![\"Sticky-photo-album\"](\"https:\/\/scancafe.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Sticky-Photo-Albums-2400x1300.jpeg\")
<\/h2>\n<\/h2>\nIf you\u2019re familiar with <\/span>the film photography era<\/span>,<\/span> you\u2019ve likely encountered <\/span>magnetic photo albums (aka sticky or glue page albums) <\/span>that dominated the scene for a long time \u2013 from about the 1970s to the early 2000s. These photo albums were extremely popular <\/span>because advertising played off their ease of use <\/span>and <\/span>the fact that they<\/span> came with everything <\/span>you needed<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Unlike other albums that required hinges or photos of a certain size to insert into <\/span>precut<\/span> pockets, sticky albums were a breeze to work with. You pulled back the plastic clear page, positioned the print or prints, placed the plastic page back on top, and you were done. The plastic seemingly provide<\/span>d<\/span> a protective layer for fragile photos. You could touch the page and not worry about fingerprints or other damaging effects on <\/span>your<\/span> photos. <\/span>While <\/span>t<\/span>his type of photo album <\/span>seemed like the perfect way to store photos \u2013 keeping them safe while still within easy reach, sticky <\/span>danger lurks on and underneath the surface!<\/span><\/p>\n The truth is that these photo albums <\/span>are a nightmare for family historians and anyone interested in working with print photos. With increased interest in digitization and memory preservation, <\/span>a greater number of <\/span>people <\/span>find themselves wondering <\/span>how to remove pictures from old sticky photo albums<\/span>. It\u2019s easy to get frustrated attempting to <\/span>extract old photos that have sat in these albums for years. <\/span>Although they have no magnets, the cardboard pages have a sticky, adhesive coating that grips photos and doesn\u2019t want to let go. It\u2019s a shame when <\/span>people discover that the glue and plastic have inflicted serious damage to their <\/span>vintage<\/span> prints. <\/span>In fact, they <\/span>fared worse in these albums than if they had <\/span>been<\/span> stored in shoeboxes.<\/span><\/p>\n The glue probably has the most destructive effect. It\u2019s an industrial variety that can be quickly applied to multiple pages and <\/span>contains<\/span> highly acidic ingredients. The acid can eat into prints over time <\/span>and i<\/span>n severe cases, <\/span>cause<\/span> glue stripes <\/span>to<\/span> burn through the image. <\/span>The bottom line is that the adhesive bonds with the photos, which causes them to curl and tear when you try to remove them.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The second problem is the <\/span>M<\/span>ylar sheet, also known as the plastic cover. Mylar was <\/span>an <\/span>extremely popular <\/span>material<\/span> in<\/span> photo albums, provid<\/span>ing<\/span> a scratch-resistant and clear cover. <\/span>This added insult to injury because the <\/span>prints were sandwiched between two damaging layers. <\/span>The plastic sealed the photographs in the acidic cardboard and emitted gasses that attacked the images. <\/span>In cheaper albums, the destructive chemical polyvinyl chloride (PVC), was used and this further compounded <\/span>the<\/span> toxic effects on <\/span>the<\/span> photos. <\/span>As a result, it\u2019s common to see yellow stains on the plastic cover, the cardboard backing, and the photos. Read on to find out <\/span>how to separate stuck pictures<\/span> from the pages without ruining them.<\/span><\/p>\n The first step in salvaging memories literally stuck in glue page albums<\/span>\u00a0is to remove the photos as slowly and carefully as possible. If you try to pull pages apart and peel prints off hastily, you may end up ripping out parts of the photos. The goal is to make a clean separation between the pages and photos.<\/span><\/p>\n Ideally, <\/span>you should use a thin tool that can cut through the glue bond while leaving the print largely untouched. Interestingly, waxed dental floss <\/span>is a great option because<\/span> it\u2019s designed for tight interdental spaces. In this <\/span>context<\/span>, you can insert it underneath the print and slowly run it back and forth to separate the print from the page. This technique is so effective, it\u2019s used regularly by museum conservators for delicate separation work.<\/span><\/p>\n Adhesive removers are a second method. The<\/span>y<\/span> sometimes come as a kit with an applicator tool or <\/span>as a standalone product. You<\/span>\u2019ll<\/span> still need a thin tool to get under the print and apply the remover. <\/span>While this <\/span>won\u2019t hurt the print, the remover breaks the adhesive bond chemically and allows the print to be removed easily. The <\/span>primary downsides to <\/span>this method <\/span>are that it can<\/span> get messy and takes time <\/span>and patience<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n A third method involves a micro-spatula and hair dryer. Use the hair dryer to warm the micro-spatula, <\/span>being careful <\/span>not to get it too hot. Then carefully insert the spatula underneath the print, moving slowly and carefully until the print is freed. This method works the same way as the floss, <\/span>however<\/span>, it can be more abrupt, so proceed with care.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Temperature changes can affect old glue very quickly. If the album <\/span>isn\u2019t <\/span>very fragile, place it in the freezer for a few minutes. Don\u2019t leave it in for<\/span> too<\/span> long as that results in condensation and unwanted moisture on the album when <\/span>it\u2019s brought<\/span> int<\/span>o room temperature. <\/span>T<\/span>he simple drop in temperature can render the adhesive brittle after a few minutes, <\/span>thereby<\/span> making the prints easier to remove.<\/span><\/p>\n A bit of a warning at this point: all of the methods described above are likely to wipe out any writing on the backs of the prints. This was a common practice in the past to record important details about photos, including dates taken and other historical <\/span>tidbits<\/span>. Some or all of <\/span>this can<\/span> be lost in trying to extricate photos from albums. In some cases, this may be unavoidable. In others, a more careful method <\/span>can<\/span> help you retain some important details.<\/span><\/p>\n Once you\u2019ve managed to free your prints from sticky pages, the next important step in preserving <\/span>precious<\/span> memories is to digitize them. Avoid stacking them on top of each other at this point, or stuffing them into a box. <\/span>S<\/span>ome glue residue <\/span>will likely remain<\/span> on the back of these photos and they can get stuck together if <\/span>you\u2019re<\/span> not careful. <\/span>We recommend<\/span> using an adhesive remover in order to clear up any residue <\/span>because this could prove<\/span> problematic down the road. <\/span>In order to scan them yourselves, you\u2019ll need to invest in a good flatbed scanner. Then you\u2019ll need to determine the<\/span> best resolution<\/span><\/a> to scan the photos based on their intended use.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n If <\/span>you\u2019re <\/span>dealing with a fragile album, removing photos in order to digitize them may not be a straightforward task. Consider outsourcing <\/span>the album <\/span>to a<\/span> professional service<\/span><\/a> with experience handling such delicate projects. <\/span>Professional scanning services<\/span> have people trained in this work and they also have the tools and technology to ensure that your photos are safely removed and then optimally digitized. <\/span>If you decide to go the professional route, it pays to do some research since all scanning services aren’t created equal.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Whether you opt for<\/span> DIY scanning or a professional service<\/span><\/a>,<\/span> photo digitization<\/span><\/a> is ultimately the best way to keep your memories safe from the elements. <\/span>With the right skills and practice<\/span>, <\/span>it\u2019s possible to perform magic with <\/span>photo editing software<\/span>, including fixing rips, discoloration, <\/span>and<\/span> fading<\/span>,<\/span> removing unwanted objects<\/span>, and more. <\/span>And digital images can be enhanced, shared, and used to<\/span> create albums<\/span><\/a> and cool gifts.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n For most people above a certain age, sticky photo albums are an inescapable part of their family archives. <\/span>Thankfully<\/span>, <\/span>by using the <\/span>techniques described <\/span>above or choosing a professional scanning service to do the heavy lifting,<\/span> it\u2019s possible to rescue old photos trapped in these albums and preserve the<\/span>se <\/span>memories <\/span>for posterity<\/span>. <\/span>Your relatives will be so grateful you didn\u2019t use these once ubiquitous magnetic photo albums, which believe it or not, still exist!<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The Truth About Sticky Albums If you\u2019re familiar with the film photography era, you\u2019ve likely encountered magnetic photo albums (aka…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2353,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ub_ctt_via":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[64],"tags":[42,158,157],"class_list":["post-1957","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-photo-restoration","tag-memories","tag-memory-preservation","tag-photo-albums"],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/scancafe.wpenginepowered.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Sticky-Photo-Albums-scaled.jpeg","author_info":{"display_name":"ScanCafe","author_link":"https:\/\/scancafe.com\/blog\/author\/scafewpadm"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/scancafe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1957","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/scancafe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/scancafe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scancafe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scancafe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1957"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/scancafe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1957\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scancafe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2353"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/scancafe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1957"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scancafe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1957"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scancafe.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1957"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Common <\/b>Sticky Photo Album<\/b> Issues<\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
Corrosive Glue<\/b><\/h3>\n
Insidious Mylar<\/b><\/h3>\n
Tips for Removing Photos From Old Sticky Albums<\/b><\/h2>\n
Method 1: <\/b>Dental Floss<\/b><\/h3>\n
Method 2: <\/b>Adhesive Removers<\/b><\/h3>\n
Method 3: <\/b>Micro-Spatula and Hair Dryer<\/b><\/h3>\n
The Risks Involved with Removing Photos from Sticky Pages: Proceed with Caution<\/b>\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n
Digitize <\/b>Y<\/b>our <\/b>N<\/b>ewly <\/b>F<\/b>reed <\/b>P<\/b>hotos<\/b><\/h2>\n
Digitizing Photos Without Removal From Old, Sticky Albums<\/b><\/h2>\n