Emergency Salvage of Family Treasures

Emergency Salvage of Family Treasures

photo-256882_1920

 

The following information aims to provide support and valuable information for those affected by natural disasters in hopes of preserving their memories and treasures.

Quick Tips

  • Do not rush into salvage. Rushing may cause you to damage fragile paper. Instead, take your time and think about how you can work safely.
  • Wear nitrile or latex gloves when working with flood damaged materials to protect yourself from contaminants in the water.
  • Consider freezing wet books, paper and photographs to prevent mold growth. If possible, place pieces of wax paper at ¼” intervals in stacks of paper and between each photograph. Place stacks in plastic bags and freeze. Then you can thaw and dry them at your convenience.
  • Do not freeze anything made of glass.
  • Air dry materials by laying them out on a surface covered with paper towels, terrycloth towels, or other absorbent material. Dry paper in stacks no more than ¼” high. Dry photos in a single layer.
  • Use fans to keep the air moving, but do not aim fans directly at the wet materials.
  • Clean mold from materials using soot sponges.
  • Materials may look curled or wrinkled after salvage. This is okay. Salvage is designed to get things safe from mold growth and further damage. A conservator may have to help restore damaged items to their previous appearance.

For advice, e-mail response@ischool.utexas.edu.

How to Salvage Wet Materials