Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 3: Press the paper flat
• Tips
• Warnings
• Necessities

Do you have a sheet of paper that you crumpled, accidentally folded, sat on, or turned into an airplane? Usually the paper will look presentable and usable after you lightly inject it with distilled water and squeeze it between two heavy books or rub it under a towel. With these methods you run the risk of tearing the paper and causing the colors to fade, so be careful. It may be a good idea to take important documents to an archivist to have them recovered.

To step

Method 1 of 3: Press the paper flat

1. Lightly spray the paper with distilled water. When paper is crumpled, the fibers get damaged and tear. Water can soften these fibers so that they lie flat again. In this way wrinkles and fold lines are less visible. Only use distilled water, as regular tap water contains minerals that can make the paper feel crusty and hard. Spray the paper lightly with an atomizer, keeping the atomizer at least 12 inches from the paper. You can also gently pat the paper with a slightly damp towel.
   • Warning: water can ruin watercolor paint, chalk, pastels, and water-soluble inks. If the paper has been processed with these materials, spray it very lightly on the back. You can also press the paper while it is dry so that it flattens out but you still see fold lines.
2. Understand the risks. Ironing a sheet of paper under a towel or cloth will flatten the paper, but you will usually still be able to see the creases and fold lines. Using steam or slightly dampening the paper, as described at the end of this section, will completely remove the wrinkles. However, the color ink is more likely to fade or tear the paper.
   • If the paper is valuable and irreplaceable, try this method on a sheet of test paper first or use the safer and slower pressing method.
3. Set the iron to a low setting. It is recommended to start with the lowest setting to reduce the chance of damaging the paper. Too much heat can dry out the paper, making it brittle and yellow.
4. Take valuable documents to a professional. Archivists and restorers are professionals who specialize in the preservation of historical objects, including paper. Such an expert should be able to preserve and smooth all paper materials to a high quality, including watercolors, old and delicate papers, and other objects that are difficult to flatten at home.
   • Search the internet for archive services near you or ask a librarian for help to find one.
5. Learn about humidification techniques. As mentioned with the other methods, you can help remove wrinkles caused by torn and damaged fibers by dampening the paper. Archivists often use special tools to moisten the paper considerably. They are very careful in doing so. If you are daring and you have a few sheets of paper to test the techniques on first, you can try some of these techniques yourself at home before pressing the paper flat. Perhaps one of the easiest methods is Horton's humidification method. Place the rolled paper in a plastic cup that allows air to flow into it. Put the cup in a plastic trash can. Pour water on the bottom of the trash can and put the lid on.
   • This can cause the paper to mold, which is difficult to do at home. Some archivists use anti-fungal chemicals like thymol and 2-phenylphenol, but these chemicals can be very dangerous to the user and the paper if used incorrectly.
6. Keep materials in an archive envelope. An archive envelope is one of the archive tools that you can buy in many stores. Buy plastic archive envelopes to keep your important documents, family history and other papers safe for decades or even centuries, protected from moisture and UV light.

Tips

• If you don't have time to iron or press the paper using the methods above, you can get most of the wrinkles and creases out of paper by simply rolling the paper over the edge of a desk or table several times. It won't completely smooth the paper, but it should work to get some wrinkles out of the paper.
• You can also try to copy the sheet of paper. At a copy shop or in the library, they may have a larger copier that can smooth out the paper better. This is a solution if you can still see light creases with your device at home.
• If it's not delicate paper, you can try running it through a printer without printing anything on the paper. The printer will smooth out most wrinkles. Be careful though, as the paper can get stuck in the printer.

Warnings

• When you iron paper that is printed with toner (copier, laser printer), the toner can melt and stick to your ironing board if you have set the iron on a high setting. To avoid this, start with a lower setting and gradually adjust the iron to a higher setting until the paper is smooth.
• Use the iron according to the instructions in the user manual.

Necessities

• Iron
• Ironing board or other suitable flat and heat-resistant surface
• Towel
• Heavy objects
• Atomizer
• Distilled water