Photographs hold very special places in our hearts as they’re sentimental, and sometimes, they’re all that we have left to remember relatives by. Keeping them in good condition and continuously caring for them is not as hard as it sounds. Here are our top tips to caring for your family photographs and keeping them in pristine condition.
General care and handling
The easiest way to help preserve your family photographs is to take care when handling them. This includes having clean hands and wearing non-scratching or microfiber gloves to hold them. If you’re displaying them on a table, make sure the surface is clean before placing them down. Always keep food and drink away from the photographs and never write on them directly as these substances can cause the photograph to deteriorate over time.
Storage tips
Keeping your photographs in a photo album or sealed box is a great way to prevent damage to your photos caused by light or dust. When putting your photographs away, avoid using paper clips or other fasteners to organise your photos. Instead, opt for photo albums that allow you to slide your photograph into a sealed photo-safe plastic slip.
Don’t hold your photos together using rubber bands, self-adhesive tape or glue as they can all cause damage to your photos. Instead, store your photos in a photo album back-to-back as the backs of photos have the same acidic qualities.
Guidelines
Many professionals will recommend the following guidelines to preserve your photographs in. These guidelines include:
- Storing photos in a relatively dry, cool and clean environment that is free from pests like silverfish and vermin
- Minimal exposure to all kinds of light and no exposure to direct light, especially UV
- No direct exposure to air vents like air conditioning
Digitise your photographs
To ensure your family always has a copy of their archival photographs, long after their colours have faded, digitise your photos. Scan them and store them in a secure cloud-based system so you have a permanent record of them. Not only is digitising your photos a great way to prevent the physical copies from being exposed to harmful elements, it’s also a great way to share the memories with family and friends anywhere around the world.
Store with the experts
If you’re worried about properly preserving your photographs, call in the experts. Grace Fine Art provides secure storage solutions for your family’s photographs. Our dedicated, climate and temperature controlled vaults provide the perfect conditions to preserve your photographs in their current state. For more information on how we can help you store your photos, contact us.
