Drying wet paper without damaging it is not as difficult as you might think. We, at some points, all accidentally pour water onto our important documents. Or, sometimes, it is the rain, creeping into our bag, that is to blame.
In such situations, there are still things we can do. In this post, let’s explore some of these methods so that you can choose which one suits your needs best!
How to Dry Wet Paper?
Method 1: Using Dryer
This method is viable if you have a few wet papers to dry. The dryer works well with your clothes and sheets. Here’s how you can use it to dry out a piece of wet paper:
- First, spread the sheet onto one side of the dryer’s drum so that half of its width hangs outside. If there are multiple pages stuck together, avoid separating them if they are still soaked in water
- Use a clean and absorbent towel to dap the paper. This way, you can remove excess moisture to shorten the drying time
- Then turn on the machine at medium heat. Within about twenty minutes, your paper should be almost completely dry!
Be careful when taking your papers from inside as they may still be slightly damp or very hot if dried thoroughly enough.
You might need an extra ten minutes in this case to give them some time to cool down before handling them much more carefully than usual!
Method 2: Using Ironing Method
Another method for drying wet papers uses iron and some waxed tissue paper.
- First, spread out all wet sheets on a flat surface such as a tabletop
- Then lay down two layers of waxed tissue overlapping each other by about half their widths. Make sure they cover both sides of the sheet entirely but leave it dry from above, where you will place another sheet if necessary later on
- Next, take out your ironing board and plug its power cord into a nearby wall socket. Then, you can switch it on to high heat with no steam setting, which should be fine enough to dry out your wet papers
- Finally, turn the paper over to face downwards on its waxed tissue. Then, iron it until dry enough to handle. It is dry when no dampness or stickiness comes from the tissues onto your hands
- You can then stack these dry pieces together with others that are dry afterward. Still, be careful not to let them touch each other much as this would cause them all to become stuck together!
This method works well for drying a few wet pages at once. Still, it is more difficult than using one of many household appliances such as an electric dryer. You will need another simpler way of removing wrinkles later if they appear before or during printing. In fact, there were lots of small creases in old documents that could not be flattened fully.
Method 3: Using Vacuum Cleaner
A third method to dry wet papers is by using a vacuum cleaner. You can do this in either way:
- The first way is to place the wet sheet onto a flat surface and then suck all of the air out from around it to flatten it completely
- You can do this by either placing a heavy object on top of it or folding it over until there are no more wrinkles. If you use this technique, make sure to leave the paper outside to dry in direct sunlight, as UV light will help kill any remaining moisture!
- Alternatively, you can also place your wet sheet into a plastic bag before sucking all the air out with your vacuum cleaner. This method will effectively dry your sheets within minutes without having to apply any pressure!
Whichever way you choose, make sure that the vacuum cleaner has a good power cord. You don’t want to be stuck in the same spot for too long. Also, try not to damage your paper by sucking all of the ink out if it was already dry before getting wet.
This is probably one of the quickest methods to dry large wet papers. Still, be careful and gentle when you handle them.
Method 4: Using Hairdryer
Another method that can also work quite quickly is using a hairdryer. This is best suited for smaller pieces of paper.
Just hold the hairdryer at least 30cm away from your dry sheets and keep it constantly moving to avoid overheating.
This method works best for smaller pieces of paper, such as letters or business cards. Still, it can also dry larger ones if done slowly enough, so don’t worry too much about the size!
Please be careful when using this technique, especially on wet papers that contain ink. You will need to dry them very quickly without damaging any parts. Make sure to check every few seconds while holding the hairdryer at a safe distance in case anything starts burning.
Method 5: Using a Dehumidifier
A fifth method to dry wet papers is by using a dehumidifier. This can be done in two ways:
- The first way is to place the wet sheet onto a flat surface. Then, suck all of the air out from around it to become completely flattened
- You can do this by either placing a heavy object on top of it or folding it over until there are no more wrinkles
- If you use this technique, make sure to leave the paper outside to dry in direct sunlight, as UV light will help kill any remaining moisture!
- Alternatively, you can also place your wet sheet into a plastic bag before sucking all the air out with your vacuum cleaner. This method will effectively dry your sheets within minutes without applying any pressure!
Method 6: Freezing the Wet Paper
Try this freezing method if you have a big pile of paper soaking in water. It is recommended to save your paper from wrinkling and warping before drying. Most people use this method for delicate papers.
- Find a clean ziplock bag and start inserting your pile of wet paper inside. You can put one paper towel in between every 10-15 pieces of wet paper to absorb the excess water
- Then, zip the bag and put it inside your freeze with a setting of around −10 °F or lower. Leave it there for 4 – 5 hours for the pile to freeze entirely
- Afterward, bring out the frozen paper and start drying them. You should not attempt to separate them in such a state
- Now, you can airdry the big pole with various methods mentioned above, using the vacuum freeze dryer, hair dryer, etc
Conclusion
This article has discussed the importance of drying wet paper and how you can dry your wet paper quickly. Ensure you are drying your wet paper in a well-ventilated area, and avoid direct sunlight.
And with this simple knowledge under your belt, you can rest assured that you’ll never have another problem drying wet sheets. We hope our insights will help you ensure that all of your important work is not ruined by a little water spill or accident.