Collecting
Should You Clean Stamps?
No. You should not clean stamps. Cleaning a stamp, whether to remove a mark, brighten the colour or freshen the paper, almost always damages it and reduces its value, often severely. Collectors and dealers value a stamp in its original, untouched state, and they can usually tell when a stamp has been cleaned or "improved". If a stamp is dirty or marked, leave it as it is, and for anything valuable, seek expert advice rather than attempt anything yourself.
At a glance
Why cleaning destroys value
It feels natural to want to clean a dirty or marked stamp, but the instinct works against you. A stamp's value rests heavily on it being original and untouched, and cleaning interferes with exactly that.
Washing, bleaching or rubbing alters the paper, the colour and the gum, and even gentle attempts leave traces. A cleaned stamp is, to a collector, a damaged stamp, worth far less than one left honestly as it is. Our guide to what affects a stamp's value explains why originality counts for so much.
Experts can tell
It is worth knowing that cleaning rarely fools anyone. Experienced collectors and dealers examine stamps closely, often under magnification and ultraviolet light, and the signs of cleaning, altered paper surface, disturbed colour, lost gum, are usually plain to them. Worse, a cleaned stamp can look like an attempt to disguise a fault, which damages trust as well as value. Our guide to spotting a fake or repaired stamp covers how alterations are detected, and our quality and grading standards explain why we describe every stamp exactly as it is.
What to do instead
So what should you do with a dirty, marked or stuck-down stamp? In almost every case, nothing. Leave it as it is, and let its honest condition speak for itself. Light, dry dust can be left alone or, at most, lifted with a soft brush, but never apply water, solvents, erasers or any cleaning agent. If a stamp is stuck to paper, follow our careful guidance on removing stamps from paper, and never force it. And if a stamp may be valuable, set it aside and seek an expert opinion before doing anything; see how to get your stamps valued.
The one principle to remember
Original beats cleaned, always
If you take one thing from this page, let it be this: an original stamp, even a slightly imperfect one, is worth more than a "cleaned" one. Honesty of condition is part of a stamp's value and its appeal. Leave your stamps as they are, look after them well, and let their genuine state stand. It is the same principle of honest condition we hold to in everything we sell.
Frequently asked questions
No. Cleaning almost always damages a stamp and reduces its value. Collectors value stamps in their original, untouched state, so leave a marked stamp as it is.
You can, but you should not. Cleaning alters the paper, colour and gum, and experts can usually tell, so a cleaned stamp is worth far less than one left honest and original.
Leave it as it is. At most, lift loose dry dust with a soft brush. Never use water, solvents, erasers or cleaning agents. If it may be valuable, seek expert advice.
Yes, almost always for the worse. Cleaning damages a stamp and is treated as a fault, so a cleaned stamp is worth considerably less than an untouched one.
Leave them honest, leave them as they are
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Founder and stamp dealerLast updated June 2026