Digital Cameras

Water damage can happen anytime. A leaking sink, a flooded basement, or a broken water pipe can be the culprit. If it happens to you, here are a few tips to salvaging your precious photos:

Separate the photos before they dry! If you don't, they will stick together and the paper and chemicals will make it virtually impossible to pull them apart without dramatically increasing the damage.

As soon as possible, store the wet photos in a container of clean, cold water from your faucet. Change the water every day. The chlorine in tap water is enough to prevent the growth of fungi, so don't add more chlorine.

Rinse your photos in a container of cold, clear running water. Don’t run the water directly onto the photos, because that could damage the chemical emulsion, causing permanent damage. Keep rinsing them until the run-off water is clear.

Remove your photos from the water and and gently separate them. Only remove the photos that separate easily. Return the stubborn photos to the water bath. Repeat the process as many times as necessary.

Once your photos are separated, store them in water until you can wash each one, using cold running water. Use a clean, soft cotton cloth to remove debris. Rinse your photographs or negatives again.

Hang the prints to dry. Your prints (especiallly the larger ones) will probably curl during the drying process. If this happens, dampen the back of the print with a cloth or sponge and place it (and any other curled prints) between two pieces of acid-free paper and place something heavy on top of the sheets until they dry.

If you don't feel comfortable salvaging your prints yourself, contact your local photo shop for help.