! Very wet old photos. had a flood!

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Ed Stone

Ed Stone Report 10 Aug 2008 15:22

Hi,
It's over 30 years since I used to do my own B&W development as a hobby. After the image was exposed onto the photographic paper of which there were many different types, you placed it in the fixer solution to stop any further developing of the image on the photo sensitive paper. Next you washed it under cold water. If I remember, I used to have a rubber blade to run over the photo, just like window cleaners have to remove the water from glass. If there were no water stains on the photo then it was hung to dry otherwise you just repeated the above.
How you would remove dirt I'm not 100% certain but a good wash may go some way towards the solution.

I would 'google' and see if there is a cleaner you can buy and wipe over the photo. Times have moved on.

Bye
Herbert

Huia

Huia Report 10 Aug 2008 08:22

Good luck with the photos. Old photos are so precious.
Huia.

Researching:
Avatar: Red poppy holding a yellow poppy.

Chellie

Chellie Report 10 Aug 2008 01:50

Thanks for all your advice - they are drying nicely.

I'd been asking him for months if I could borrow the photos on his walls to scan them, I didn't know he had this many in albums too.

Ed Stone

Ed Stone Report 9 Aug 2008 23:10

Hi,
Photographs used to be washed under running water after a fixer was used to stop any further development.
I suggest you wash them in clean water and peg them up to dry using a bulldog clip and a line to hang them from. Leave them in an airy place to dry.

It's many years since I use to do my own black and white photography but that's how I did it as an amateur.

Wash carefully to remove and ensure that the pictures are free from water marks. When dry you can press them in a book to remove the curling up.

Chica in the sun ☼

Chica in the sun ☼ Report 9 Aug 2008 23:03

Oh dear, so many precious photos! I agree just let them dry naturally. I know they weren´t your photos but do try and get them scanned then you can transfere them to a disc or whatever. Good luck with them Chellie.
Chica

Chellie

Chellie Report 9 Aug 2008 20:43

Thank you!

I've put them in the dark to dry out. fingers crossed!

Llamedos

Llamedos Report 9 Aug 2008 20:26

I would leave them to dry naturally in a shaded place [no direct light on them] - airing cupboard perhaps.

Curling can be cured after drying - placing heavy weight on the wet phots may damage the image....be careful!

Chellie

Chellie Report 9 Aug 2008 20:23

Help!!

My Great Uncle has had a burst water pipe that has flooded his flat. Trying to rescue about 50 photos ranging from 1870-1905.
How do I get them to dry without going curly? I've taken them out of the album, but if I put them under something heavy to dry flat they won't dry!

Does anyone have any advice?

Michelle