You wish you never sat on, crumpled into lumps, accidentally folded, or made paper into a plane? Usually the paper will look more decent and usable after you have lightly moistened it with distilled water, then sandwiched it between heavy books, or ironed it under a towel. This method runs the risk of tearing and discolored paper, so be careful. You may have to turn important papers over to a professional archiver for preservation.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Clamping the Paper Flat
Step 1. Spray the paper lightly with distilled water
When the paper becomes wrinkled, the fibers become damaged and torn. Water can soften these fibers so they can be re-aligned, reducing the appearance of wrinkles and crease lines. Use only distilled water, as regular tap water contains minerals that can make the paper feel stiff or hard. Spray lightly from a distance of 30 cm with a spray bottle, or dab gently with a slightly dampened towel.
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Attention:
Water can damage color paints, chalk, crayons, and water-soluble inks. If your paper has any of these ingredients, lightly spray it on the back side of the paper. Alternatively, press the paper dry to make it flat, but won't remove the creases.
Step 2. Pinch the paper between the absorbent materials
If your paper gets wet, place it between two layers of absorbent paper, wool flannel, or other material that absorbs water.
Kitchen towels can also be used, but the texture pattern on the tissue can be printed on the surface of the paper
Step 3. Clamp the pile between heavy objects
Lay the paper, with absorbent material around it, on a flat, hard surface. Smooth it out with your hands to make sure there are no big creases or wrinkles. Cover the paper completely with a heavy flat object. Piles of large, heavy books are usually used for this.
Step 4. Wait for it to dry, check it every day
The paper should dry to a non-wrinkled and even surface, but it will take some time to produce. Check daily and replace the absorbent if it feels full of water.
Fully moistened paper usually takes three to four days to dry, but paper that has been lightly sprayed with water will dry in less than two days
Method 2 of 3: Iron the Paper Smooth
Step 1. Understand the risks
Ironing a piece of paper under a towel or cloth will make it even and smooth, but wrinkles and creases will usually still be visible. If you use steam or wet the paper, as described at the end of this section, this will remove any wrinkle lines, but also increase the chances of the ink fading or tearing the paper.
If your paper is very valuable or cannot be replaced, try this method with a test sheet, or use a slower but safer leveling method
Step 2. Place the paper under the towel or cloth
Smooth the paper as neatly as possible with your hands, to avoid adding wrinkles and creases. Place a small towel, pillowcase, or other heat-resistant cloth on top of the paper, to protect it from the direct heat of the iron.
Step 3. Set the iron to the lowest temperature
Starting with the lowest heat setting is highly recommended, to reduce the chance of damaging your paper. Too much heat exposure can dry out the paper too much, making it stiff and yellowish.
Step 4. Press the iron on the towel
When the iron is hot, press it against the towel and move it over the entire surface, just as you would ironing clothes.
Step 5. Make adjustments as needed
After a minute of ironing the towels, lift the towel and check your paper. If it's still uneven, you can increase the temperature and try again. If the paper is warm to the touch, keep the iron on the lowest heat setting, but dab or spray a little distilled water before you try ironing again. This will help remove wrinkles, but can increase the risk of tearing the paper.
Do not apply water to paper surfaces that have been painted with watercolor, chalk, or other water-soluble materials
Method 3 of 3: Learn Professional Filing Care
Step 1. Take valuable documents to a professional archiver
Archives and document preservers are professionals who specialize in the preservation of historical artifacts, including paper. They will be able to flatten and preserve all high-quality paper materials, including watercolors, old and brittle paper, and other objects that are difficult to flatten safely at home.
Look online for document filing services in your area, or ask the librarian to help find someone
Step 2. Learn about moisturizing techniques
As mentioned in the other methods, wetting the paper, or "moistening" the paper, can help remove wrinkles caused by torn and shifted fibers. Archivists often use special tools and extra care to significantly increase paper moisture. If you're brave, and have a few test sheets of paper, you can try to replicate some of these methods at home before doing them on your document. One of the easiest ways is the "Horton Humidifier" method. Put the paper rolled into an open plastic cup. Place the glass in a plastic trash can, add water to the bottom of the trash can, and close the trash can.
This can cause mold growth on the paper, and will be difficult to remove at home. Some archives use antifungal chemicals such as thymol or orthophenyl phenol, but these materials can be very harmful to both the document and the user if not used properly
Step 3. Learn ways to hold paper while it dries
Pressing the paper flat is the most effective way, use tongs or clamps to add pressure to the heavy object if needed. Another method, which can be used alone or in addition to applying pressure, involves the use of glue. By gluing the paper to another surface, using a special glue that can be removed easily when the paper is dry, the paper will be held in place as it dries, and not curl or stretch when the water is partially reduced and the paper shrinks.
Even archivists often struggle to control the size of the paper that changes after wetting it. Even though it won't be visible on a sheet of paper, stacks of paper, paper glued together to make a larger sheet or bound into a book will look different and not the same size
Step 4. Store materials in durable envelopes
A file archiver is sold commercially. Purchase archival quality plastic envelopes to safely store important documents, family histories, and other documents for decades or centuries and protect them from moisture and ultraviolet light.
Tips
- If you don't have the time or an iron to smooth it out as shown above, a simple way to remove some of the wrinkles and creases is to rub the paper repeatedly against the edge of the table. This method may not remove everything but it can remove some wrinkles.
- You can also photocopy the document. The copier or library may have a copier that is larger and can press paper flat, if your home copier is still producing fine crease lines.
- If your paper is not fragile, try loading it into the printer, but don't print anything. The press will even out most wrinkles. Be careful; this can cause paper jams.
Warning
- When ironing paper printed with toner (copiers, laser printers) using a high heat setting may cause the paper to stick to the ironing board. Start on a low heat setting and work your way up a bit until your paper is smooth to prevent it from sticking.
- Follow the manufacturer's instructions when using the iron.
