How to Remove Glued Postcards

Postcards as collections were glued to the pages of inexpensive albums on highly acidic paper. Today, these postcards, now torn from old albums, are left with residue of glue, stuck with paper on their backs. "The act of collecting paper was somewhat new, and it started in an age when a great many new chemicals were entering the world whose long term effects were not yet known," according to the New York Metropolitan Postcard Club of New York City's Guide to the Care of Postcards. Carefully remove foreign matter stuck to a postcard and begin properly preserving your collection.

Things You'll Need

• Straight blade
• Dry white cloth
• Small dish of water
• Cotton swab

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Instructions

1. • 1

     Remove all loose material by hand when working with rubber cement and casein-based glues.

   • 2

     Scrape off the remainder of the glue with a blade, being careful to scrape off only glue that is on the card and not the actual face of the card.

   • 3

     Look at the site of the glue to decide if enough has been removed for your satisfaction, keeping in mind that liquid-type glues may have been absorbed into the card and are now permanently part of it.

   • 4

     Wet a cotton swab and rub a small area of the glue as a test to determine if it is water-soluble. If it begins to soften and can be wiped away, it is water-soluble.

   • 5

     Apply enough water to dissolve the glue but not to cause water damage. Water absorbed into the card can cause damage.

   • 6

     Blot water quickly from the card with an absorbent, dry cloth.