Old coffee filter trick for lifting water stains off photos

I had a 1950s wedding photo that got a ring stain from a cup someone set on it. Googled around and saw people swear by using a wet coffee filter as a blotter. Laid a damp filter over the stain, put a book on top, let it sit for 12 hours. The stain lifted right into the filter paper, no damage to the photo. Has anyone else gotten creative with household stuff for wet damage?

2 comments

2 Comments

miab1611h ago

Give the coffee filter trick a try if you want, but a water stain on a photo from 70 years ago hardly seems like the end of the world. Most of those old prints are pretty durable, and a little faded spot adds character anyway. I'd save the worrying for something that actually matters.

kelly_roberts3h ago

Actually, the coffee filter trick can make it worse depending on the type of paper. Old photos from the 1950s and 60s used different coatings, some with a glossy finish that reacts badly to moisture. My aunt tried the coffee filter method on a photo of her dad from 1962 and ended up with a weird cloudy haze that spread across his face. Might be worth testing on a junk photo first before risking an heirloom if someone's really set on trying it.