I was just wondering if anyone would have any ideas re how to remove an unidentified sticky substance on a couple of passports from a collection I am working on (photos supplied). The passports were kept in a vinyl travel wallet, so I have no idea what the sticky substance might be or how it came to end up on the passport covers. It still feels sticky so it's unlikely to be glue, which would have fully dried by now. I suspect some kind of sticky food substance, but I could be wrong. I am very new to all this, so I don't want to try using a solvent that ends up stripping the colour off the passport cover. I did try some paper and book cleaner putty (I think it was Absorene brand, but if not, similar), but it didn't work. Then I tried to wipe down the sticky substance with some damp/wet kitchen paper, but again, it didn't make any difference whatsoever. I would be most grateful for any suggestions. Thanks in advance.
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I think you're onto something there. I was wondering about the travel wallet, too, but had no idea if there was any real possibility that the sticky substance could be the result of a chemical reaction because the vinyl wallet itself appears undamaged. Nevertheless, your suggestion that it could be the plasticiser leaching makes a lot of sense. Thanks for the link to the list of conservators - much appreciated.
Thanks for the tip. I did consider using eucalyptus oil, but wasn't game to try it without checking with others, in case it was too strong and damaged the cover. A spot check is a great idea!
Hi Christiane,
I'm guessing it might be the plasticizer leaching out of the most likely PVC vinyl travel wallet onto your passport.
If this is the case then it would require a chemical treatment to remove the 'sticky substance' and for this reason I would advise you to make contact with your local professional paper conservator. You can find a list of professional conservators on the Australian Institute for Conservation of Cultural Materials (AICCM) website at:
https://aiccm.org.au/need-a-conservator
Regards
Detlev
I find that eucalyptus oil usually works very well with removing sticky substances without staining. You can always spot test if unsure.