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   You've heard that magnetic albums are not a good idea.  In fact, keeping your photos in these adhesive covered pages is the worst storage for your photos.  It's time to think about the safety of your photos and save them from destruction.  Here are the facts about what's happening inside those magnetic albums.
   Magnetic albums are cardboard pages with plastic sheets folded over the top.  The plastic is pulled back for quick placement of photos on the adhesive-covered pages.  This is terrible for your photos.
The plastic is made of acrtate, a non-stable plastic with chemicals that speed up the deterioration process.  Low quality adhesive is usually applied to the backing.  The adhesive is not acid-free.  The backing itself is usually a low quality cardboard, in which acid can migrate to the photos, causing deterioration and discoloration.
  When you peel back the plastic from the adhesive-coated page, the plastic retains an invisible layer of glue on the inside.  Then, you press the plastic sheet on top of each of your photos, pressing invisible particles of glue on your photos.  This is very damaging to your photos.

  Here are three effective ways to save your photos:

1.  Carefully slide dental floss under the photo and slowly move it back and
     forth to separate the backing from the photo.
2.  Cut the page from the album and open it so the photos are face down on
     a clean, smooth surface.  Carefully pull the backing away from the photos.
     You can use a sharp paring knife to gently separate the backing from each
      photo.  By turning the album page upside-down and pulling on the backing,
      you put the stress on the cardboard and not the photo.  You may need to
      peel the backing off layer by layer.
3.  If the photo won't come off the backing, try setting your blow-dryer on the
     lowest setting and blow it across the front of your photo until the adhesive
     loosens.

   It may be too late to save some paper documents such as letters, newspapers or certificates that were stored in magnetic albums.  It's often too difficult to remove these items from the adhesive backing.  Make color copies and store them in a safe place.
  Once you have removed your photos, do not try to wash the adhesive off or spray them with a deacidification spray.  Choose a safe storage place such as an acid free album, photo box or photo file.  You may want to scrapbook the photos in a creative, archival way.  If you have important photos and unique portraits, consider having negatives made for reprints.