Foxing

Foxing are orange brown to reddish brown spots of staining on paper. This is caused by any of a number of different molds that are eating the cellulose and other paper components (starch, gelatine). Their growth is encouraged by humidity or dampness and warmth.

There are any of a number of products that people swear by to get rid of foxing by bleaching. Those chemicals will make your stamps look good for a time, but sooner or later, bleaching agents will cause the paper to fall apart. The ink structure is affected and will often be easily rubbed off and/or discolored. Overtreatment will cause the paper to bleach out to snow white and become brittle. Professional paper conservators might use repeated very dilute treatments to remove foxing but will also add isinglass or other gelatine products to reinforce the paper of documents and covers. A stamp treated that way will no longer look like you expect and the printing ink will still need to be stabilized.

In other words, DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT REMOVING FOXING, unless you want to destroy stamps. Dispose of the stamps or live with them; foxing can get worse in widely varying degrees over time.

Prevention is the best method for keeping your stamps from getting foxed. Store your stamps and albums in a cool dry place as best as you can, admittedly difficult in humid regions. Storage in a sealed container or plastic bag with an oxygen scavenger and a dessicant (like silica gel) is recommended, with those items often available in the little packets used in food and other products. They are also available for purchase, though sometimes in large packets/packages, overkill for stamp collections. Removing those albums in very humid conditions will cause your stamps to curl because of the change in "climate".

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