Let’s face it, at one point or another, all of us has had to go through the trying task of document drying. Whether it’s our favorite book or an important contract, we’ve all found ourselves desperately trying to save them. Unfortunately, our efforts don’t always work, and not for lack of trying. It’s usually because, despite our best intentions, our method of document drying is wrong.
How many of you have tried to blot a water logged book by blotting it with a paper towel, and then ten minutes later, frustrated with the task of document drying, simply place it under the sun to air dry? Or worse, try to pry two pages stuck together while they are still wet, only to end up tearing them? Indeed, the key to document drying is patience…and a lot of hard work.
Still, there is a time element involved in document drying: if you don’t dry papers within 48 hours, it could be infected with mold. Books are especially susceptible, since they are harder to dry and can foster growth between the pages if not dried properly. Minor mold growth in books and papers can be dealt with by simply wiping the mold off in a well ventilated area with a dry paper towel.
But within the 48 hour time frame, much work has to be done. First step? Remove all the wet documents from the area, and bring them to a well ventilated place to dry. Do not place them under the sun, as heat can cause paper to become brittle. Instead, try the age old method of air document drying.
For loose papers, simply lay it over dry, absorbent paper. Newsprint paper is ideal, or a paper towel then simply let the air do its job. For books and photographs, air document drying is a bit more complicated.
It is important to separate the pages in books, so they won’t stick together when they dry. So place paper towels or newsprint on each of the wet pages, changing them if they get too wet. Leave the book out to air dry, and place a heavy object on the book to squeeze out the water.
Photographs should be separated immediately. Document drying of photographs at home is a tricky process, as most are tempted to wipe the pictures as soon as they see water. They often do this with a heavy hand, and as a result, take parts of the picture with them. Carefully blot the pictures with a dry piece of cloth, especially when liquid chemicals are spilled on it. You can’t do anything if the chemicals start eating a portion of the photograph, but you can prevent it from getting smeared all over the photograph by wiping it. After getting rid of the moisture in your photograph, simply air-dry it in a well ventilated area. Do not place anything on top of the picture.
If your important documents were submerged in water for long periods of time, you may want to call a professional document drying service. Make sure you call ahead of time, so they can schedule to pick up the documents as soon as the water has subsided. They have special equipment to extract your documents, and to prevent the elements from further damaging the paper once it’s exposed.
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Does it take a long time? Do you think I would be capable of doing this myself?