How to fix postage stamps damaged by foxing or having a partially detached back

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fixing damaged postage stamps
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Our pictorials are of informative nature and do illustrate works carried out by ourselves at our own premises for our own use and satisfaction.
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Different ways postage stamps for collection could be damaged

Postage stamps can be found damaged on envelopes or in albums or by manipulating them and attempting to peel them off paper in different manners:
  • Stamp front side is damaged: nothing can be done, stamp is worth no value
  • Missing teeth: nothing can be done, stamp is worth no value
  • Foxing: stamp can be eventually cleaned and added to your collection if successful, see further below
  • A piece of paper still sticks to its back despite soaking it in water: it can be eventually peeled off and stamp can be added to your collection if successful, see further below
  • Stamp's back is partially damaged: because part of its own paper peeled off when removing it from the envelope, you may fix it as explained below and add it to your collection provided front side and teeth are intact, but its value is for sure degraded to near zero.
All damaged postage stamps can be indeed used for decoration purpose inside a frame or with whatever ideas you may find, do not throw them away!

Removing rust and brown stains from stamps that experienced foxing

In case of foxing, brown, yellow, beige or rust colored stains could be found on any of the front side, back side or both sides of the stamp.
You can attempt to clean it with a rust stain remover for fabric as explained below.
This works in 70 to 80% of the cases, and the postage stamp can be saved as if nothing happened.
Apply a few drops of the rust stain remover from fabric on a cotton bud and gently but generously swipe the bud on the stains on the concerned side of the postage stamp. If the stain appears on both sides, then apply the product on both of them.
Leave it for 5 minutes then wash the stamp in water and let it dry on a towel, then flatten it under a heavy weight like within a book placed under several books and that's it.

Getting the rid of pieces of paper from the envelope that refuse to peel off the postage stamp's back side

Be very careful with this back side cleaning tip as you will be using an acid to separate the reluctant paper form the postage stamp.
I did use battery acid, new of course, purchased in a bottle of a 20% solution and it works great.
It removes paper and glue, cleans the back side of the postage stamp without damaging the front side. 
Success rate is close to 100%.
Use a cotton bud to apply the battery acid to the paper and keep rubbing the paper until you get the rid of it, then wash immediately the stamp in clean and clear water or under running water, then let it dry in a towel and flatten it under a heavy weight (a pile of books).

Rebuilding postage stamps back side, when its paper is partially or completely peeled off

Sometimes, when peeling a postage stamp off paper, its own paper on the back side, will remain stuck to the envelope, at least partially. This leads to a horrible result since the stamp remains intact on its front side, and has no damage to its teeth, but the back side is partially intact and partially translucent because its own paper peeled off in that particular place:
Apply a coat of white nail polish to the damaged part unless the whole back side of the stamp is damaged then apply the polish nail to the complete back of the postage stamp.
Let it dry well for several hours, if possible under the direct sunlight.
Once the nail polish hardens and dries completely, put your stamp in a small tray with a little baking soda (bicarbonate) and use a clean sponge with a natural coconut fiber abrasive to rub the polish until it turns matt and smooth, Wash your stamp, dry it and flatten it.
The back side of the postage stamp is now reconstituted but keep in mind that this is valid for your own use and satisfaction, a repaired stamp must be signalled to the buyer in case you're selling it and do no expect any significant value against it.
See also how to make your own stamp albums and organize your stamps of any format within collections:
You can buy your stamp album from our partners' stores in case you do not wish to build one:

See also our other tutorials about hobbies and handicrafts: