# Am I the only Doper who doesn't lick stamps or envelopes? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 20, 2003, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-doper-who-doesnt-lick-stamps-or-envelopes/208423 "2003-10-20T00:07:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_can_t_believe_that_s_butter)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2003, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-doper-who-doesnt-lick-stamps-or-envelopes/208423/1 "2003-10-20T00:07:12Z")
Ever since I cut my tongue twice on an envelope, I have taken to moistening the envelope manually, if you will, with a bit of moist paper towel. Naturally, this habit followed with stamps as well. Anyone else do the same thing? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2003, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-doper-who-doesnt-lick-stamps-or-envelopes/208423/2 "2003-10-20T00:14:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Joe K \* > \*\*Ever since I cut my tongue twice on an envelope, I have taken to moistening the envelope manually, if you will, with a bit of moist paper towel. Naturally, this habit followed with stamps as well. > > Anyone else do the same thing? \*\* I still lick envelopes. I haven’t bought a lickable stamp in a very long time. I always get the self-adhesive type. ---
**Author:** ![Rabid\_Squirrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Rabid\_Squirrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rabid_Squirrel)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2003, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-doper-who-doesnt-lick-stamps-or-envelopes/208423/3 "2003-10-20T00:18:12Z")
I cut my tongue on an evelope before I realised that I so lick up, not across. But I prefer to wet my fingertip and slide it across. ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2003, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-doper-who-doesnt-lick-stamps-or-envelopes/208423/4 "2003-10-20T00:55:38Z")
I have a 40 year old Lepage’s glue bottle I use. The top is rubber with a slit for the glue to pass through. I remember my grandmother using it when I was a kid, my mom got it when Grandma died and I got it when Mom died. All it takes is a couple of dabs on the adhesive, spread the water around and seal the envelope. The rubber tip is starting to dry out a bit and I have no idea where I would find another one. ---
**Author:** ![I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_can_t_believe_that_s_butter)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2003, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-doper-who-doesnt-lick-stamps-or-envelopes/208423/5 "2003-10-20T01:06:19Z")
> [@](#): > > **I have a 40 year old Lepage’s glue bottle I use. The top is rubber with a slit for the glue to pass through…The rubber tip is starting to dry out a bit and I have no idea where I would find another one.** [Like this?](http://www.elmers.com/images/line_art/E390_tmb_photo.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2003, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-doper-who-doesnt-lick-stamps-or-envelopes/208423/6 "2003-10-20T01:24:23Z")
When I had my own company, my partner and I did several mass mailings of both prospectuses (looks weird to me, but Word’s spell checker endorses it) and Xmas cards. We used a sponge curled up in a plastic container filled with water. For the little stuff I still do, I lick 'em. ---
**Author:** ![Capcha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/82dd89/32.png) [@Capcha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capcha)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2003, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-doper-who-doesnt-lick-stamps-or-envelopes/208423/7 "2003-10-20T03:12:37Z")
I wet my fingers and dab the envelopes. As far as stamps: self-adhesive. ---
**Author:** ![quiltguy154](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/ad7895/32.png) [@quiltguy154](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/quiltguy154)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2003, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-doper-who-doesnt-lick-stamps-or-envelopes/208423/8 "2003-10-20T14:24:05Z")
They also make a pen-type thingy with a sponge tip. The barrel is filled with water, and away you go. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2003, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-doper-who-doesnt-lick-stamps-or-envelopes/208423/9 "2003-10-20T16:35:00Z")
I usually buy the self-adhesive envelopes and stamps - but when I don’t have one, I lick them. ---
**Author:** ![UrbanChic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9dc877/32.png) [@UrbanChic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UrbanChic)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2003, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-doper-who-doesnt-lick-stamps-or-envelopes/208423/10 "2003-10-20T17:01:45Z")
…what Khadaji said. If for some inexplicable reason I need to mail something from the office (no self-adhesive envelopes here), I give it to my secretary unsealed. She has one of those sponges-topped water thingies on her desk for sealing envelopes and moistening stamps. ---
**Author:** ![Single\_Serving\_Friend](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5fc32e/32.png) [@Single\_Serving\_Friend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Single_Serving_Friend)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2003, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-doper-who-doesnt-lick-stamps-or-envelopes/208423/11 "2003-10-20T20:42:50Z")
I’m not sure it’s even possible to get non-sticker stamps in the Netherlands anymore. Maybe some special editions but the over-the-counter ones have been self-adhesive for a couple of years. Envelope licking hasn’t been the same since they started using ‘friendlier’ non-yummy glue. ---
**Author:** ![medstar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f07891/32.png) [@medstar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/medstar)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2003, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-doper-who-doesnt-lick-stamps-or-envelopes/208423/12 "2003-10-20T22:46:31Z")
I’ve got a glue stick that I bought at an office supply store. It’s in a lipstick-like container that you twist at the bottom to advance the glue. You glide the gluestick over the adhesive and then seal the envelope. No muss, no fuss. HTH ---
**Author:** ![voguevixen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5ac83/32.png) [@voguevixen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voguevixen)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2003, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-doper-who-doesnt-lick-stamps-or-envelopes/208423/13 "2003-10-20T23:14:04Z")
I lick 'em. I like the taste. (Do they still make those fancy envelope moisteners? It’s like a ceramic cylinder over a water reservoir. You’d glide the envelope over the cylinder and as it rotated the water clinging to it would moisten the glue. SWANK!) ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2003, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-doper-who-doesnt-lick-stamps-or-envelopes/208423/14 "2003-10-21T00:37:57Z")
don’t lick 'em. that is how “they” get your dna. i use the sponge bottle thing and bottled water. ---
**Author:** ![Second\_Star\_to\_the\_Right](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3bc359/32.png) [@Second\_Star\_to\_the\_Right](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Second_Star_to_the_Right)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2003, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-doper-who-doesnt-lick-stamps-or-envelopes/208423/15 "2003-10-21T04:16:44Z")
Self adhesive stamps, and I tape envelopes shut, or use one of the aforementioned sponge pen thingies. I refuse to lick either, it just squicks me out big time. ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2003, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-doper-who-doesnt-lick-stamps-or-envelopes/208423/16 "2003-10-22T00:55:46Z")
yes, voguevixen, they still make the ceramic ones. a word of caution… empty out the water every time you are done with it. otherwise it is one of the most vile things you will ever see. ---
**Author:** ![Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/angel_of_the_lord/32/2949_2.png) [@Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angel_of_the_Lord)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2003, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-doper-who-doesnt-lick-stamps-or-envelopes/208423/17 "2003-10-22T01:49:44Z")
If I’m at work, there’s usually 20+ envelopes to seal, so I don’t lick. I use the little plastic moistening bottle. I didn’t know those existed until I worked there. I also didn’t know about those nifty razor blade letter-opening things. I want those things for my graduation presents. One day last week, I couldn’t find the bottle and had to lick 27 envelopes shut. Yecch. I don’t think I’ll be licking another envelope any time soon. ---
**Author:** ![shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ab992/32.png) [@shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shrew)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2003, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-doper-who-doesnt-lick-stamps-or-envelopes/208423/18 "2003-10-22T02:02:05Z")
I wet a cotton ball. If I’m out in public away from cotton balls or napkins and water of any kind, I lick it, but I’m not happy about it. ---
**Author:** ![DaisyFace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/848f3c/32.png) [@DaisyFace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DaisyFace)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2003, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-doper-who-doesnt-lick-stamps-or-envelopes/208423/19 "2003-10-22T02:19:16Z")
I use a sponge or paper towel dipped in water. Self-adhesive stamps or a postage machine (at work). If it’s only 1 or 2 envelopes, I lick (despite reading [this](http://breakthechain.org/exclusives/roacheggs.html/). I know it’s an urban legend, but…EEEEEEWWWWW) ::shiver, shiver:: ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2003, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-doper-who-doesnt-lick-stamps-or-envelopes/208423/20 "2003-10-22T15:07:27Z")
I don’t lick as I don’t want my DNA left on it 🙂 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/am-i-the-only-doper-who-doesnt-lick-stamps-or-envelopes/208423.md?page=2)