How to wash off stamps

When you get a bunch of stamps, they are most likely stuck to an envelope.
When stamps are removed from the envelope it is called “washing” off the stamps.
The stamps should be sorted, before they are washed.
Throw out any stamps that are torn or missing perforations.
Now take a look at the paper color of the envelopes the stamps are on. Stamps on paper with strong colors e.g. red or blue should be washed separately. The color could leach into the water and ruin all of the stamps. Discolored stamps have no value to collectors.

How to:

1. Fill a plastic container with clean, lukewarm water and perhaps add a little bit of salt that will help the glue dissolve
2. Only wash a few stamps at a time. Put the stamps into the water so they are covered with water. After approximately 5-10 minutes the paper will begin to detach from the stamps. The paper will fall off by itself. Do not try to pull off the stamp
3. If there still is a little glue left on the back side of the stamps, once the stamps have fallen off the paper gently rub it off using the tip of your finger. Remove the washed stamps from the water using your tweezers. The wet stamps are very fragile, so be careful that you do not pierce them with the tweezers. If you are looking for a pair of tweezers, click here
4. Place the wet stamps back-side up on a newspaper and let dry for 30 minutes to an hour. Transfer to a new dry newspaper and repeat. Bonus tip: Use newspaper that is at least a few weeks old, so the ink has thoroughly dried.
5. Move the stamps to a drying book. If you are looking for a high-quality drying book, click here
6. Add eventually some heavy books on top and let the stamps dry  at least until the next day