How to Salvage Damaged Pictures After a Flood

3/31/2022 (Permalink)

Our technicians at SERVPRO® of Laurel/Greenbelt-Beltsville are trained to properly restore photos & other valuables damaged by water.

If you’ve experienced a flood in your home, chances are many of your belongings were damaged by the waters. Among your valuables, your photographs are likely one of your most personal and cherished items.

Whatever the loss, losing pictures to a flood can be one of the most devastating aspects. You feel powerless as these family heirlooms passed down for decades, or a priceless image is seemingly damaged and potentially lost due to the flood waters.

Don’t stress too much! There may be hope, as our technicians at SERVPRO® of Laurel and SERVPRO® of Greenbelt NE/Beltsville E are trained to properly restore your photos and other valuables.

There are plenty of tips on how to salvage your photos. Surprisingly, most can be cleaned and dried.

Follow the steps promptly to avoid damage. You should try to follow these steps within at most two days, or else they will begin to mold and stick together. 

1. Gently remove the photographs from the water. If any pictures are stuck together, carefully separate. If they will not part easily, do not force a separation.
2. Using cold, clean water, rinse each side of the picture. This way, any dirt will come off.
3. On an indoor flat surface, lay down paper towels. Lay the photo, face-up, on the paper towel, and replace the paper towel (as it will get wet) with a dry one each hour, until completely dried.

If you want to want to put the drying process on hold, place the wet photos (after rinsing with cold, clean water) between sheets of wax paper before storing them in an airtight plastic bag in the freezer. 

We at SERVPRO® of Laurel and SERVPRO® of Greenbelt NE/Beltsville E can also help to restore your photos and other valuables. If you are concerned about water damage in your home (walls, floors, etc.), we will restore your home to you at ease, too. We are the water damage experts!

Give us a call 24/7 at 301-323-8862.