Opening envelopes with steam is one of the oldest tricks ever. This trick is easy to do and if done carefully, envelopes can be opened and re-glued without any hassle. However, don't use this trick to read other people's letters. That's a crime. On the other hand, there are even less suspicious reasons to open envelopes with steam. Perhaps you have an envelope that you can no longer open or you realize you have entered the letter or card incorrectly. There are several ways to open an envelope so that it can be re-glued so you can keep your mistakes a secret.
Step
Method 1 of 4: Evaporating the Envelope on the Stove
Step 1. Bring a pot of water to a boil
You don't need a lot of water, but try 4-5 cm from the bottom of the pot. Heat. If there is too much water, it will take a long time to boil, but if there is too little, the water will evaporate before you can use it to open envelopes. While you are waiting for the water to boil, prepare the envelope.
Step 2. Hold the envelope over the boiling water
With the flap side facing the water, find an area on the envelope that you can easily insert with your thumb. One good part is the end of one side of the envelope flap as some envelopes are not glued to that part.
Step 3. Press and hold the envelope cover gently
Do everything gently. You don't want to rip the envelope. As soon as the steam moistens the envelope (the envelope will feel hot, damp, and limp), the glue will melt, and the envelope will open.
- Do not leave the envelope on the steam for too long. The envelope will be so soft that people will know what you did. Hold the envelope over the steam for about 15 seconds, then, start trying to open the envelope. Re-steam the envelope if it still doesn't open.
- Consider using a skewer instead of your thumb and forefinger to open the envelope. This will give you more precise control and will work if you slide the stitch vertically under one end of the envelope flap and twist it along the envelope flap.
Method 2 of 4: Evaporating the Envelope on the Kettle
Step 1. Bring plenty of water to a boil in a kettle
Instead of using a stove, you can use a kettle. This technique tends to create hotter, larger amounts of steam. This technique also avoids the possibility of burning the edges of the envelope if the stove you are using is a gas stove.
Step 2. Place the envelope some distance from the mouth of the kettle
Do not hold it too close and try to get the adhesive on the envelope to get an even vapor. You can place the spoon in the mouth of the kettle so you can adjust the direction the steam is blowing. If the envelope seems too wet, remove it from the top of the kettle and be patient. You don't want the envelope to be wrinkled so people know what you did.
Since the steam from the kettle is stronger and hotter, it's a good idea to use oven mitts or something similar to protect your hands when handling envelopes
Step 3. Carefully open the envelope
Wait a few seconds after removing the envelope from the steam, then, as with the stovetop steaming technique, gently slide a flat knife under the envelope flap to open it. Be careful. Don't tear the envelope, and if it doesn't open easily, steam the envelope a little longer and try again.
Method 3 of 4: Using an Iron
Step 1. Splash some water on the iron and turn it on
An alternative way to open envelopes with less steam is to iron the clothes. The method is similar, but can be less messy and easier than using a kettle or stove. Heat the iron as you would iron a garment and prepare your sealed envelope.
Step 2. Lay the envelope on a suitable surface
Make sure the surface is clean and that there is nothing that could leave a mark on the envelope. Place the envelope on a surface that will not burn if exposed to a hot iron. Ideally, you place the envelope on the ironing board. Make sure the envelope flap is facing the iron.
Step 3. Iron the letter
With the iron on medium heat, move the iron back and forth over the envelope, pressing it gently. The heat from the iron will melt the adhesive holding the envelope flaps together. If the temperature of the iron is high, the glue will melt faster, but you could burn the envelope, so don't rush.
Step 4. With a flat knife, open the envelope
Similar to other evaporation techniques, once the glue has melted, you can slide a blunt knife under the envelope flap and open the envelope slowly and carefully. You should not use a sharp knife as there is a greater chance of tearing or damaging the envelope. As always, don't force the envelope open if the lid is still on. Instead, hold the envelope longer near the heat.
Method 4 of 4: Gluing the Envelopes Back
Step 1. Wait for the envelope to dry
If you're trying to open an envelope with steam, you'll likely want to know how to re-glue it. First of all, wait until the glue that has melted due to the steam cools down and regains its stickiness.
Step 2. Lick the glue and stick as usual
The first way you can try is to lick the envelope adhesive and close the envelope as usual. The adhesive should have regained its adhesiveness and you should be able to press it down to close the envelope again.
Note that you may have to press the envelope tape a little longer than usual to get the envelope closed again
Step 3. Re-glue with steam
Another way to re-glue envelopes is to place the envelope adhesive over the steam again. Bring the water back to a boil and hold the envelope over the boiling water for about 20 seconds.
Step 4. Gently press the envelope tape until the envelope closes
While you hold the envelope above the water, press down on the envelope adhesive to close it again. Careful. Don't let the envelopes wrinkle or steam too much to make the envelopes wet.
Step 5. Keep envelopes away from steam and hold them closed
Now, remove the envelope from above the water and place it on a table or flat surface and press the adhesive against the envelope. You may have to hold it for about 30 seconds, or you can place a heavy object like a book on it. The envelope will be re-glued immediately and ready to ship.
If the envelope does not adhere completely on the first try, place the envelope over the steam for a few moments and press gently. Make sure you don't rub the envelope, because when it's damp, the envelope might tear
Step 6. Use a small amount of glue
If other methods fail, don't panic! You can use wood glue, but make sure you apply it evenly so the envelope looks normal. You don't want some of the envelopes to have glue marks or patches that are damp and sticky. Applying glue thinly and evenly should suffice.
Tips
- Remember that you are doing all of this in secret. Do it quietly. Don't do it in front of everyone (or who might report what you've done), and don't leave the open envelope out where everyone can see it before you close it again. Use your brain.
- Don't leave a pot of boiling water lying around. It's not only dangerous, it's also suspicious. Drain or set aside the water, or cook noodles, tea, and the like. Throwing away the water you've cooked doesn't make sense.
