Collecting
How to Soak Stamps Off Paper
To soak stamps off paper, trim the paper close to each stamp, float the pieces face up in a bowl of warm (not hot) water, and leave them until the gum releases and the stamps slide free. Lift each stamp gently, rinse if needed, and lay it face down to dry flat between sheets of clean, absorbent paper under a light weight. Never soak valuable stamps or covers worth keeping.
At a glance
Before you start
A reminder before the method: soaking suits ordinary, common used stamps on plain paper. Never soak a valuable stamp, or a cover worth keeping whole, as our guide to removing stamps from paper explains.
Sort out anything that looks scarce, unusual, or attached to an interesting envelope, and set it aside for assessment rather than the water.
Warm water, patience, a flat dry
The gentle way to free a used stamp
Soaking does the work for you. Warm water loosens the gum so the stamp lifts away on its own, with no pulling and no damage. The seven steps below are all there is to it; the secret is patience.
How to soak stamps off paper, step by step
Trim the paper
Cut the envelope paper down close to each stamp, leaving a small margin. This makes handling easier and keeps the water cleaner.
Fill a bowl with warm water
Use warm, never hot, water. Hot water can affect the gum and some inks.
Float the stamps face up
Lay the pieces on the surface, stamp side up, so the paper backing takes up the water first. Do not crowd them.
Wait
Leave them, often ten to twenty minutes, until the gum softens and the stamp begins to separate from its paper on its own.
Lift each stamp gently
When a stamp is ready it will slide free or lift away with no resistance. Never pull a stamp that is still stuck; give it more time.
Rinse if needed
A brief rinse in clean water removes any remaining gum from the back.
Dry flat under a light weight
Lay each stamp face down on clean, absorbent paper, cover it, and press under a light weight such as a heavy book, so it dries flat and does not curl.
Cautions worth repeating
- Some inks run. Certain colours, particularly some reds and aniline inks, can run in water and stain neighbouring stamps. Soak doubtful colours separately, and watch the water.
- Coloured paper can stain. Stamps on coloured envelope paper can pick up the dye, so keep these apart.
- Self-adhesive stamps are different. Their adhesive does not always release, and they can curl or stain. Some free with patience, others are best left on neatly trimmed paper. See our overview on removing stamps from paper.
- Never rush with heat or force. Patience is the whole secret. Heat and pulling damage stamps.
After soaking
Sort, store, enjoy
Once dry and flat, your stamps are ready to sort and store. Handle them with tongs from now on, and keep them safely, as our guide to storing stamps explains. Properly soaked and dried, a stamp shows no sign of ever having been on paper.
Frequently asked questions
Trim the paper close, float the pieces face up in warm water, and wait until the gum releases and the stamps slide free. Lift gently, rinse if needed, and dry flat between clean paper under a light weight.
Warm, never hot. Hot water can affect the gum and make some inks run. Warm water loosens the gum gently.
Often ten to twenty minutes, but let the stamp decide. When it is ready it will lift away with no resistance. Never pull a stamp that is still stuck.
Never soak valuable stamps or covers worth keeping whole. Take care with self-adhesive stamps and with stamps in inks or on coloured paper that may run.
Founder and stamp dealerLast updated June 2026