# How to remove something stuck on a photo **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 4, 2008, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-something-stuck-on-a-photo/447969 "2008-05-04T03:45:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![feppytweed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/feppytweed/32/4280_2.png) [@feppytweed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/feppytweed)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2008, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-something-stuck-on-a-photo/447969/1 "2008-05-04T03:45:43Z")
I have a picture that was in an envelope. The flap was tucked in and the adhesive and a little of the paper are now stuck to the photo. How can I remove the adhesive and paper without hurting the picture? Thanks in advance guys, ft ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2008, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-something-stuck-on-a-photo/447969/2 "2008-05-04T04:03:41Z")
You might try some [film cleaner](http://www.amazon.com/Edwal-Anti-Stat-Cleaner-Black-Bottle/dp/B00009R6YZ). I had the exact same problem with a wedding photo of my sister - she had mailed it to me and a bit of paper was glued over her face. One of the draftsmen at work had some film cleaner and I used that to get it off. The finish was a little damaged, though. ---
**Author:** ![VernWinterbottom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/c67d28/32.png) [@VernWinterbottom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VernWinterbottom)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2008, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-something-stuck-on-a-photo/447969/3 "2008-05-04T15:13:46Z")
Back when I took photography classes in college, finished prints were flushed with water to remove any remaining chemicals. I would think that real, printed photos–as opposed to inkjet ones–could be soaked in water to dissolve any water-based adhesive such as envelope gum. ---
**Author:** ![feppytweed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/feppytweed/32/4280_2.png) [@feppytweed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/feppytweed)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2008, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-something-stuck-on-a-photo/447969/4 "2008-05-04T17:00:07Z")
It’s just a print from a throw-away camera dropped off at Eckerd’s drug store… Printed on Kodak paper. ---
**Author:** ![postcards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8e8cbc/32.png) [@postcards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/postcards)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2008, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-something-stuck-on-a-photo/447969/5 "2008-05-04T19:59:51Z")
Film cleaner won’t work well on water-soluble materials like glue. Since it’s a regular print, I’d try a little warm water on a sponge, rubbing gently. If that doesn’t work, [Kodak Photo-Flo](http://www.amazon.com/Kodak-1464510-Photo-Flo-Chemistry/dp/B00009R7E0) would be my next suggestion. Be careful, though. Too much wetting agent will eventually separate the emulsion from the paper; then it’s good-bye picture. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2008, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-something-stuck-on-a-photo/447969/6 "2008-05-04T20:03:58Z")
[QUOTE=feppytweed] It’s just a print from a throw-away camera dropped off at Eckerd’s drug store… Printed on Kodak paper. [/QUOTE] Does anyone have the negative? Can you get a reprint? ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2008, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-something-stuck-on-a-photo/447969/7 "2008-05-04T20:21:22Z")
It’s expensive, toxic, and hard to find, but [Unseal](http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/47233-REG/Seal_Bienfang_SE470_Unseal_32_Fluid_Oz_.html) would do the job nicely. Call around to local picture framing shops to see if they’ll let you use a dab. Edit: It’s not as good as Unseal for cleaning photo prints, but [Bestine](http://www.dickblick.com/zz239/04/?wmcp=yahoo&wmcid=SiteSubmitProducts&wmckw=Bestine+Thinner) will probably work. It’s easier to find and available in smaller bottles. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2008, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-something-stuck-on-a-photo/447969/8 "2008-05-04T20:29:47Z")
Ah, I see that Unseal has been renamed “UnStik.” ---
**Author:** ![miamouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ad7895/32.png) [@miamouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/miamouse)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2008, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-something-stuck-on-a-photo/447969/9 "2008-05-04T23:46:30Z")
Possibly related: will these products work of a photo is stuck to the glass in a frame? ---
**Author:** ![feppytweed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/feppytweed/32/4280_2.png) [@feppytweed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/feppytweed)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2008, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-something-stuck-on-a-photo/447969/10 "2008-05-04T23:59:28Z")
[QUOTE=Shoeless] Does anyone have the negative? Can you get a reprint? [/QUOTE] No, the negative is long gone… the picture must be over 10 years old. ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2008, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-something-stuck-on-a-photo/447969/11 "2008-05-05T04:40:34Z")
As **Vern** says, if it’s standard photo paper, you should be able to put it in a shallow tray of water and the adhesive and paper should just dissolve off, perhaps with a little light rubbing. Once it’s clean, you can tamp off the excess water with a clean soft cloth, and allow it to air dry. Of course, to be perfectly safe, it would be wise to try it on another, less valuable, print from the same source, if possible. Alternately, you could try gentle rubbing with a Q-tip dipped in denatured alcohol. Try this on another print or a corner of this one to make sure it doesn’t do any harm. ---
**Author:** ![TimeWinder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@TimeWinder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TimeWinder)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2008, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-something-stuck-on-a-photo/447969/12 "2008-05-05T04:55:34Z")
Before you try anything that might be destructive, _scan the photo._ If your “fix” works, great. If not, a few minutes in Photoshop may be able to repair the image (depending on the exact extent and placement of the paper). ---
**Author:** ![BJMoose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5fc32e/32.png) [@BJMoose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BJMoose)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2008, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-something-stuck-on-a-photo/447969/13 "2008-05-05T14:15:34Z")
[QUOTE=garygnu] It’s expensive, toxic, and hard to find, but [Unseal](http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/47233-REG/Seal_Bienfang_SE470_Unseal_32_Fluid_Oz_.html) would do the job nicely. Call around to local picture framing shops to see if they’ll let you use a dab. Edit: It’s not as good as Unseal for cleaning photo prints, but [Bestine](http://www.dickblick.com/zz239/04/?wmcp=yahoo&wmcid=SiteSubmitProducts&wmckw=Bestine+Thinner) will probably work. It’s easier to find and available in smaller bottles. [/QUOTE] Would this stuff be useful in removing a photograph that had been _glued_ into a photo album? Preferably without damaging any inscription on the back of the photos - my reason for wanting to pull the pictures. (Curse your, Granddad!) ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2008, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-something-stuck-on-a-photo/447969/14 "2008-05-05T16:49:05Z")
[QUOTE=BJMoose] Would this stuff be useful in removing a photograph that had been _glued_ into a photo album? Preferably without damaging any inscription on the back of the photos - my reason for wanting to pull the pictures. (Curse your, Granddad!) [/QUOTE] Both of those products are solvents, which may very well dissolve the ink on the back of the photos. Take **TimeWinder** ’s advice and scan the pictures first, and do a test on a single photo. [This site](http://loricase.com/faq.html) (question #10) recommends using a “microspatula” to remove photos. If you decide to use one of the solvents in question… In a well ventilated area, apply liberal amounts of Bestine and lift the picture with the spatula. If it’s heavily glued, you may have to soak the whole photo (cut it out individually if you can) in either product in a shallow pan. It might take a while to loosen. Use that spatula to lift the photo. ---
**Author:** ![feppytweed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/feppytweed/32/4280_2.png) [@feppytweed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/feppytweed)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2008, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-something-stuck-on-a-photo/447969/15 "2008-05-06T03:06:00Z")
Not wanting to buy any solvents, I went with Postcards’ suggestion and used a warm, damp sponge. It did the best I could have asked for. Thanks all for your advice! ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2008, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-remove-something-stuck-on-a-photo/447969/16 "2008-05-06T14:54:56Z")
Oh sure, use the simple, obvious solution and make all us “experts” with our overly complicated procedures and fancy chemicals look like idiots. See if we ever offer you impractical advice to a simple problem again. Am I right, guys?