Caring for old photos, slides and negatives: storage and handling tips

TUREFF• •0

Old photographs are surprisingly tough, but they do not like heat, damp, light or careless handling. A few changes to how and where you keep them can add decades to their life. This guide draws on the kind of advice archives and museums give to families looking after their own collections.

The main enemies

Humidity. Damp encourages mould, makes prints stick together and speeds up chemical decay.
Heat. Warm conditions accelerate fading and deterioration.
Fluctuations. Repeated swings in temperature and humidity are especially harmful.
Light. Daylight and strong artificial light fade images, particularly colour prints.
Poor-quality materials. Acidic paper, rubber bands, paper clips, sticky tape and some plastics damage photos over time.
Handling. Fingerprints leave oils that can etch into the surface.

Where to keep them

Choose a cool, dry, dark place with a fairly stable climate. An internal cupboard in a lived-in part of the house is usually better than the places people often use.

Avoid lofts and attics, which get very hot in summer and cold in winter.
Avoid cellars and garages, which tend to be damp.
Keep away from radiators, external walls, windows and pipes.
Raise boxes off the floor in case of leaks or flooding.

Choosing storage materials

Use archival-quality boxes, envelopes and sleeves. Look for materials described as acid-free and lignin-free and that have passed the Photographic Activity Test, often shortened to PAT, which checks whether a material is safe in contact with photographs.
Safe plastics include polyester, polypropylene and polyethylene. Avoid PVC, which gives off harmful substances as it ages and often has a strong plastic smell.
Avoid the self-adhesive magnetic albums popular in the 1970s and 1980s. The glue yellows and grips prints over time. If photos lift away easily, move them; if they resist, leave them or seek advice, as forcing them can tear the image.
Store prints flat or upright in boxes that fit, so they do not slump or curl.

Handling safely

Wash and dry your hands before handling, or wear clean nitrile gloves. Many archives now prefer nitrile to cotton, which can snag and reduce your grip.
Hold photos by the edges and support larger prints from underneath.
Do not write on the back with a ballpoint or felt-tip pen, which can press through or bleed. Use a soft pencil lightly on the edge of the back, or write on the envelope instead.
Never use sticky tape or glue to repair tears.
Do not try to clean prints with water or household products.

Slides and negatives

Keep negatives in individual archival sleeves rather than the original paper wallets, which may be acidic.
Store slides in archival slide pages or their boxes, away from light.
Watch for vinegar syndrome. Acetate film can break down and give off a vinegar smell, curl or shrink. Separate affected film from the rest and prioritise digitising it.
Be cautious with very old film negatives. Cellulose nitrate film, used for many negatives in the first half of the twentieth century, is flammable and can be unstable. If you suspect you have some, especially if it is sticky, powdery or has a strong odour, contact a local archive or photographic conservator for advice rather than storing it with other material.

Dealing with damage

Mould: isolate affected items in a sealed container and seek advice. Do not try to scrub it off.
Photos stuck together or water-damaged: do not pull them apart. A conservator may be able to separate them.
Glass plate negatives: store upright on their edges, padded and in individual enclosures, as they are fragile and heavy.

Make copies

Digitising your collection means you can look at the images as often as you like without handling the originals. Keep the originals stored safely and enjoy the scans. How do you store your family photos? Share your setup, and any lessons learned, in the comments.