Have you sat on a sheet of paper and wish you hadn't? Have you rolled it up, folded it by mistake, or turned it into an airplane? After moistening it lightly with distilled water, compressed between heavy books, or ironed with the protection of a towel, it usually comes back presentable and usable. These methods can cause you to take the risk of tearing it up and causing it to fade, so be careful - if it is important papers, it would be best to take them to an archivist for storage.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Press the Card
Step 1. Lightly moisten the paper with distilled water
When wrinkled, the fibers are damaged and frayed. Water can soften them to make them flatten, reducing the visibility of wrinkles and creases. Use only distilled water, as tap water contains minerals that can give a crusty or hard texture to the paper. Mist gently from at least 30cm away using a bottle with spray dispenser, or pat it gently with a slightly damp towel.
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Attention:
water can ruin watercolors, chalks, pastels and water-soluble inks. If the paper contains these materials, spray very gently on the back of the sheet. Alternatively, squeeze the paper dry to flatten it, but without removing the creases.
Step 2. Slip the sheet between absorbent materials
If the paper is wet, place it between two layers of blotting paper, wool felt, or another material that has this property.
Paper towels can work, but the textured pattern may imprint itself on the surface of your paper
Step 3. Insert paper protected by absorbent materials between heavy objects
After you have some absorbent material on each side of the paper, place it on a flat, hard surface. Smooth it out with your hands to make sure there are no severe wrinkles or creases. Cover it completely with a flat, heavy object. Often large and heavy books are used for this purpose.
Step 4. Wait for the sheet to dry, checking it daily
The paper should dry and turn into a flat, almost wrinkle-free surface. However, it may take some time. Check every day, and when the absorbent material feels wet to the touch, replace it.
Fully wet paper usually takes 3-4 days to dry, while slightly moistened paper will likely take less than 2 days
Method 2 of 3: Iron the Card
Step 1. Be aware of the risks
Ironing a piece of paper with the backing of a towel or cloth will flatten it, but wrinkles and creases will likely remain visible. If you use steam or lightly dampen the paper, as described at the end of this section, the step will likely remove the wrinkles, but it will also increase the chances of fading the ink or tearing the sheet.
If the sheet is valuable or even irreplaceable, try this method on a small piece of paper, or use the slower but safer compression method
Step 2. Lay the paper under a towel or cloth
Smooth it out as much as possible with your hands to prevent the creases from setting and getting worse. Spread a hand towel, pillow case, or other heat-resistant cloth over the paper to protect it from direct contact with the iron.
Step 3. Set the iron on a low temperature
It is best to start at the lowest temperature to minimize the chances of damaging the paper. Overdoing the heat can dry out the paper, making it brittle and yellow.
Step 4. Press the iron on the towel
Once it has warmed up, press it onto the surface and slide it over it, just as if you were ironing an item of clothing.
Step 5. Make adjustments if necessary
After ironing the towel for about a minute, lift it up and look at the paper. If it still hasn't flattened out, you can raise the temperature a little and try again. If the paper is already hot to the touch, leave the iron at the lowest temperature; before ironing again, gently pat or spray a small amount of distilled water. This helps eliminate wrinkles, but increases the risk of tearing the paper.
Water should not be used on a paper surface treated with watercolors, plaster or water-soluble materials
Method 3 of 3: Professional Filing Treatments
Step 1. Entrust your valuable documents to a professional
Archivists and restorers are experts specializing in the conservation of historical artifacts, including paper. They should be able to flatten and preserve all sheets ensuring high quality; even in the case of pieces treated with watercolors, old, fragile and that cannot be safely flattened at home.
Search the internet to find archiving services in your area, or ask a knowledgeable acquaintance for advice
Step 2. Learn about humidification techniques
As stated earlier, wetting or moistening the paper can help eliminate wrinkles caused by wear and shifting of the fibers. Archivists often use special tools and extreme care to significantly increase the moisture of the paper. If you are brave and experiment with various sheets, you can try to imitate some of these techniques at home before actually doing them. One of the easiest ways is the Horton method. Place the rolled paper in an open plastic cup. Put the glass in a plastic garbage can, pour some water into the bottom of the bin and close the lid.
This can cause mold to form on the paper, which is difficult to treat at home. Some archivists use antifungal chemicals, such as thymol or orthophenylphenol; however, if used incorrectly, these materials can be extremely dangerous for both the user and the paper
Step 3. Learn about ways to keep the paper steady while it dries
Compressing a sheet to flatten it is usually an effective way. If more pressure is needed, a vice can be used in addition to heavy objects. Another method, which can be used alone or in addition to compression, involves the use of glue. By attaching the sheet to another surface with a specific glue (which will easily peel off once dried), the paper will stay in place during drying, so it won't curl or stretch when one part loses water and shrinks.
Even archivists find it difficult to control the change in paper size after wetting it. While hardly noticeable with single sheets, the difference or lack of uniformity can be quite noticeable with stacks of sheets, sheets glued together to form a larger piece or bound book
Step 4. Store the materials in a special bag
It is a widely available commercially available tool for archivists. Buy high-quality plastic storage bags to store important documents, family and valuable papers. They will keep in good condition for decades, or even centuries. This way, you will protect them from moisture and ultraviolet light.
Advice
- If you don't have the time or the iron to flatten the paper, as illustrated above, there is another easy way to remove most wrinkles and creases, or at least some of them. It consists of repeatedly rolling the paper over the edge of a desk or table. It may not eliminate all imperfections, but it is useful for removing some marks.
- You can also try photocopying the sheet of paper. Copy shops have large photocopiers that can flatten the paper more effectively than home-made ones, which can reproduce some of the creases.
- If the piece of paper isn't particularly delicate, try putting it in a printer, but don't print anything on the paper - the printer will flatten out most of the wrinkles. Be careful though: it could jam.
Warnings
- When ironing a printed sheet with toner (copiers, laser printers), using a high temperature can melt the ink that will take root on the axis. To avoid this, start with a lower temperature and slowly increase it until the paper has flattened out.
- Follow the manufacturer's instructions when using an iron.
